When giving a tepid bed bath to an African American who has high fever, the nurse notices brown discoloration on the washcloth. What should the nurse's reaction be in this case?

Question

A) Assume that it is due to high fever.
B) Educate the client about personal hygiene.
C) Consider it to be normal in the client.
D) Bathe the client again, assuming it is dirt.

Answer 1

C
Feedback:
The brown discoloration on the washcloth is normal in dark-skinned clients, due to the shedding of dead cells that are brown in color. The nurse should consider it as normal because it is common in the specified culture. Fever does not lead to brown discoloration. To educate the client about personal hygiene, having made the assumption that it is dirt, may likewise not be appropriate, as the client may feel offended. Also, the nurse need not bathe the client again.