A community health nurse is planning an educational program on Lyme disease for the general public. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the program?

 

Choice A reason: Peanut butter is sticky and thick, posing a choking risk for dysphagia clients due to difficulty swallowing. Soft, moist foods like scrambled eggs are safer. Recommending peanut butter risks aspiration, potentially causing pneumonia, critical to avoid in stroke patients with impaired swallowing to ensure safe nutrition.

Choice B reason: Soda crackers are dry and crumbly, increasing aspiration risk in dysphagia clients with impaired swallowing from stroke. Scrambled eggs, being soft and moist, are safer. Recommending crackers risks choking or lung injury, delaying safe nutritional intake, essential for recovery and preventing complications in stroke patients.

Choice C reason: Crispy rice bars are hard and crunchy, difficult to swallow for dysphagia clients post-stroke, risking aspiration. Scrambled eggs are soft and safe. Recommending rice bars risks choking or pneumonia, compromising nutritional safety, critical for supporting recovery and preventing respiratory complications in clients with swallowing difficulties.

Choice D reason: Scrambled eggs are soft, moist, and easy to swallow, ideal for dysphagia clients post-stroke, reducing aspiration risk. This choice aligns with speech therapy recommendations, ensuring safe nutrition. Recommending eggs supports recovery, prevents complications like pneumonia, and maintains nutritional status, critical for stroke clients with swallowing impairments.

Choice A reason: Meningococcal immunizations are recommended for sickle cell anemia to prevent infections due to functional asplenia, not avoided. Reporting headaches is critical. Advising avoidance risks increased infection susceptibility, potentially causing life-threatening sepsis, critical to prevent in children with sickle cell anemia managing care at home.

Choice B reason: Restricting fluid intake is contraindicated in sickle cell anemia; hydration prevents vaso-occlusive crises. Reporting headaches is priority. Advising restriction risks dehydration, triggering crises, pain, or organ damage, critical to avoid in ensuring safe home management and preventing complications in children with sickle cell disease.

Choice C reason: Reporting sudden, persistent headaches is critical in sickle cell anemia, as they may indicate stroke or cerebral vaso-occlusion, requiring urgent evaluation. This instruction ensures early intervention, preventing neurological damage, essential for safe home management, and improving outcomes in children with sickle cell disease at risk for complications.

Choice D reason: Cold compresses may worsen vaso-occlusive pain in sickle cell anemia by constricting vessels; warm compresses are preferred. Reporting headaches is more critical. Advising cold risks exacerbating pain, delaying effective management, critical to avoid in ensuring comfort and preventing crises in home care for sickle cell anemia.