A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the guardians of a 6-year-old child who has cystic fibrosis.

Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

Correct answer: A

Preschool-aged children (around 3 to 5 years old) have a limited understanding of death compared to older children or adults. They may not fully grasp the finality and permanence of death. They often have a more concrete and literal understanding of death.

A. Believing the death is punishment for bad behavior: Preschool-aged children (typically 3 to 5 years old) often have magical thinking and may believe that their thoughts or actions can cause events to happen. They may think that the death of a parent is a punishment for something they did or thought, reflecting their egocentric view of the world.

B. Recognizing the parent will never wake up: This understanding is more commonly seen in older children who have a more mature grasp of death. Preschool-aged children may not fully comprehend that death is irreversible and permanent.

C. While preschoolers might ask questions about the funeral out of curiosity, this is not the primary way they process or react to the death of a loved one. Their questions are often more about trying to understand what is happening rather than a genuine curiosity about the specifics of the service.

D. Understanding that everyone dies eventually: While preschool-aged children may have some understanding that death is a natural part of life, their comprehension of its full implications is limited. They may not fully grasp the universality of death and its inevitability for all living beings.

Explanation

D, Elevated ammonia

Cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease characterized by the progressive scarring of liver tissue. As liver function becomes impaired, there is a decrease in the liver's ability to metabolize and detoxify substances, including ammonia. Elevated ammonia levels in the blood, known as hyperammonemia, are commonly seen in clients with advanced cirrhosis.

Elevated amylase in (option A) is incorrect because it is typically seen in conditions affecting the pancreas, such as pancreatitis, and is not specific to cirrhosis.

Decreased bilirubin levels in (option B) is incorrect because they are not expected in cirrhosis. In fact, bilirubin levels are often elevated in cirrhosis due to impaired liver function and the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood.

Elevated lipase in (option C) is incorrect because it is typically seen in pancreatic disorders, such as pancreatitis, and is not specific to cirrhosis.