HESI Registered Nurse EXIT Practice Exam

What is the best explanation a nurse can give a mother regarding her child's iron deficiency anemia lab results?

1. "Although the results are here, your doctor will explain them later."

2. "Your child has less red blood cells that carry oxygen."

3. "The blood cells that carry nutrients to the cells are too large."

4. "There are not enough blood cells in your child's circulation."

The correct answer is: "Your child has less red blood cells that carry oxygen."

The best explanation for the mother regarding her child's iron deficiency anemia lab results is that her child has less red blood cells that carry oxygen. This statement addresses the fundamental aspect of iron deficiency anemia, which is characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin levels due to insufficient iron. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. When iron levels drop, it can lead to a decrease in the production of hemoglobin, resulting in fewer red blood cells or red blood cells that are not fully developed, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and pallor. The option that suggests the doctor will explain the results later does not provide the mother with any immediate understanding or reassurance about her child's condition. The statement about blood cells carrying nutrients being "too large" is misleading since anemia specifically relates to a deficiency in red blood cells and their ability to transport oxygen, rather than the size of the cells. Lastly, claiming there are not enough blood cells in circulation may imply a complete lack of red blood cells, which could mislead the mother into thinking her child has a more severe condition than anemia, which is characterized by a relative deficiency in red blood cells rather than their complete absence. Therefore, discussing the presence of less red blood cells