A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Which of the following findings should the nurse recognize as a complication of this therapy?

Choice A reason: Diarrhea is not a common complication of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), which bypasses the gastrointestinal tract. Diarrhea is more associated with enteral feeding due to intestinal stimulation. TPN’s intravenous delivery avoids gut-related issues, making this an unlikely complication in this context. Choice B reason: Aspiration is not a complication of TPN, as it is administered intravenously, not via the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract. Aspiration is a risk with enteral feeding or impaired swallowing, not TPN, which delivers nutrients directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the airway. Choice C reason: Stomatitis, or oral inflammation, is not directly caused by TPN, which is delivered intravenously. It may occur in malnourished patients but is not a specific complication of TPN therapy, unlike metabolic issues like hyperglycemia, which result from high glucose content in TPN solutions. Choice D reason: Hyperglycemia is a common complication of TPN due to its high dextrose content, which can overwhelm insulin production or exacerbate insulin resistance, raising blood glucose. This metabolic imbalance requires monitoring and insulin adjustment, making it a key complication to recognize in TPN therapy.