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A nurse cares for a client with hepatopulmonary syndrome who is experiencing dyspnea with oxygen saturations at 92%. The client states, 'I do not want to wear the oxygen because it causes my nose to bleed. Get out of my room and leave me alone!' Which action should the nurse take?
- A. Ensure the client is in as upright a position as possible.
- B. Add humidity to the oxygen and encourage the client to wear it.
- C. Document the client's refusal, and call the health care provider.
- D. Contact the provider to request an extra dose of the client's diuretic.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The client with hepatopulmonary syndrome is often dyspneic. Because the oxygen saturation is not significantly low, the nurse should first allow the client to sit upright to see if that helps. If the client remains dyspneic, or if the oxygen saturation drops further, the nurse should investigate adding humidity to the oxygen and using a face mask to deliver the oxygen. The other two options may be beneficial, but they are not the best choices. If the client is comfortable, his or her agitation will decrease; this will improve respiratory status.
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A nurse obtains a clients health history at a community health clinic. Which statement alerts the nurse to a possible health threat to the client?
- A. I drink two glasses of red wine each week.
- B. I take a lot of Tylenol for my arthritis pain.
- C. I have a cousin who died of liver cancer.
- D. I got a hepatitis vaccine before traveling.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can cause liver damage if taken in large amounts. Clients should be taught not to exceed 4000 mg/day of acetaminophen. The nurse should teach the client about this limitation and should explain other drug options with the client to manage his or her arthritis pain. Two glasses of wine each week, a cousin with liver cancer, and the hepatitis vaccine do not place the client at risk for a liver disorder, and therefore do not require any health teaching.
A nurse cares for a client who is hemorrhaging from bleeding esophageal varices and has an esophagogastric tube. Which action should the nurse take first?
- A. Sedate the client to prevent tube dislodgement.
- B. Maintain balloon pressure at 15 to 25 mm Hg.
- C. Irrigate the gastric lumen with normal saline.
- D. Assist the client for airway patency.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Maintaining airway patency is the primary nursing intervention for this client. The nurse suctions oral secretions to prevent aspiration. The client should be sedated, and balloon pressure should be maintained between 15 and 25 mm Hg. Irrigation with saline may be performed, but these actions are not a higher priority than airway patency.
An infection control nurse develops a plan to decrease the number of health care professionals who contract viral hepatitis at work. Which ideas should the nurse include in this plan? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Policies related to consistent use of Standard Precautions
- B. Hepatitis vaccination mandate for workers in high-risk areas
- C. Implementation of a needleless system for intravenous therapy
- D. Hepatitis B immunity in clients at risk for hepatitis B
- E. Postexposure prophylaxis provided in a timely manner
Correct Answer: A,C,D,E
Rationale: Nurses should always use Standard Precautions for client care, and policies should reflect this. Needleless systems and reduction of sharps can help prevent hepatitis. Postexposure prophylaxis should be provided in a timely manner. Hepatitis B immunity in clients does not protect healthcare workers, but ensuring worker immunity through vaccination is critical.
After teaching a client who has alcohol-induced cirrhosis, a nurse assesses the client's understanding. Which statement made by the client indicates a need for additional teaching?
- A. I cannot drink any alcohol at all anymore.
- B. I need to avoid protein in my diet.
- C. I should not take over-the-counter medications.
- D. I should not take any prescription medications.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Based on the degree of liver involvement and decreased function, protein intake may have to be decreased. However, some protein is necessary for the synthesis of albumin and normal healing. The other statements indicate accurate understanding of self-care measures for this client.
A nurse assesses a client who has liver disease. Which laboratory findings should the nurse recognize as potentially limiting complications of this disorder? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Elevated aspartate transaminase
- B. Elevated international normalized ratio (INR)
- C. Elevated serum albumin
- D. Decreased serum alkaline phosphatase
- E. Elevated serum ammonia
- F. Elevated serum ALT (AST) (PT)
Correct Answer: B,E,F
Rationale: Because INR and PT are indications of clotting disturbances and alert the nurse to the increased possibility of hemorrhage, and elevated ammonia levels increase the client's confusion, these are critical findings. The other values are abnormal and associated with liver disease but do not necessarily place the client at increased risk for complications.