Nokea
A patient with severe pain is prescribed morphine sulfate. What is the most important side effect for the nurse to monitor?
- A. Diarrhea
- B. Hypertension
- C. Respiratory depression
- D. Increased urine output
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Respiratory depression. Morphine sulfate is an opioid analgesic that can suppress the respiratory drive, leading to respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening. Monitoring respiratory status is crucial to prevent complications.
Incorrect choices:
A: Diarrhea - While constipation is a common side effect of opioid use, diarrhea is not a significant concern compared to respiratory depression.
B: Hypertension - Morphine can cause hypotension rather than hypertension, so monitoring blood pressure for hypertension is not the priority.
D: Increased urine output - Morphine can actually cause urinary retention, so increased urine output is not a key side effect to monitor.
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A client is admitted with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Which laboratory value should the nurse monitor closely?
- A. Serum amylase.
- B. Serum sodium.
- C. Serum calcium.
- D. Serum potassium.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Serum amylase. In acute pancreatitis, there is inflammation of the pancreas leading to elevated serum amylase levels. Amylase is an enzyme produced by the pancreas, and increased levels indicate pancreatic injury. Monitoring serum amylase helps in diagnosing and assessing the severity of pancreatitis.
Choice B: Serum sodium, and Choice D: Serum potassium may be affected in pancreatitis due to fluid shifts, but they are not specific markers for pancreatitis.
Choice C: Serum calcium may also be affected in pancreatitis, but monitoring serum calcium is not as crucial as monitoring serum amylase for diagnosing and managing acute pancreatitis.
A patient with chronic heart failure is prescribed furosemide. What is the primary action of this medication?
- A. Increase cardiac output
- B. Reduce fluid retention
- C. Decrease heart rate
- D. Lower blood pressure
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Reduce fluid retention. Furosemide is a loop diuretic that works by increasing urine production, leading to the removal of excess fluid and sodium from the body. This helps reduce fluid volume overload in conditions like heart failure. Choice A is incorrect because while reducing fluid retention may indirectly improve cardiac output by reducing preload, furosemide itself does not directly increase cardiac output. Choice C is incorrect as furosemide does not have a direct effect on heart rate. Choice D is incorrect because while furosemide may lower blood pressure as a result of reducing fluid volume, its primary action is to reduce fluid retention, not specifically lower blood pressure.
Following a CVA, the nurse assesses that a client has developed dysphagia, hypoactive bowel sounds, and a firm, distended abdomen. Which prescription for the client should the nurse question?
- A. Continuous tube feeding at 65 ml/hr via gastrostomy.
- B. Total parenteral nutrition to be infused at 125 ml/hour.
- C. Nasogastric tube connected to low intermittent suction.
- D. Metoclopramide (Reglan) intermittent piggyback.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Continuous tube feeding at 65 ml/hr via gastrostomy. After a CVA, dysphagia, hypoactive bowel sounds, and a firm, distended abdomen indicate a risk for aspiration and bowel obstruction. Continuous tube feeding may worsen these issues. Option B provides nutrition intravenously, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. Option C helps decompress the stomach. Option D is a medication to help with GI motility. Therefore, the nurse should question option A due to the risk of complications post-CVA.
What is the primary advantage of prescribing rivaroxaban over warfarin for a patient with a history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?
- A. No need for regular INR monitoring
- B. Lower risk of bleeding
- C. Fewer dietary restrictions
- D. Longer half-life
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The primary advantage of prescribing rivaroxaban over warfarin for a patient with a history of DVT is the absence of regular INR monitoring required with rivaroxaban. This is because rivaroxaban is a direct oral anticoagulant with more predictable pharmacokinetics, eliminating the need for monitoring. Regular INR monitoring is necessary with warfarin to ensure the drug is within the therapeutic range, which can be burdensome for patients and healthcare providers. The other choices are incorrect as they do not directly address the primary advantage of rivaroxaban over warfarin for this specific patient population.
Which signs or symptoms are characteristic of an adult client diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome?
- A. Husky voice and complaints of hoarseness.
- B. Warm, soft, moist, salmon-colored skin.
- C. Visible swelling of the neck, with no pain.
- D. Central-type obesity, with thin extremities.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because central-type obesity with thin extremities is a classic characteristic of Cushing's syndrome due to excess cortisol. This pattern of weight distribution is caused by cortisol's impact on fat metabolism and distribution. A is incorrect because a husky voice and hoarseness are not typical symptoms of Cushing's syndrome. B is incorrect as warm, soft, moist, salmon-colored skin is not a common finding in Cushing's syndrome. C is incorrect because visible swelling of the neck without pain is not a typical sign of Cushing's syndrome.