A patient who smokes a pack of cigarettes daily develops tachycardia and irritability on the second day after abdominal surgery. Which of the following actions should the nurse implement first?
- A. Escort the patient outside where smoking is allowed.
- B. Request a prescription for a nicotine replacement agent.
- C. Move the patient to a private room and allow smoking.
- D. Tell the patient that this is a good time to quit smoking.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nicotine replacement agents should be prescribed for patients who are hospitalized to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Allowing the patient to smoke encourages ongoing smoking. Urging the patient to quit smoking is appropriate, but the first action should be to obtain appropriate medications to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
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An agitated individual is brought to the emergency department by friends who state that the patient took a hallucinogenic drug at a party and then tried to jump from a second-story window. Which of the following nursing diagnoses is priority?
- A. Risk for injury related to altered sensation.
- B. Ineffective health maintenance related to ineffective coping strategies.
- C. Powerlessness related to insufficient knowledge to manage a situation.
- D. Ineffective denial related to insufficient sense of control.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Although all the diagnoses may be appropriate for the patient, the highest priority is to address the patient's immediate risk for injury.
Suicide is an overdose effect of which of the following substances?
- A. Alcohol
- B. Inhalants
- C. Opioids
- D. Hallucinogens
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Suicide is an overdose effect of the use of inhalants. Suicide has not been identified as an overdose effect of alcohol, opioids, or hallucinogens.
The nurse is caring for an adult patient who is experiencing acute intoxication. Which of the following time frames should the nurse anticipate for the resolution of acute intoxication responses?
- A. 4 hours
- B. 12 hours
- C. 24 hours
- D. 48 hours
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Intoxication responses usually last less than 24 hours and are directly related to the ingestion of psychoactive substances.
The nurse is caring for a patient with alcohol dependence who has been admitted to the hospital with chest pain. Twenty-four hours after admission, the patient becomes very tremulous and anxious. Which of the following actions should the nurse implement?
- A. Insert an IV line and infuse fluids.
- B. Promote oral intake to 3000 mL/day.
- C. Provide a quiet, well-lit environment.
- D. Administer opioids to provide sedation.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The patient's symptoms suggest acute alcohol withdrawal, and a quiet and well-lit environment will help to decrease agitation, delusions, and hallucinations. There is no indication that the patient is dehydrated. Benzodiazepines, rather than opioids, are used to prevent withdrawal. IV lines are avoided whenever possible.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has a history of ongoing opioid use and has been hospitalized for surgery. After a visit by a friend, the nurse assesses that the patient is unresponsive with pinpoint pupils. Which of these prescribed medications will the nurse administer immediately?
- A. Naloxone
- B. Diazepam
- C. Clonidine
- D. Methadone
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The patient's assessment indicates an opioid overdose, and naloxone should be given to prevent respiratory arrest. The other medications may be used to decrease symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal but would not be appropriate for an overdose.
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