The nurse is doing discharge teaching with a newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus patient. The patient states that when he feels shaky or hungry he should "eat a candy bar and drink a cup of orange juice." What would be the best response to this?

Choice A reason: This response is incorrect because a candy bar contains high amounts of fats which slow down the absorption of sugar, delaying the correction of hypoglycemia. Combining two high-sugar items also risks causing significant hyperglycemia. Effective management requires 15 grams of rapidly absorbed, simple carbohydrates without excessive fats. Choice B reason: Adding toast to a candy bar and juice would provide an excessive caloric and carbohydrate load, leading to a "rebound" hyperglycemic state. The goal of treating hypoglycemia is to stabilize the blood glucose within a normal range using the "15-15 rule" rather than consuming large, complex meals during the event. Choice C reason: A boiled egg is primarily composed of protein and fat and contains negligible amounts of carbohydrates. While protein is important for long-term satiety, it will not raise blood glucose levels quickly enough to treat acute hypoglycemic symptoms like shakiness and hunger, which require immediate glucose mobilization. Choice D reason: This follows the medical "15-15 rule" for hypoglycemia. Consuming 4 ounces (120 ml) of orange juice provides approximately 15 grams of simple carbohydrates. Waiting 15 minutes allows the glucose to enter the bloodstream, after which the patient must re-check their levels to ensure they have reached at least 70 mg/dL.