The practical nurse (PN) is feeding a 2-month-old male infant with heart failure due to a ventricular septal defect (VSD). Which intervention should the PN implement?

A. "Are you planning to obey the voices?" – This question is crucial as it assesses the immediate risk of harm to the client or others. Determining if the client intends to follow commands from hallucinations provides insight into potential danger, ensuring safety is prioritized.

B. "Have you taken any hallucinogens?" – While drug use can contribute to hallucinations, asking about substance use is less urgent than assessing potential harm from the voices. Immediate safety takes precedence over exploring potential causes at this stage.

C. "When did these voices begin?" – Knowing when the symptoms started is relevant for understanding the history of the hallucinations but is secondary to determining if the client intends to act on any commands from the voices, as safety is the first priority.

D. "Do you believe the voices are real?" – This question helps assess the client’s insight into the hallucinations but is not as critical as assessing the immediate risk of harm by determining if the client plans to follow any commands from the voices.

Regular insulin is the medication of choice for treating DKA. Its main action is to lower blood glucose levels by promoting the uptake of glucose into cells and inhibiting the production of glucose by the liver. Therefore, checking the fingerstick blood glucose level is an important indicator of the effectiveness of the insulin treatment.
A decrease in the blood glucose level indicates that the insulin is working to lower the high blood sugar associated with DKA. This measurement helps the PN assess the response to treatment and adjust the insulin dosage if necessary.
The other actions mentioned are also important assessments in the care of a client with DKA, but they do not specifically evaluate the effectiveness of the insulin dosage:
A. Smelling the client's breath for resolution of a fruity odor is important as it indicates a decrease in ketone production, which is a marker of improving DKA. However, it does not directly evaluate the effectiveness of the insulin dosage.
B. Determining the client's orientation to time and space is part of assessing their neurological status, which is crucial in managing DKA. However, it does not specifically assess the effectiveness of the insulin dosage.
C. Measuring the client's urinary output for an increased volume is important to monitor hydration status and renal function, but it does not directly evaluate the effectiveness of the insulin dosage.