A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is prescribed tiotropium. What is the primary purpose of this medication?
- A. Reduce mucus production
- B. Relieve bronchospasm
- C. Suppress cough
- D. Thin respiratory secretions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Relieve bronchospasm. Tiotropium is an anticholinergic medication that acts by relaxing the muscles around the airways, thereby helping to relieve bronchospasm in patients with COPD. This results in improved airflow and reduced shortness of breath.
A: Reduce mucus production - This is incorrect as tiotropium does not directly affect mucus production but rather focuses on bronchospasm relief.
C: Suppress cough - Tiotropium may help with cough associated with COPD by improving airflow, but its primary purpose is not to suppress cough.
D: Thin respiratory secretions - Tiotropium does not have a direct effect on thinning respiratory secretions; its main action is bronchodilation to relieve bronchospasm in COPD.
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A patient with schizophrenia is prescribed olanzapine. What is an important side effect for the healthcare provider to monitor?
- A. Hypertension
- B. Weight gain
- C. Hypoglycemia
- D. Bradycardia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Weight gain. Olanzapine is known to cause metabolic side effects, including weight gain. This is important to monitor as it can lead to various health issues such as diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Hypertension (A), hypoglycemia (C), and bradycardia (D) are not commonly associated with olanzapine use, making them less likely side effects to monitor in this case.
The nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis of 'High risk for ineffective airway clearance' for a client with myasthenia gravis. What is the most likely etiology for this nursing diagnosis?
- A. Pain when coughing.
- B. Diminished cough effort.
- C. Thick, dry secretions.
- D. Excessive inflammation.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Diminished cough effort. In myasthenia gravis, muscle weakness can affect the respiratory muscles, leading to ineffective coughing and clearance of airways. Diminished cough effort can result in ineffective airway clearance, putting the client at high risk for respiratory complications.
A: Pain when coughing is not the primary etiology for ineffective airway clearance in myasthenia gravis.
C: Thick, dry secretions may contribute to airway clearance issues but are not the most likely etiology compared to diminished cough effort.
D: Excessive inflammation is not typically associated with ineffective airway clearance in myasthenia gravis.
What is the primary action of digoxin when prescribed to a patient with heart failure?
- A. Increase heart rate
- B. Decrease cardiac output
- C. Strengthen cardiac contractions
- D. Lower blood pressure
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The primary action of digoxin in heart failure is to strengthen cardiac contractions. Digoxin inhibits the sodium-potassium pump, leading to an increase in intracellular calcium levels, which enhances the force of myocardial contractions. This helps improve cardiac output and symptoms of heart failure.
Explanation:
A: Incorrect - Digoxin does not increase heart rate, it mainly affects the strength of contractions.
B: Incorrect - Digoxin does not decrease cardiac output; it actually helps improve it by enhancing contractility.
D: Incorrect - Digoxin may have a slight effect on lowering blood pressure, but its primary action in heart failure is to strengthen cardiac contractions, not lower blood pressure.
When covering another nurse's assignment during a lunch break, based on the status report provided, which client should the charge nurse check first?
- A. The client admitted yesterday with diabetic ketoacidosis whose blood glucose level is now 195 mg/dl.
- B. The client with an ileal conduit created two days ago with a scant amount of blood in the drainage pouch.
- C. The client post-triple coronary bypass four days ago who has serosanguinous drainage in the chest tube.
- D. The client with a pneumothorax secondary to a gunshot wound with a current pulse oximeter reading of 90%.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because a pneumothorax with a pulse oximeter reading of 90% indicates potential respiratory compromise, requiring immediate attention to prevent further deterioration. A pneumothorax can lead to decreased oxygenation, which is critical for the client's health and needs prompt intervention. Checking this client first is essential to ensure timely management and prevent any adverse outcomes.
Choice A is incorrect because a blood glucose level of 195 mg/dl in a client with diabetic ketoacidosis, while elevated, does not pose an immediate threat to life compared to respiratory compromise.
Choice B is incorrect as a scant amount of blood in the drainage pouch does not indicate an urgent situation or immediate risk to the client's health.
Choice C is incorrect as serosanguinous drainage in a chest tube post-triple coronary bypass, while requiring monitoring, does not indicate an immediate need for intervention compared to a potential respiratory compromise in choice D.
Aspirin is prescribed for a 9-year-old child with rheumatic fever to control the inflammatory process, promote comfort, and reduce fever. What intervention is most important for the nurse to implement?
- A. Instruct the parents to hold the aspirin until the child has first had a tepid sponge bath.
- B. Administer the aspirin with at least two ounces of water or juice.
- C. Notify the healthcare provider if the child complains of ringing in the ears.
- D. Advise the parents to question the child about seeing yellow halos around objects.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Notify the healthcare provider if the child complains of ringing in the ears. This is important because ringing in the ears can be a sign of salicylate toxicity, a potential side effect of aspirin use in children with rheumatic fever. It is crucial to monitor for this symptom to prevent serious complications.
A: Instructing the parents to hold the aspirin until the child has a tepid sponge bath is not the most important intervention. Managing salicylate toxicity takes precedence over comfort measures.
B: Administering the aspirin with at least two ounces of water or juice is a general guideline for medication administration but not the most critical intervention in this scenario.
D: Advising the parents to question the child about seeing yellow halos around objects is not directly related to the potential side effects of aspirin in this case. Monitoring for salicylate toxicity through symptoms like ringing in the ears is more crucial.