Final answer:
A nurse would refer to the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines when discussing eligibility for federal food assistance, as these guidelines are used to determine who is considered living in poverty based on income and family size.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering financial eligibility for federal food assistance, a nurse would refer to the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines. These guidelines are issued annually by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and are used to determine eligibility for various assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. They define the income threshold below which a family or individual is considered to be living in poverty, taking into account family size and income.
The Poverty Threshold Guideline is different as it's mainly used by the Census Bureau for statistical purposes. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures inflation and is not directly tied to program eligibility. The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) provides cash assistance and has its own eligibility criteria, which involves income levels usually set at half the poverty level determined by the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines in each state.