Which of the following statements should a nurse make when providing discharge teaching to a new parent about breastfeeding her infant?

Choice A reason: Obtaining initial assessments requires clinical judgment and is outside the scope of assistive personnel (AP). Registered nurses must perform assessments to identify health changes accurately. Delegating this task violates scope of practice regulations, making it illegal and unsafe for AP to perform.
Choice B reason: Changing a nonsterile dressing is within the scope of assistive personnel, as it involves routine, non-invasive care under nurse supervision. AP are trained for such tasks, which do not require clinical judgment, making this a legal and appropriate delegation choice.
Choice C reason: Interpreting laboratory results requires advanced knowledge and clinical decision-making, reserved for registered nurses or providers. Assistive personnel lack the training to analyze results, so delegating this task is illegal and risks patient safety, making it an incorrect choice.
Choice D reason: Educating clients and families involves assessing learning needs and tailoring information, which requires nursing judgment. Assistive personnel are not trained for patient education, making this task outside their scope and illegal to delegate, thus an incorrect choice.

Choice A reason: Hypothermia increases metabolic demand in newborns, depleting glucose stores rapidly. Neonates have limited glycogen reserves, and cold stress accelerates glucose use for thermogenesis, risking hypoglycemia. This is critical in nurseries, as thermoregulation is essential to prevent metabolic imbalances in vulnerable infants.
Choice B reason: Thrombocytopenia, low platelet count, affects clotting, not glucose metabolism. It may occur in sepsis but does not directly cause hypoglycemia. Glucose regulation depends on liver function and insulin balance, not platelets, making this irrelevant to hypoglycemia risk in newborns.
Choice C reason: Prematurity heightens hypoglycemia risk due to immature liver glycogen stores and limited gluconeogenesis. Preterm infants have high metabolic demands and low reserves, increasing susceptibility to low blood glucose, necessitating close monitoring and early feeding to stabilize glucose levels.
Choice D reason: Anemia, low red blood cell count, impacts oxygen delivery but not glucose metabolism directly. Severe anemia may increase metabolic stress, but it is not a primary hypoglycemia cause. Glucose regulation relies on hepatic and insulin functions, not hematologic status, in newborns.
Choice E reason: Maternal diabetes causes fetal hyperinsulinemia from maternal hyperglycemia, leading to neonatal hypoglycemia post-birth. Excess insulin depletes glucose stores after umbilical cord clamping, as maternal glucose supply ceases, making this a critical risk factor requiring vigilant monitoring in newborns.