A client presents with severe dehydration due to prolonged vomiting. What is the nurse's priority intervention?
- A. Encourage the client to drink clear fluids.
- B. Assess the client's skin turgor and mucous membranes.
- C. Monitor the client's vital signs frequently.
- D. Administer an antiemetic as prescribed.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is to assess the client's skin turgor and mucous membranes. When a client presents with severe dehydration, assessing skin turgor (elasticity of the skin) and mucous membranes (such as checking for dryness in the mouth) is crucial in determining the extent of dehydration. Encouraging the client to drink clear fluids (Choice A) may be important but assessing dehydration severity takes precedence. Monitoring vital signs (Choice C) is essential but assessing dehydration status comes first. Administering an antiemetic (Choice D) addresses vomiting but does not directly assess dehydration.
You may also like to solve these questions
The nurse is administering a new medication to a client. What is the priority action before administering the drug?
- A. Verify the client's allergies
- B. Check the client's blood pressure
- C. Assess the client's pain level
- D. Provide client education on the medication
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Verifying the client's allergies is the priority action before administering any medication. It is crucial to identify any known allergies to prevent potential allergic reactions, which can be severe and life-threatening. Checking the client's blood pressure, assessing pain levels, and providing education on the medication are important aspects of client care but verifying allergies is essential for ensuring the safety of the client.
A client with cirrhosis is at risk for bleeding due to impaired liver function. Which laboratory result is the most important to monitor?
- A. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
- B. Prothrombin time (PT)
- C. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
- D. Serum albumin
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Prothrombin time (PT) measures the time it takes for blood to clot and is a critical indicator of bleeding risk in clients with liver dysfunction. Impaired liver function reduces clotting factor production, leading to an increased PT, which requires close monitoring. Monitoring BUN (Choice A) is more indicative of kidney function, not clotting ability. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (Choice C) and serum albumin (Choice D) are important indicators of liver function, but they do not directly assess the client's bleeding risk.
A client with hypertension is prescribed a thiazide diuretic. What dietary recommendation should the nurse make?
- A. Encourage a diet low in carbohydrates and fats.
- B. Avoid foods high in vitamin K, such as spinach and kale.
- C. Increase salt intake to prevent dehydration.
- D. Eat potassium-rich foods like bananas and oranges.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: 'Eat potassium-rich foods like bananas and oranges.' Thiazide diuretics can lead to potassium loss, so it is essential for clients to consume potassium-rich foods to maintain adequate levels. Choice A is incorrect because focusing solely on low carbohydrates and fats does not address the specific issue of potassium loss. Choice B is unrelated as vitamin K content is not a concern with thiazide diuretics. Choice C is incorrect as increasing salt intake would exacerbate hypertension and not prevent dehydration.
A client receiving IV antibiotics for sepsis reports itching and has a rash on the chest. What is the nurse's first action?
- A. Administer an antihistamine as prescribed.
- B. Stop the infusion and notify the healthcare provider.
- C. Slow the infusion rate and monitor the client.
- D. Administer epinephrine subcutaneously.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take first when a client receiving IV antibiotics for sepsis reports itching and a rash on the chest is to stop the infusion and notify the healthcare provider. This is crucial in preventing the allergic reaction from worsening. Administering an antihistamine (choice A) may address the symptoms but does not address the primary concern of stopping the infusion. Slowing the infusion rate and monitoring the client (choice C) may not be sufficient if the reaction is severe. Administering epinephrine subcutaneously (choice D) is not the first-line intervention for this situation.
A client reports that the skin around the edges of a wound is red and swollen. What is the nurse's priority intervention?
- A. Monitor for signs of infection
- B. Reinforce the wound dressing
- C. Contact the healthcare provider
- D. Apply a warm compress to the wound
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor for signs of infection. Redness and swelling around a wound are indicative of a potential infection. The priority intervention for the nurse is to closely monitor the wound for further signs of infection, such as increased drainage or fever. Reinforcing the wound dressing may be necessary, but it is not the priority when infection is suspected. Contacting the healthcare provider is important, but the nurse should first assess and monitor the wound to provide comprehensive information when contacting the provider. Applying a warm compress can potentially worsen the infection by promoting bacterial growth, so it is contraindicated in this situation.