A patient with SLE asks the nurse why she has to come to the office so often for check-ups. What would be the nurses best response?
- A. Taking care of you in the best way involves seeing you face to face.
- B. Taking care of you in the best way involves making sure you are taking your medication the way it is ordered.
- C. Taking care of you in the best way involves monitoring your disease activity and how well the prescribed treatment is working.
- D. Taking care of you in the best way involves drawing blood work every month.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The goals of treatment include preventing progressive loss of organ function, reducing the likelihood of acute disease, minimizing disease-related disabilities, and preventing complications from therapy. Management of SLE involves regular monitoring to assess disease activity and therapeutic effectiveness. Stating the benefit of face-to-face interaction does not answer the patients question. Blood work is not necessarily drawn monthly and assessing medication adherence is not the sole purpose of visits.
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A nurse is caring for a 78-year-old patient with a history of osteoarthritis (OA). When planning the patients care, what goal should the nurse include?
- A. The patient will express satisfaction with her ability to perform ADLs.
- B. The patient will recover from OA within 6 months.
- C. The patient will adhere to the prescribed plan of care.
- D. The patient will deny signs or symptoms of OA.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pain management and optimal functional ability are major goals of nursing interventions for OA. Cure is not a possibility and it is unrealistic to expect a complete absence of signs and symptoms. Adherence to the plan of care is highly beneficial, but this is not the priority goal of care.
A patient is suspected of having rheumatoid arthritis and her diagnostic regimen includes aspiration of synovial fluid from the knee for a definitive diagnosis. The nurse knows that which of the following procedures will be involved?
- A. Angiography
- B. Myelography
- C. Paracentesis
- D. Arthrocentesis
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Arthrocentesis involves needle aspiration of synovial fluid. Angiography is an x-ray study of circulation with a contrast agent injected into a selected artery. Myelography is an x-ray of the spinal subarachnoid space taken after the injection of a contrast agent into the spinal subarachnoid space through a lumbar puncture. Paracentesis is removal of fluid (ascites) from the peritoneal cavity through a small surgical incision or puncture made through the abdominal wall under sterile conditions.
A nurse is planning patient education for a patient being discharged home with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. The patient has been prescribed antimalarials for treatment, so the nurse knows to teach the patient to self-monitor for what adverse effect?
- A. Tinnitus
- B. Visual changes
- C. Stomatitis
- D. Hirsutism
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Antimalarials may cause visual changes; regular ophthalmologic examinations are necessary. Tinnitus is associated with salicylate therapy, stomatitis is associated with gold therapy, and hirsutism is associated with corticosteroid therapy.
A patient with polymyositis is experiencing challenges with activities of daily living as a result of proximal muscle weakness. What is the most appropriate nursing action?
- A. Initiate a program of passive range of motion exercises
- B. Facilitate referrals to occupational and physical therapy
- C. Administer skeletal muscle relaxants as ordered
- D. Encourage a progressive program of weight-bearing exercise
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Patients with polymyositis may have symptoms similar to those of other inflammatory diseases. However, proximal muscle weakness is characteristic, making activities such as hair combing, reaching overhead, and using stairs difficult. Therefore, use of assistive devices may be recommended, and referral to occupational or physical therapy may be warranted. The muscle weakness is a product of the disease process, not lack of exercise. Skeletal muscle relaxants are not used in the treatment of polymyositis.
A nurses plan of care for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis includes several exercise-based interventions. Exercises for patients with rheumatoid disorders should have which of the following goals?
- A. Maximize range of motion while minimizing exertion
- B. Increase joint size and strength
- C. Limit energy output in order to preserve strength for healing
- D. Preserve and increase range of motion while limiting joint stress
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Exercise is vital to the management of rheumatic disorders. Goals should be preserving and promoting mobility and joint function while limiting stress on the joint and possible damage. Cardiovascular exertion should remain within age-based limits and individual ability, but it is not a goal to minimize exertion. Increasing joint size is not a valid goal.
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