Question

A nurse is planning care for a client who is receiving radiation to the neck and has developed stomatitis. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan?

Avoid the use of a straw when drinking liquids.
Drink high-carbohydrate nutritional supplements.
Relieve mouth pain by consuming frozen foods.
Rinse the mouth with hydrogen peroxide after eating.

Answer 1

To care for a client with stomatitis after neck radiation, avoid straws, opt for frozen foods to ease mouth pain, and use special mouthwashes instead of hydrogen peroxide.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse planning care for a client who has developed stomatitis following radiation therapy to the neck should include several interventions to manage the condition. Key among them is to avoid using straws when drinking liquids since the suction can cause further irritation to the sores in the mouth. Consuming frozen foods might provide some relief from mouth pain due to the numbing effect. However, it is important to avoid high-carbohydrate nutritional supplements, salty foods, and acidic or spicy items that can exacerbate mouth sores. Rinsing the mouth should be done with prescribed mouthwashes that are specially formulated to aid with dry mouth and prevent cavities, rather than with hydrogen peroxide, which can irritate oral sores.