Nokea
A student with diabetes tells the school nurse that he is feeling nervous and hungry. The nurse assesses the child and finds he has tachycardia and is diaphoretic with a blood glucose level of 50 mg/dL (2.8 mmol/L). What should the school nurse administer?
- A. A combination of protein and carbohydrates, such as a small cup of yogurt
- B. Two teaspoons of sugar dissolved in a cup of apple juice
- C. Half of a cup of juice, followed by cheese and crackers
- D. Half a sandwich with a protein-based filling
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Initial treatment for hypoglycemia is 15 g concentrated carbohydrate, such as two or three glucose tablets, 1 tube glucose gel, or 0.5 cup juice. After initial treatment, the nurse should follow with a snack including starch and protein, such as cheese and crackers, milk and crackers, or half of a sandwich. It is unnecessary to add sugar to juice, even it if is labeled as unsweetened juice, because the fruit sugar in juice contains enough simple carbohydrate to raise the blood glucose level and additional sugar may result in a sharp rise in blood sugar that will last for several hours.
You may also like to solve these questions
A diabetes educator is teaching a patient about type 2 diabetes. The educator recognizes that the patient understands the primary treatment for type 2 diabetes when the patient states what?
- A. I read that a pancreas transplant will provide a cure for my diabetes.
- B. I will take my oral antidiabetic agents when my morning blood sugar is high.
- C. I will make sure to follow the weight loss plan designed by the dietitian.
- D. I will make sure I call the diabetes educator when I have questions about my insulin.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Insulin resistance is associated with obesity; thus the primary treatment of type 2 diabetes is weight loss. Oral antidiabetic agents may be added if diet and exercise are not successful in controlling blood glucose levels. If maximum doses of a single category of oral agents fail to reduce glucose levels to satisfactory levels, additional oral agents may be used. Some patients may require insulin on an ongoing basis or on a temporary basis during times of acute psychological stress, but it is not the central component of type 2 treatment. Pancreas transplantation is associated with type 1 diabetes.
A diabetes nurse educator is teaching a group of patients with type 1 diabetes about sick day rules. What guideline applies to periods of illness in a diabetic patient?
- A. Do not eliminate insulin when nauseated and vomiting.
- B. Report elevated glucose levels greater than 150 mg/dL.
- C. Eat three substantial meals a day, if possible.
- D. Reduce food intake and insulin doses in times of illness.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The most important issue to teach patients with diabetes who become ill is not to eliminate insulin doses when nausea and vomiting occur. Rather, they should take their usual insulin or oral hypoglycemic agent dose, then attempt to consume frequent, small portions of carbohydrates. In general, blood sugar levels will rise but should be reported if they are greater than 300 mg/dL.
An elderly patient comes to the clinic with her daughter. The patient is a diabetic and is concerned about foot care. The nurse goes over foot care with the patient and her daughter as the nurse realizes that foot care is extremely important. Why would the nurse feel that foot care is so important to this patient?
- A. An elderly patient with foot ulcers experiences severe foot pain due to the diabetic polyneuropathy.
- B. Avoiding foot ulcers may mean the difference between institutionalization and continued independent living.
- C. Hypoglycemia is linked with a risk for falls; this risk is elevated in older adults with diabetes.
- D. Oral antihyperglycemics have the possible adverse effect of decreased circulation to the lower extremities.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse recognizes that providing information on the long-term complications especially foot and eye problems associated with diabetes is important. Avoiding amputation through early detection of foot ulcers may mean the difference between institutionalization and continued independent living for the elderly person with diabetes. While the nurse recognizes that hypoglycemia is a dangerous situation and may lead to falls, hypoglycemia is not directly connected to the importance of foot care. Decrease in circulation is related to vascular changes and is not associated with drugs administered for diabetes.
A newly admitted patient with type 1 diabetes asks the nurse what caused her diabetes. When the nurse is explaining to the patient the etiology of type 1 diabetes, what process should the nurse describe?
- A. The tissues in your body are resistant to the action of insulin, making the glucose levels in your blood increase.
- B. Damage to your pancreas causes an increase in the amount of glucose that it releases, and there is not enough insulin to control it.
- C. The amount of glucose that your body makes overwhelms your pancreas and decreases your production of insulin.
- D. Destruction of special cells in the pancreas causes a decrease in insulin production. Glucose levels rise because insulin normally breaks it down.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the destruction of pancreatic beta cells, resulting in decreased insulin production, unchecked glucose production by the liver, and fasting hyperglycemia. Also, glucose derived from food cannot be stored in the liver and remains circulating in the blood, which leads to postprandial hyperglycemia. Type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. The body does not make glucose.
The most recent blood work of a patient with a longstanding diagnosis of type 1 diabetes has shown the presence of microalbuminuria. What is the nurses most appropriate action?
- A. Teach the patient about actions to slow the progression of nephropathy.
- B. Ensure that the patient receives a comprehensive assessment of liver function.
- C. Determine whether the patient has been using expired insulin.
- D. Administer a fluid challenge and have the test repeated.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Clinical nephropathy eventually develops in more than 85% of people with microalbuminuria. As such, educational interventions addressing this microvascular complication are warranted. Expired insulin does not cause nephropathy, and the patients liver function is not likely affected. There is no indication for the use of a fluid challenge.