A nurse is providing instructions about methylphenidate (Ritalin) to the parents of a school-age child who has ADHD. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
- A. You will need to give your child the medication after meals.
- B. You will need to have your child's blood glucose level checked monthly.
- C. You should not give your child the medication on weekends.
- D. You should give your child's last daily dose of the medication before 6 o'clock in the evening.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is a medication used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is not necessary to give the medication after meals. The medication can be taken with or without food. However, some people find that taking it with food can help prevent stomach upset. Regular blood glucose level checks are not typically required when a child is taking methylphenidate. This medication does not have a significant impact on blood sugar levels. It is not generally recommended to skip doses of methylphenidate on weekends. Consistent medication administration is important for managing ADHD symptoms. However, the prescribing doctor may sometimes recommend a 'drug holiday' or break from the medication. This should only be done under the guidance of a healthcare professional. This is the correct answer. Methylphenidate is a stimulant, and taking it later in the day can cause insomnia or trouble sleeping. Therefore, it is often recommended that the last dose of the medication be given before 6 o'clock in the evening to minimize sleep disturbances.
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A nurse is planning to monitor a client for dehydration following several episodes of vomiting and an increase in the client's temperature. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indication that the client is dehydrated?
- A. Urine specific gravity 1.034.
- B. Bounding pulse.
- C. BP 46/94 mm Hg.
- D. Distended neck veins.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A urine specific gravity of 1.034 is higher than the normal range (1.002-1.030), indicating that the urine is more concentrated due to a lack of hydration. A bounding pulse is not typically associated with dehydration. Dehydration more commonly results in a weak, rapid pulse. A blood pressure reading of 46/94 mm Hg is not indicative of dehydration. Dehydration often leads to low blood pressure. Distended neck veins are not a typical sign of dehydration. Dehydration can lead to decreased blood volume, which would not cause distension of the neck veins.
A child has had a cast placed on his left arm following a diagnosed fracture. Which actions should the nurse take? (Select all that apply)
- A. Smooth the rough edges of the cast to maintain skin integrity
- B. Wear sterile gloves when touching or removing the cast
- C. Monitor capillary refill and color of nail beds of the left-hand
- D. Monitor for signs of pain
- E. Assess for numbness, tingling, or decreased sensation of the left hand.
Correct Answer: A,C,D,E
Rationale: Choice A rationale: Smoothing the rough edges of the cast can help maintain skin integrity and prevent skin irritation or injury. Choice C rationale: Monitoring capillary refill and color of nail beds of the left hand is important to assess the circulation to the hand and ensure that the cast is not too tight. Choice D rationale: Monitoring for signs of pain can help detect complications such as compartment syndrome, which is a serious condition that can occur if pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels. Choice E rationale: Assessing for numbness, tingling, or decreased sensation of the left hand is important as these can be signs of nerve damage or compression. Choice B rationale: Wearing sterile gloves when touching or removing the cast is not typically necessary. The outside of a cast is not a sterile environment, and healthcare providers do not usually wear sterile gloves when handling it.
A nurse is collecting data from a child who has muscular dystrophy. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect? (Select all that Apply)
- A. Spinal defect and sac-like protrusion
- B. Muscular weakness in lower extremities
- C. Kyphosis of the lower spine
- D. Purposeless, involuntary, abnormal movements
- E. Unsteady waddling gait
Correct Answer: B,C,E
Rationale: Choice A rationale: Spinal defects and sac-like protrusions are not typically associated with muscular dystrophy. They are more commonly seen in conditions like spina bifida. Choice B rationale: Muscular weakness in the lower extremities is a common symptom of muscular dystrophy. This is due to the progressive degeneration of muscle fibers, which leads to weakness and loss of muscle mass. Choice C rationale: Kyphosis of the lower spine can be a complication of muscular dystrophy. As the muscles supporting the spine weaken, the spine can curve abnormally, leading to kyphosis. Choice D rationale: Purposeless, involuntary, abnormal movements are not typically associated with muscular dystrophy. These symptoms are more commonly seen in neurological conditions like Huntington's disease or certain types of cerebral palsy. Choice E rationale: An unsteady waddling gait is often seen in individuals with muscular dystrophy. This is due to the progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass in the lower extremities.
A nurse is caring for a toddler whose parent states that the child has a mass in his abdominal area and his urine is a pink color. Which of the following actions is the nurse's priority?
- A. Schedule the child for an abdominal ultrasound.
- B. Instruct the parent to avoid pressing on the abdominal area.
- C. Determine if the child is having pain.
- D. Obtain a urine specimen for a urinalysis.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Schedule the child for an abdominal ultrasound. While an ultrasound may be necessary for further diagnosis, it is not the immediate priority. The child's symptoms suggest a possible Wilms' tumor, a type of kidney cancer that primarily affects children. An ultrasound can help confirm this diagnosis, but it should not be the first action. Instruct the parent to avoid pressing on the abdominal area. This is the correct answer. If the child has a Wilms' tumor, pressing on the abdominal area could potentially cause the cancer to spread. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid any unnecessary pressure on the abdomen until further medical evaluation can be performed. Determine if the child is having pain. While assessing for pain is an important part of nursing care, it is not the immediate priority in this situation. The child's symptoms need urgent medical attention, and assessing for pain will not provide the necessary information to guide immediate care. Obtain a urine specimen for a urinalysis. Although a urinalysis can provide valuable information about a patient's health, it is not the immediate priority in this situation. The child's symptoms suggest a possible Wilms' tumor, which requires immediate medical attention. A urinalysis may be part of the diagnostic process, but it should not be the first action taken.
Your child will need to increase his calcium intake to 3,000 milligrams daily. A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a parent of an 8-year-old child who has a fracture of the epiphyseal plate. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the teaching?
- A. Bone marrow can be lost through the fracture.
- B. Fractures in a child take longer to heal than fractures in an adult.
- C. Normal bone growth can be affected by the fracture.
- D. The child will need to increase his calcium intake to 3,000 milligrams daily.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: While it's true that bone marrow can be lost through a fracture, this is not specific to fractures of the epiphyseal plate. The healing time for fractures in children and adults can vary depending on many factors, but it's not accurate to say that fractures in children take longer to heal than fractures in adults. Normal bone growth can indeed be affected by a fracture of the epiphyseal plate. The epiphyseal plate, or growth plate, is the area of growing tissue near the ends of the long bones in children and adolescents. When a fracture occurs at the epiphyseal plate, it can disrupt the normal growth of the bone and lead to deformities. While calcium is important for bone health, increasing a child's calcium intake to 3,000 milligrams daily is not typically recommended as part of the treatment or management of a fracture.
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