Brendan, 17, reports frequent fatigue and asks the nurse what to address first. What is the first question the practical nurse would ask Brendan?

• A. How many hours of sleep do you get each night?
• B. What time do you go to bed every night?
• C. What time do you get up in the morning?
• D. Do you have any health problems that would interfere with sleeping?

Answer: (A)

When a adolescent reports fatigue, the first question should establish how much sleep they actually get. The total hours of sleep per night directly reflects sleep quantity, which is a primary factor in daytime tiredness and a modifiable target for improvement. Teenagers generally need about 8–10 hours of sleep each night, so asking how many hours Brendan sleeps helps determine if insufficient sleep is the likely cause of his fatigue and guides next steps like adjusting sleep schedules or routines.

Asking about bed time or wake time separately can help interpret sleep duration, but they don’t by themselves confirm whether the required amount of sleep is being achieved. Asking about health problems that interfere with sleep is important, but it’s something to explore after confirming sleep quantity; if Brendan is already getting enough hours, other factors such as sleep quality, caffeine, stress, or medical issues would be considered.