A hospice nurse is caring for a client who has a terminal illness and reports severe pain. After the nurse administers the prescribed opioid and benzodiazepine, the client becomes somnolent and difficult to arouse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- A. Withhold the benzodiazepine but continue the opioid
- B. Contact the provider about replacing the opioid with an NSAID
- C. Administer the benzodiazepine but withhold the opioid
- D. Continue the medication dosages that relieve the client's pain
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take is to contact the provider about replacing the opioid with an NSAID. In this scenario, the client is experiencing excessive sedation after the administration of both opioid and benzodiazepine. Switching to a non-opioid analgesic like an NSAID can help manage pain effectively without causing additional sedation. Option A is incorrect because continuing the opioid may exacerbate sedation. Option C is incorrect as administering the benzodiazepine may further increase sedation. Option D is incorrect because maintaining the current medication dosages that are causing excessive sedation is not in the client's best interest.
You may also like to solve these questions
A nurse on a med-surg unit is caring for a group of clients with the assistance of an LPN and an AP. Which of the following tasks should the nurse assign to the LPN?
- A. Reinforce dietary teaching with a client who has heart disease.
- B. Obtaining a urine specimen from an older adult client
- C. Providing postmortem care for a client who has just died.
- D. Accompanying a client who just had a wound debridement to PT.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is to reinforce dietary teaching with a client who has heart disease. This task falls within the LPN's scope of practice as they can provide education and support related to nutrition. Obtaining a urine specimen (Choice B) is typically performed by nursing assistants. Providing postmortem care (Choice C) is a sensitive task usually performed by registered nurses. Accompanying a client to physical therapy (Choice D) is often done by nursing assistants or other supportive staff.
Which of the following is a benefit of the U.S. health-care system?
- A. With cost savings from technology, more Americans now have health-care insurance.
- B. Quality of care has improved in the United States.
- C. Care in the United States has shifted to a prevention focus rather than an illness focus.
- D. The use of technology is projected to decrease health-care costs and improve clinical outcomes.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because the use of technology and electronic health records is projected to decrease health-care costs and improve clinical outcomes, quality, and safety. Choice A is incorrect because it states that very few Americans have no health-care insurance, which is not a benefit of the U.S. health-care system. Choice B may be true, but it does not directly address a benefit of the health-care system. Choice C is not necessarily a benefit but rather a shift in focus, so it is also incorrect.
Which of the following is a key benefit of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare?
- A. Increased professional isolation
- B. Improved patient outcomes
- C. Reduced need for communication
- D. Longer treatment times
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Improved patient outcomes are a key benefit of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. Collaboration among healthcare professionals leads to better coordination of care, reduced medical errors, and improved overall patient satisfaction. The other choices are incorrect because interprofessional collaboration aims to decrease professional isolation, enhance communication among team members, and streamline treatment processes to reduce time spent on patient care.
A nurse is caring for a client who is unconscious and whose partner is their health care surrogate. The partner wishes to discontinue the client's feeding tube, but another family member tells the nurse that they want the client to continue receiving treatment. Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
- A. You should contact the provider about your wishes for your family member.
- B. We'll need to have the nursing supervisor review the client's advance directives.
- C. You should speak with the facility's ethics committee about your concerns.
- D. As the health care surrogate, the client's partner can make this decision.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct response is D because the health care surrogate, as designated by the client, has the legal authority to make healthcare decisions on behalf of the client when they are unable to do so. This authority includes decisions about treatment continuation or withdrawal. Option A is incorrect as the family member's wishes do not override the legal authority of the health care surrogate. Option B is not the most appropriate action in this situation as the advance directives are already clear by the designation of a health care surrogate. Option C is not necessary at this stage since the health care surrogate can make the decision without involving the ethics committee.
A client with DM has an above-knee amputation because of severe peripheral vascular disease. Two days following surgery, when preparing the client for dinner, what is the nurse's primary responsibility?
- A. Check the client's serum glucose level
- B. Assist the client out of bed to the chair
- C. Place the client in a high-Fowler's position
- D. Ensure that the client's residual limb is elevated
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is to check the client's serum glucose level. In a client with diabetes who just had surgery, monitoring the serum glucose level is crucial to ensure proper management of the condition. This helps in preventing complications related to blood sugar fluctuations. Assisting the client out of bed may be important but not the primary responsibility at this time. Placing the client in a high-Fowler's position or ensuring the residual limb is elevated are important interventions for comfort and circulation but are not the primary concern in this scenario.
Nokea