The nurse is providing care for a client with a recent transverse colostomy. Which observation requires immediate notification of the primary health care provider?

Choice A reason: This is correct because the lesion on the child's head is most likely a hemangioma, which is a benign tumor of blood vessels that appears as a red or purple mark on the skin. Hemangiomas are common in newborns and usually grow during the first year of life, then shrink and fade over several years. The nurse should reassure the client that hemangiomas are harmless and do not require treatment unless they interfere with vision, breathing, or feeding.
Choice B reason: This is incorrect because the lesion on the child's head will not spread, but rather grow and shrink within a limited area. The nurse should not alarm the client by suggesting that the lesion will spread to other parts of the body or become malignant. The nurse should explain that hemangiomas are not contagious or infectious and do not affect the child's overall health or development.
Choice C reason: This is incorrect because the lesion on the child's head is not caused by scarring from the birth process, but rather by abnormal growth of blood vessels in the skin. The nurse should not confuse or misinform the client about the cause of the lesion. The nurse should explain that hemangiomas are not related to trauma, infection, or genetics, but rather to unknown factors that influence blood vessel formation during fetal development.
Choice D reason: This is incorrect because the lesion on the child's head is not a precancerous lesion and does not need a referral to a dermatologist. The nurse should not scare or mislead the client by suggesting that the lesion is a sign of cancer or requires further evaluation or treatment. The nurse should explain that hemangiomas are benign and usually resolve on their own without any complications or sequelae.

Choice A Reason: Measuring the abdominal girth is not related to asterixis, which is a tremor of the hand when the wrist is extended. It may indicate ascites, which is a complication of cirrhosis, but not asterixis.

Choice B Reason: This is the correct choice. Asterixis is a flapping tremor of the hand when the wrist is extended, sometimes said to resemble a bird flapping its wings. It is caused by abnormal function of the diencephalic motor centers that regulate the muscles involved in maintaining posture. It is a sign of hepatic encephalopathy, which is a neuropsychiatric disorder that occurs in patients with liver disease.

Choice C Reason: Having the client flex and extend their foot is not related to asterixis, which affects the hand and wrist. It may test for ankle clonus, which is a rhythmic contraction of the calf muscles when the foot is dorsiflexed. It indicates an upper motor neuron lesion, but not hepatic encephalopathy.

Choice D Reason: Asking the client to walk heel to toe is not related to asterixis, which affects the hand and wrist. It may test for balance and coordination, which can be impaired in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, but it is not a specific sign of asterixis.