A client has a serum ferritin level of 8 ng/mL and microcytic red blood cells. What action by the nurse is best?
a. Encourage high-protein foods.
b. Perform a Hemoccult test on the client's stools.
c. Offer frequent oral care.
d. Prepare to administer cobalamin (vitamin B12).
ANS: B
This client has laboratory findings indicative of iron deficiency anemia. The most common cause of this disorder is blood loss, often from the GI tract. The nurse should perform a Hemoccult test on the client's stools. High-protein foods may help the condition, but dietary interventions take time to work. That still does not determine the cause. Frequent oral care is not related. Cobalamin injections are for pernicious anemia.
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