Nokea
A female patient is discharged from the hospital after having an episode of heart failure. She's prescribed daily oral doses of digoxin (Lanoxin) and furosemide (Lasix). Two days later, she tells her community health nurse that she feels weak and her heart 'flutters' frequently. What action should the nurse take?
- A. Tell the patient to rest more often.
- B. Tell the patient to stop taking the digoxin, and call the physician.
- C. Call the physician, report the symptoms, and request to draw a blood sample to determine the patient's potassium level.
- D. Tell the patient to avoid foods that contain caffeine.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Furosemide is a potassium-wasting diuretic. A low potassium level may cause weakness and palpitations. Telling the patient to rest more often won't help the patient if she's hypokalemic. Digoxin isn't causing the patient's symptoms, so she doesn't need to stop taking it. The patient should probably avoid caffeine, but this wouldn't resolve potassium depletion.
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A 73-year-old man who slipped on a small carpet in his home and fell on his hip is alert and oriented; PERRLA (pupils equally round and reactive to light and accommodation) is intact, and he has come by ambulance to the emergency department (ED). Heart rate elevated, he is anxious and thirsty. A Foley catheter is in place and 40mL of urine is present. The nurse's most likely explanation for the urine output is:
- A. The man urinated prior to his arrival in the ED and will probably not need to have the Foley catheter kept in place.
- B. The man has a brain injury, lacks ADH, and needs vasopressin.
- C. The man is in heart failure and is releasing atrial natriuretic peptide, which results in decreased urine output.
- D. He is having a sympathetic reaction, which has stimulated the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that results in diminished urine output.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Renin is released by the juxtaglomerular cells of the kidneys in response to decreased renal perfusion. Angiotensin-converting enzyme converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Angiotensin II, with its vasoconstrictor properties, increases arterial perfusion pressure and stimulates thirst. As the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, aldosterone is released in response to an increased release of renin, which decreases urine production. Based on the nursing assessment and mechanism of injury, this is the most likely cause of the lower urine output.
A nurse admitting a patient with a history of emphysema reviews her past lab reports and notes that the patient's PaCO2 has been 56 to 64 mmHg. The nurse will be cautious administering oxygen because:
- A. The patient's calcium will rise dramatically due to pituitary stimulation.
- B. The oxygen will increase the patient's intracranial pressure and create confusion.
- C. The oxygen may cause the patient to hyperventilate and become acidotic.
- D. Using oxygen may result in the patient developing carbon dioxide narcosis and hypoxemia.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Your patient has alcoholism, and you may suspect during your assessment that his serum magnesium is low. What will the nurse potentially expect to assess related to hypomagnesemia?
- A. Tremor
- B. Pruritus
- C. Edema
- D. Decreased blood pressure
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
A female patient is discharged from the hospital after having an episode of heart failure. She's prescribed daily oral doses of digoxin (Lanoxin) and furosemide (Lasix). Two days later, she tells her community health nurse that she feels weak and her heart "flutters" frequently. What action should the nurse take?
- A. Tell the patient to rest more often.
- B. Tell the patient to stop taking the digoxin, and call the physician.
- C. Call the physician, report the symptoms, and request to draw a blood sample to determine the patient's potassium level.
- D. Tell the patient to avoid foods that contain caffeine.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Furosemide is a potassium-wasting diuretic. A low potassium level may cause weakness and palpitations. Telling the patient to rest more often won't help the patient if she's hypokalemic. Digoxin isn't causing the patient's symptoms, so she doesn't need to stop taking it. The patient should probably avoid caffeine, but this wouldn't resolve potassium depletion.
A nurse is visiting an 84-year-old woman living at home and recovering from hip surgery. The woman seems confused and has poor skin turgor, and she states that ¢â‚¬Å“she stops drinking water early in the day because it is too difficult to get up during the night to go to the bathroom.¢â‚¬ The nurse explains to the woman that:
- A. She will need to have her medications adjusted and be readmitted to the hospital for a complete workup.
- B. Limiting fluids can create imbalances in the body that can result in confusion; maybe we need to adjust the timing of your fluids.
- C. It is normal to be a little confused following surgery and it safe not to urinate at night.
- D. Confusion following surgery is common in the elderly due to loss of sleep.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.