Nokea
A 66-year-old patient is in a hospice receiving palliative care for lung cancer which has metastasized to the patients liver and bones. For the past several hours, the patient has been experiencing dyspnea. What nursing action is most appropriate to help to relive the dyspnea the patient is experiencing?
- A. Administer a bolus of normal saline, as ordered.
- B. Initiate high-flow oxygen therapy.
- C. Administer high doses of opioids.
- D. Administer bronchodilators and corticosteroids, as ordered.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Initiate high-flow oxygen therapy. Dyspnea in a patient with lung cancer can be caused by hypoxia due to compromised lung function. High-flow oxygen therapy can help improve oxygenation and alleviate dyspnea. Administering a bolus of normal saline (A) would not directly address the underlying cause of dyspnea. Administering high doses of opioids (C) may lead to respiratory depression and should be used cautiously in patients experiencing dyspnea. Administering bronchodilators and corticosteroids (D) may be appropriate for certain types of dyspnea, but in this case, addressing hypoxia with high-flow oxygen therapy is the most appropriate initial nursing action.
You may also like to solve these questions
Which nursing actions will the nurse implementwhen collecting a urine specimen from a patient? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Growing urine cultures for up to 12 hours
- B. Labeling all specimens with date, time, and initials
- C. Allowing the patient adequate time and privacy to void
- D. Wearing gown, gloves, and mask for all specimen handling
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Labeling all specimens with date, time, and initials. This is important for proper identification and tracking of the specimen.
- Choice A is incorrect because urine cultures typically take longer than 12 hours to grow.
- Choice C is incorrect as privacy is important but not a specific action related to urine specimen collection.
- Choice D is incorrect as wearing gown, gloves, and mask may not be necessary for routine urine specimen collection, unless there are specific precautions needed.
A clinic nurse is providing patient education prior to a patients scheduled palliative radiotherapy to her spine. At the completion of the patient teaching, the patient continues to ask the same questions that the nurse has already addressed. What is the plausible conclusion that the nurse should draw from this?
- A. The patient is not listening effectively.
- B. The patient is noncompliant with the plan of care.
- C. The patient may have a low intelligence quotient or a cognitive deficit.
- D. The patient has not achieved the desired learning outcomes.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. The plausible conclusion the nurse should draw is that the patient has not achieved the desired learning outcomes.
1. The patient's repeated questions indicate a lack of understanding despite the nurse's teaching efforts.
2. This suggests that the patient has not grasped the information provided.
3. It does not necessarily mean the patient is not listening effectively, noncompliant, or has low intelligence.
4. The focus should be on reassessing the teaching methods and providing additional support to help the patient achieve the desired learning outcomes.
A patient who was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease several months ago recently began treatment with levodopa-carbidopa. The patient and his family are excited that he has experienced significant symptom relief. The nurse should be aware of what implication of the patients medication regimen?
- A. The patient is in a honeymoon period when adverse effects of levodopa-carbidopa are not yet evident.
- B. Benefits of levodopa-carbidopa do not peak until 6 to 9 months after the initiation of treatment.
- C. The patients temporary improvement in status is likely unrelated to levodopa-carbidopa.
- D. Benefits of levodopa-carbidopa often diminish after 1 or 2 years of treatment.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. The patient is in a honeymoon period when adverse effects of levodopa-carbidopa are not yet evident. This is because the initial response to levodopa-carbidopa in Parkinson's disease can be very positive, leading to significant symptom relief. However, over time, as the disease progresses and the body adjusts to the medication, adverse effects such as dyskinesias may become more prominent.
Choice B is incorrect because the benefits of levodopa-carbidopa can be seen relatively soon after initiation of treatment and do not necessarily take 6 to 9 months to peak. Choice C is incorrect as the temporary improvement is likely related to the medication, given the significant symptom relief experienced. Choice D is incorrect because while benefits may diminish over time, it is not necessarily after 1 or 2 years of treatment, and some patients may continue to benefit from the medication long-term.
A patient with genital herpes is having an acute exacerbation. What medication would the nurse expect to be ordered to suppress the symptoms and shorten the course of the infection?
- A. Clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin)
- B. Metronidazole (Flagyl)
- C. Podophyllin (Podofin)
- D. Acyclovir (Zovirax)
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Acyclovir (Zovirax). Acyclovir is an antiviral medication specifically used to treat herpes infections, including genital herpes. It works by inhibiting the replication of the herpes virus, thereby suppressing symptoms and shortening the course of the infection. Clotrimazole (A) is an antifungal medication used to treat yeast infections, not effective against viral infections like herpes. Metronidazole (B) is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, not effective against viruses. Podophyllin (C) is a topical treatment for genital warts caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), not effective for herpes. Therefore, the correct choice is Acyclovir (D) for treating genital herpes exacerbation.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is to begin receiving external radiation for a malignant tumor of the neck. While providing patient education, what potential adverse effects should the nurse discuss with the patient?
- A. Impaired nutritional status
- B. Cognitive changes
- C. Diarrhea
- D. Alopeci
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Impaired nutritional status. Radiation therapy to the neck can lead to mucositis, dysphagia, and taste changes, which can impair the patient's ability to eat and maintain adequate nutrition. This can lead to weight loss, weakness, and delayed wound healing. Discussing this potential adverse effect with the patient is crucial for proactive management.
Choice B: Cognitive changes, and Choice C: Diarrhea are less likely to be direct adverse effects of radiation therapy to the neck. Cognitive changes are more commonly associated with brain radiation, while diarrhea is a more common side effect of abdominal radiation.
Choice D: Alopecia is a side effect of chemotherapy, not radiation therapy. Radiation therapy does not typically cause hair loss unless it is in the treatment field. Therefore, discussing alopecia with the patient receiving radiation for a malignant neck tumor is not a priority.