Which statement about teenage PN candidacy is accurate?

• A. Teenagers are always at high risk for PN initiation problems
• B. Teenagers require hospital-based PN only
• C. Teenagers require unique equipment in home PN
• D. Teens are not generally considered high-risk solely by age in the home PN initiation context

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that how well a teenager can manage PN at home isn’t determined by age alone. Candidacy for home PN in teens hinges on safety and readiness: the patient and family must be able to maintain sterile catheter care, recognize and respond to complications, adhere to PN dosing and monitoring schedules, attend necessary labs, and have reliable access to supplies and follow-up care. If these conditions are met, age by itself does not make home PN inappropriate; teens can be good candidates with appropriate support.

This is why the statement is best: risk isn’t automatic solely because of being a teenager. In contrast, viewing all teens as high risk, requiring hospital-only PN, or needing teen-specific hardware would mischaracterize the nature of home PN candidacy, which is more about individualized safety, capacity, and support rather than age alone.