I client with a spinal cord injury reports hot, burning, tingling, pain that shoots down his extremities. When the client asks why this occurs, what is the nurse's best response?

Choice A Rationale: The patient who developed a new cough after eating breakfast should be seen first. This sudden change in respiratory status during or after eating suggests a potential risk of aspiration, which requires immediate assessment and intervention to prevent respiratory distress or pneumonia.

Choice B Rationale: Medication refusal, while important, is not an immediate life threatening issue compared to a new cough with the potential for aspiration.

Choice C Rationale: Although constipation can be uncomfortable, it is not an acute priority compared to a new cough that may indicate a respiratory problem.

Choice D Rationale: A stage II pressure ulcer on the coccyx, while concerning, is not an immediate priority over a potential respiratory issue that requires urgent attention.

Choice A Rationale: Dementia is not characterized by a sudden onset of confusion. It is a gradual and progressive condition.

Choice B Rationale: Dementia can be triggered or worsened by factors like infections, but it is not primarily characterized by a high fever or dehydration.

Choice C Rationale: An altered level of consciousness is not typically associated with dementia but may occur in acute delirium.

Choice D Rationale: The nurse should explain to the family that dementia is a chronic condition that affects the brain and causes cognitive impairment, memory loss, andbehavioral changes. The nurse should also inform the family that dementia is not caused by a single factor, but by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. The nurse should emphasize that dementia is not a normal part of aging, and that it has different stages and types.