The nurse is collecting a heel-stick blood specimen for a neonatal screen, which includes thyroxine (T4) and thyroid- stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, prior to discharging a 2-day-old patient.
When the parents ask why these tests are being conducted, which explanation should the nurse provide?

Choice A rationale
Addiction refers to a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The intricate handwashing ritual that lasts two hours or more described by the client does not indicate substance use or dependency, which are common characteristics of addiction.
Choice B rationale

Compulsion refers to repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly. The client’s intricate handwashing ritual that lasts two hours or more and their concern about maintaining cleanliness align with the definition of a compulsion.
Choice C rationale
Obsession refers to recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted. While the client’s concern about maintaining cleanliness could potentially be seen as an obsession, the act of handwashing is a behavior, which aligns more with the definition of a compulsion.
Choice D rationale
Phobia refers to an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something. The client’s behavior does not indicate an extreme or irrational fear but rather a compulsion to maintain cleanliness through an intricate handwashing ritual.

Choice A rationale
Paying close attention to the client’s account of the event is important, but it is not the most crucial intervention. The nurse should listen empathetically and nonjudgmentally to the client’s account, but this should not take precedence over ensuring the client’s physical well- being and preserving evidence.
Choice B rationale

Reporting the incident to the university’s security department is not the most crucial intervention. While it is important to report the incident to the appropriate authorities, the nurse’s primary responsibility is to the client. Ensuring the client’s physical well-being and preserving evidence should take precedence.
Choice C rationale
Preventing the client from showering until all evidence is collected is the most crucial intervention. Showering can destroy valuable physical evidence that can be used in the investigation and prosecution of the crime.
Choice D rationale
Ascertaining the client’s personal reaction to the reported rape is important, but it is not the most crucial intervention. The nurse should provide emotional support and refer the client to counseling services, but this should not take precedence over ensuring the client’s physical well-being and preserving evidence.