The practical nurse (PN) and unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) enter a client's room and find the client lying on the bed. The PN determines that the client is unresponsive. Which instruction should the PN give the UAP first?

The correct answers are:

A. Oatmeal is a good choice for breakfast.

C. Add lentils and black beans to soups.

D. Increase green leafy vegetables in the diet. Choice A rationale:

Oatmeal is a good choice for breakfast because it is a vegetarian option that is rich in iron. It contains non-heme iron, which is the type of iron found in plant-based foods. Non-heme iron may not be as easily absorbed as heme iron (found in animal products), but it can still contribute to increasing iron levels in the body, especially when combined with other sources of iron.

Choice B rationale:

Eat red meat just until the anemia is resolved is not a suitable instruction for a vegetarian client. Red meat is a source of heme iron, which is not part of a vegetarian diet. While heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body, there are other plant-based sources of iron that can be recommended to the client without compromising their dietary preferences.

Choice C rationale:

Lentils and black beans are excellent choices for a vegetarian client to increase iron intake. Both foods are rich in iron, and they also contain other nutrients that aid in iron absorption, such as vitamin C. Including lentils and black beans in soups can be a tasty and nutritious way to enhance iron intake.

Choice D rationale:

Increasing green leafy vegetables in the diet is another appropriate recommendation for a vegetarian client. Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, contain non-heme iron, as well as other essential vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall health. Combining them with vitamin C-rich foods can enhance iron absorption.

Choice E rationale:

Take two prenatal vitamins with iron daily is not necessary since the healthcare provider already prescribed one prenatal vitamin with iron daily. Taking additional supplements without medical advice can lead to an excessive intake of certain nutrients, which may have adverse effects on health.

Choice A rationale:

Crushing the medication and administering it in applesauce might alter its pharmacokinetics, rendering it ineffective or causing it to act too quickly. Sublingual tablets are designed to dissolve under the tongue for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Crushing the tablet and mixing it with applesauce could change its intended mode of action.

Choice B rationale:

Placing the tablet under the client's tongue is the correct action for a sublingual tablet. Sublingual administration allows the medication to dissolve directly into the bloodstream through the sublingual mucosa, bypassing the digestive system and providing rapid onset of action.

Choice C rationale:

Obtaining a liquid form of the medication might be an option, but it may not always be available. Additionally, some medications are not available in liquid forms, and the liquid form might have a slower onset of action compared to the sublingual route.

Choice D rationale:

Placing the tablet inside the client's cheek is known as the buccal route of administration. While this route is also for oral absorption, sublingual administration is preferred for specific medications designed for rapid absorption.