The nurse should expect that which of the following clients is most li

The nurse should expect that which of the following clients is most likely to have difficulty per-forming personal hygiene tasks?

1. The 54-year-old with osteoarthritis in his upper extremity joints
2. The 26-year-old new mother experiencing postpartum depression
3. The 15-year-old client who fractured his left clavicle while skateboarding
4. The 36-year-old client who just learned that her lung cancer is inoperable

ANSWER

ANS: 1
Any condition that interferes with movement of the hand (e.g., superficial or deep pain or joint inflammation) impairs a client’s self-help abilities. While the other options represent clients who may experience difficulty, the client in Option 1 will most likely not be self-sufficient with hy-giene.