The clinic nurse supervises a graduate nurse who is teaching the parents of a 2-year-old with acute diarrhea about home management. The nurse would need to intervene when the graduate nurse provides which instruction?

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During bouts of acute diarrhea and dehydration, treatment focuses on maintaining adequate fluid and electrolyte balance. The first-line treatment is oral rehydration therapy, using oral rehydration solutions (ORSs) to increase reabsorption of water and sodium. Even if the diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, ORS should still be offered in small amounts at frequent intervals. Continuing the child's normal diet (solid foods) is encouraged as it shortens the duration and severity of the diarrhea. The BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) diet is not recommended as it does not provide sufficient protein or energy. (Option A) Use of antidiarrheal medications is discouraged as these have little effect in controlling diarrhea and may actually be harmful by prolonging some bacterial infections and causing fatal paralytic ileus in children. (Option C) Parents should be taught to monitor their child for signs of dehydration by checking the amount of fluid intake, number of wet diapers, presence of sunken eyes, and the condition of the mucous membranes. (Option D) Protecting the perineal skin from breakdown during bouts of diarrhea can be accomplished by using skin barrier creams (eg, petrolatum or zinc oxide). Educational objective: When a child is experiencing acute diarrhea, the priority is to monitor for dehydration. Treatment is accomplished with oral rehydration solutions and early reintroduction of the child's normal diet (usual foods).

The Clinic Nurse Supervises a Graduate Nurse Who Is Teaching