A patient with HIV infection has begun experiencing severe diarrhea. What is the most appropriate nursing intervention to help alleviate the diarrhea?
- A. Administer antidiarrheal medications on a scheduled basis, as ordered.
- B. Encourage the patient to eat three balanced meals and a snack at bedtime.
- C. Increase the patients oral fluid intake.
- D. Encourage the patient to increase his or her activity level.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Increase the patient's oral fluid intake. This is because severe diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which can be dangerous for patients with HIV infection. By increasing oral fluid intake, the patient can stay hydrated and prevent further complications. Administering antidiarrheal medications on a scheduled basis (Choice A) may provide temporary relief but does not address the underlying issue of dehydration. Encouraging the patient to eat balanced meals (Choice B) and increase activity level (Choice D) may be important for overall health but do not directly address the immediate concern of dehydration caused by severe diarrhea.
You may also like to solve these questions
A patient with genital herpes is having an acute exacerbation. What medication would the nurse expect to be ordered to suppress the symptoms and shorten the course of the infection?
- A. Clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin)
- B. Metronidazole (Flagyl)
- C. Podophyllin (Podofin)
- D. Acyclovir (Zovirax)
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Acyclovir (Zovirax). Acyclovir is an antiviral medication specifically used to treat herpes infections, including genital herpes. It works by inhibiting the replication of the herpes virus, thereby suppressing symptoms and shortening the course of the infection. Clotrimazole (A) is an antifungal medication used to treat yeast infections, not effective against viral infections like herpes. Metronidazole (B) is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, not effective against viruses. Podophyllin (C) is a topical treatment for genital warts caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), not effective for herpes. Therefore, the correct choice is Acyclovir (D) for treating genital herpes exacerbation.
A patient with HIV is admitted to the hospital because of chronic severe diarrhea. The nurse caring for this patient should expect the physician to order what drug for the management of the patients diarrhea?
- A. Zithromax
- B. Sandostatin
- C. Levaquin
- D. Biaxin
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Sandostatin. This drug is a somatostatin analog that can help manage HIV-related chronic severe diarrhea by reducing gastrointestinal secretions. Sandostatin works by inhibiting the release of various hormones and neurotransmitters in the gut, which can help control diarrhea in HIV patients.
Rationale:
A: Zithromax is an antibiotic that is not typically used to manage chronic severe diarrhea in HIV patients.
C: Levaquin is also an antibiotic and not indicated for managing diarrhea in HIV patients.
D: Biaxin is another antibiotic and not the appropriate choice for managing chronic severe diarrhea in HIV patients.
In summary, Sandostatin is the correct choice as it specifically targets the underlying cause of diarrhea in HIV patients by reducing gastrointestinal secretions, whereas the other options are antibiotics that are not indicated for this purpose.
Before giving the patient an intermittent gastric tube feeding, what should the nurse do?
- A. Make sure that the tube is secured to the gown with a safety pin.
- B. Inject air into the stomach via the tube and auscultate.
- C. Have the tube feeding at room temperature.
- D. Check to make sure pH is at least 5
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because injecting air into the stomach via the tube and auscultating helps confirm the tube placement in the stomach before administering the feeding. This step ensures the safety of the patient by preventing accidental lung feeding.
Choice A is incorrect because securing the tube with a safety pin to the gown is not a standard practice and can lead to complications.
Choice C is incorrect because the temperature of the feeding does not affect the tube placement or safety.
Choice D is incorrect because checking the pH level is not a reliable method for verifying tube placement.
The nurse learns about cultural issues involvedin the patient’s health care belief system and enables patients and families to achieve meaningful and supportive care. Which concept is the nurse demonstrating?
- A. Marginalized groups
- B. Health care disparity
- C. Transcultural nursing
- D. Culturally congruent care
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Culturally congruent care. This concept refers to providing care that aligns with the patient's cultural beliefs and practices. By learning about cultural issues and enabling patients to receive care that is meaningful and supportive within their cultural context, the nurse is demonstrating culturally congruent care.
A: Marginalized groups - This refers to groups in society who are disadvantaged and face discrimination. While understanding cultural issues may be important when caring for marginalized groups, it is not the main concept demonstrated in this scenario.
B: Health care disparity - This refers to differences in access to healthcare and health outcomes among different populations. While cultural competence can help address healthcare disparities, it is not the concept being demonstrated here.
C: Transcultural nursing - This refers to providing care across different cultures. While related, it does not specifically address the nurse's role in understanding and enabling culturally appropriate care for individual patients and families.
A patient who was pregnant had a spontaneous abortion at approximately 4 weeks’ gestation. At the time of the miscarriage, it was thought that all products of conception were expelled. Two weeks later, the patient presents at the clinic office complaining of “crampy” abdominal pain and a scant amount of serosanguineous vaginal drainage with a slight odor. The pregnancy test is negative. Vital signs reveal a temperature of 100F, with blood pressure of 100/60 mm Hg, irregular pulse 88 beats/minute (bpm), and respirations, 20 breaths per minute. Based on this assessment data, what does the nurse anticipate as a clinical diagnosis?
- A. Ectopic pregnancy
- B. Uterine infection
- C. Gestational trophoblastic disease
- D. Endometriosis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Uterine infection. The patient's symptoms of crampy abdominal pain, scant serosanguineous vaginal drainage with odor, negative pregnancy test, and vital signs indicating fever, low blood pressure, and irregular pulse suggest an infection. The history of recent miscarriage raises suspicion for retained products of conception leading to infection. Ectopic pregnancy (choice A) would present with different symptoms such as abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and positive pregnancy test. Gestational trophoblastic disease (choice C) typically presents with abnormal vaginal bleeding and high levels of hCG. Endometriosis (choice D) is a chronic condition and not related to the acute symptoms described. In summary, the clinical presentation aligns with uterine infection given the patient's history, symptoms, and vital signs.