Question

The nurse is formulating a plan of care for a client receiving enteral feedings. Which client problem is the highest priority?

1) Diarrhea
2) Nutrition
3) Aspiration
4) Deficient fluid volume

Answer 1

The highest priority for a client receiving enteral feedings is preventing aspiration, due to its potential to cause serious and life-threatening complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is formulating a plan of care for a client receiving enteral feedings. The highest priority client problem to address is aspiration. Aspiration can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and can be life-threatening, especially in a hospital setting where clients are often already in a compromised state of health. While concerns such as diarrhea, nutrition, and deficient fluid volume are important and need to be addressed, preventing aspiration takes precedence to ensure the client’s immediate safety during enteral feedings.