Nokea
A client is taking hydrocodone (Vicodin) for chronic back pain. The client has required an increase in the dose and asks whether this means he is addicted to Vicodin. The nurse should base her reply on the knowledge that:
- A. the client's body has developed tolerance, requiring more drug to produce the same effect.
- B. the client is preoccupied with getting the drug and is experiencing loss of control, indicating drug dependence.
- C. addiction is the term used to describe physical dependence with withdrawal symptoms and tolerance.
- D. the client has a dual diagnosis of substance abuse and chronic back pain
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Drug tolerance is characterized by the ability to ingest a larger dose without adverse effects and decreased sensitivity to the substance. In this scenario, the client needing an increased dose of hydrocodone to achieve the same pain relief indicates tolerance developing, not addiction. Choice B is incorrect as it describes drug dependence, where the individual is preoccupied with the drug and has a loss of control. Choice C is incorrect because addiction involves psychological behaviors related to substance use, not just physical dependence with withdrawal symptoms and tolerance. Choice D is incorrect as it refers to a dual diagnosis, which is the coexistence of substance abuse and psychiatric disorders, not the development of tolerance to a drug.
You may also like to solve these questions
Narrow therapeutic index medications:
- A. are drug formulations with limited pharmacokinetic variability.
- B. have limited value and require no monitoring of blood levels.
- C. have less than a twofold difference in minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood
- D. have limited potency and side effects.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The therapeutic index is the ratio between the median lethal dose and median effective dose of a drug, indicating the safety margin. Narrow therapeutic index medications have a small difference between minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood, making them high-risk drugs that require close monitoring to avoid toxicity. Choice A is incorrect because pharmacokinetics refer to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination, not the therapeutic index. Choice B is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs necessitate monitoring due to their narrow margin of safety. Choice D is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs do not necessarily have limited potency but are characterized by a small window between efficacy and toxicity.
The client is being assessed for possible pernicious anemia. Which finding would support this diagnosis?
- A. A weight loss of 10 pounds in 2 weeks
- B. Complaints of numbness and tingling in the extremities
- C. A red, beefy tongue
- D. A hemoglobin level of 12.0 g/dL
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is a red, beefy tongue, which is characteristic of pernicious anemia due to the atrophy of the papillae on the tongue. This finding is known as glossitis. A red, beefy tongue is a classic sign of pernicious anemia. Choice A, weight loss of 10 pounds in 2 weeks, is non-specific and not a typical finding in pernicious anemia. Choice B, complaints of numbness and tingling in the extremities, are more indicative of peripheral neuropathy, a common symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency, which can be seen in pernicious anemia. Choice D, a hemoglobin level of 12.0 g/dL, falls within the normal range and does not specifically point towards pernicious anemia, which is characterized by low hemoglobin levels due to impaired absorption of vitamin B12.
In performing a psychosocial assessment, the nurse begins by asking questions that encourage the client to describe problematic behaviors and situations. The next step is to elicit the client's
- A. feelings about what has been described.
- B. thoughts about what has been described.
- C. possible solutions to the problem.
- D. intent in sharing the description.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In performing a psychosocial assessment, the nurse follows a structured approach, starting with encouraging the client to describe problematic behaviors and situations. The next step is to elicit the client's thoughts about what has been described. This step helps gather more assessment data and understand how the client interprets the situation. Asking about feelings, exploring possible solutions, and understanding the client's intent in sharing the description are more complex processes that come later in the assessment. Therefore, the correct next step after describing behaviors and situations is to inquire about the client's thoughts.
How can medication bound to protein affect drug availability?
- A. enhanced drug availability
- B. rapid distribution of the drug to receptor sites
- C. less availability to produce desired medicinal effects
- D. increased metabolism of the drug by the liver
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Medication bound to protein reduces the availability of the drug to produce desired medicinal effects because only unbound drugs can effectively bind to active receptor sites. When a drug is bound to protein, it cannot bind with receptor sites, limiting its therapeutic impact. Choice A is incorrect because drug availability is reduced when it is bound to protein. Choice B is incorrect as rapid distribution to receptor sites is not possible if the drug is bound to protein and cannot bind with receptors. Choice D is incorrect as metabolism does not increase when the drug is bound to protein; the liver first needs to separate the drug from the protein before metabolism can occur.
The nurse is caring for a dying client who has persistently requested that the nurse 'help her to die and be in peace.' According to the Code of Ethics for Nurses, the nurse should:
- A. Ask the client if she has signed an advance directives document.
- B. Tell the client that another nurse will be assigned to care for her.
- C. Instruct the client that only a physician can legally assist in suicide.
- D. Try to make the client as comfortable as possible, but refuse to assist in death.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: According to the Code of Ethics for Nurses, the nurse should try to make the client as comfortable as possible but refuse to assist in death. It is not within the scope of nursing practice to assist in death, even if requested by the client. Choice A is incorrect as advance directives do not directly relate to the client's request for assistance in dying. Choice B is inappropriate as passing the responsibility to another nurse does not address the ethical dilemma at hand. Choice C is incorrect because instructing the client that only a physician can legally assist in suicide does not address the ethical considerations involved in the request. Therefore, the most appropriate action for the nurse is to provide comfort measures while upholding ethical standards and not participating in ending the client's life.