Nokea
After 2 months of tuberculosis (TB) treatment with a standard four-drug regimen, a patient continues to have positive sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Which of the following actions should the nurse take next?
- A. Ask the patient whether medications have been taken as directed.
- B. Discuss the need to use some different medications to treat the TB
- C. Schedule the patient for directly observed therapy three times weekly.
- D. Educate about using a 2-drug regimen for the last 4 months of treatment.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The first action should be to determine whether the patient has been compliant with drug therapy because negative sputum smears would be expected if the TB bacillus is susceptible to the medications and if the medications have been taken correctly. Depending on whether the patient has been compliant or not, different medications or directly observed therapy may be indicated. A two-drug regimen will be used only if the sputum smears are negative for AFB.
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Which of the following information obtained by the nurse about a patient who has human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and active tuberculosis (TB) disease is most important to communicate to the health care provider?
- A. The Mantoux test had an induration of only 8 mm.
- B. The chest x-ray showed infiltrates in the upper lobes.
- C. The patient is being treated with antiretrovirals for HIV infection.
- D. The patient has a cough that is productive of blood-tinged mucus.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Drug interactions can occur between the antiretrovirals used to treat HIV infection and the medications used to treat tuberculosis. The other data are expected in a patient with HIV and TB disease.
The nurse is developing a teaching plan for a patient with a 12 pack-year history of cigarette smoking. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the plan of care?
- A. Computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer
- B. Options for smoking cessation
- C. Reasons for annual sputum cytology testing
- D. Erlotinib therapy to prevent tumour risk
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Because smoking is the major cause of lung cancer, the most important role for the nurse is educating patients about the benefits of and means of smoking cessation. Early screening of at-risk patients using sputum cytology, chest x-ray, or CT scanning has not been effective in reducing mortality. Erlotinib may be used in patients who have lung cancer but not to reduce risk for developing tumours.
The nurse is caring for a patient with right lower-lobe pneumonia who has been treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics for 2 days. Which of the following assessment data obtained by the nurse indicates that the treatment has been effective?
- A. Bronchial breath sounds are heard at the right base.
- B. The patient coughs up small amounts of green mucus.
- C. The patient's white blood cell (WBC) count is 9 x 10^9/L.
- D. Increased tactile fremitus is palpable over the right chest.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The normal WBC count indicates that the antibiotics have been effective. All the other data suggest that a change in treatment is needed.
The nurse is caring for a patient in the emergency department who has an open stab wound to the right chest. Which of the following actions should the nurse implement first?
- A. Position the patient so that the right chest is dependent.
- B. Keep the head of the patient's bed at no more than 30 degrees elevation.
- C. Tape a nonporous dressing on three sides over the chest wound.
- D. Cover the sucking chest wound firmly with an occlusive dressing.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The dressing taped on three sides will allow air to escape when intrapleural pressure increases during expiration, but it will prevent air from moving into the pleural space during inspiration. Placing the patient on the right side or covering the chest wound with an occlusive dressing will allow trapped air in the pleural space and cause tension pneumothorax. The head of the bed should be elevated to 30-45 degrees to facilitate breathing.
The nurse is performing tuberculosis (TB) screening in a clinic that has many patients who have immigrated to Canada. Before doing a TB skin test on a patient, which of the following questions is most important for the nurse to ask?
- A. Is there any family history of TB?
- B. Have you received the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for TB?
- C. How long have you lived in the Canada?
- D. Do you take any over-the-counter (OTC) medications?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Patients who have received the BCG vaccine will have a positive Mantoux test. Another method for screening (such as a chest x-ray) will need to be used in determining whether the patient has a TB infection. The other information also may be valuable but is not as pertinent to the decision about doing TB skin testing.