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After a lumbar puncture, a client reports a severe headache. What is the nurse's priority intervention?
- A. Administer a dose of acetaminophen.
- B. Elevate the head of the bed.
- C. Encourage the client to rest in a dark room.
- D. Administer caffeine to relieve the headache.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: After a lumbar puncture, a severe headache is often caused by cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Elevating the head of the bed or having the client lie flat can reduce cerebrospinal fluid pressure and alleviate the headache. These positions help prevent further fluid loss and relieve discomfort. While acetaminophen or caffeine may help in relieving the headache, changing the client's position is the priority to address the underlying cause. Resting in a dark room may be beneficial for headache relief but is not the priority intervention compared to adjusting the position to manage cerebrospinal fluid pressure.
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A client was just taken off the ventilator after surgery and has a nasogastric tube draining bile-colored liquids. Which nursing measure will provide the most comfort to the client?
- A. Allow the client to melt ice chips in the mouth
- B. Provide mints to freshen the breath
- C. Perform frequent oral care with a tooth sponge
- D. Swab the mouth with glycerin swabs
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Performing frequent oral care with a tooth sponge is the most appropriate nursing measure in this scenario. This helps maintain comfort and prevent dryness in clients with nasogastric tubes. Allowing the client to melt ice chips in the mouth may not address oral care needs effectively. Providing mints to freshen the breath is not the priority when the client needs oral care. Swabbing the mouth with glycerin swabs may not be as effective as performing thorough oral care with a tooth sponge.
After completing her first chemotherapy treatment, what behavior indicates that a female client with breast cancer understands her discharge care needs?
- A. She refuses to take anti-nausea medication.
- B. She rents movies and borrows books to pass time at home.
- C. She plans to resume strenuous physical activity immediately.
- D. She reports severe fatigue and inability to perform daily activities.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Renting movies and borrowing books for use during recovery indicates the client is planning restful activities at home, which aligns with appropriate post-chemotherapy care. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because refusing anti-nausea medication can lead to complications, resuming strenuous physical activity immediately can be harmful, and reporting severe fatigue and inability to perform daily activities may indicate a need for medical attention rather than understanding discharge care needs.
A client with chronic liver disease is prescribed lactulose. Which laboratory value should the nurse monitor to evaluate the effectiveness of this medication?
- A. Bilirubin level
- B. Serum ammonia level
- C. Serum potassium level
- D. Albumin level
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Serum ammonia level. Lactulose is used to lower serum ammonia levels in clients with chronic liver disease, particularly in cases of hepatic encephalopathy. Monitoring serum ammonia levels is crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of lactulose in managing hepatic encephalopathy. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they are not directly related to the action or evaluation of lactulose in chronic liver disease.
A client presents with severe dehydration due to prolonged vomiting. What is the nurse's priority intervention?
- A. Encourage the client to drink clear fluids.
- B. Assess the client's skin turgor and mucous membranes.
- C. Monitor the client's vital signs frequently.
- D. Administer an antiemetic as prescribed.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is to assess the client's skin turgor and mucous membranes. When a client presents with severe dehydration, assessing skin turgor (elasticity of the skin) and mucous membranes (such as checking for dryness in the mouth) is crucial in determining the extent of dehydration. Encouraging the client to drink clear fluids (Choice A) may be important but assessing dehydration severity takes precedence. Monitoring vital signs (Choice C) is essential but assessing dehydration status comes first. Administering an antiemetic (Choice D) addresses vomiting but does not directly assess dehydration.
The nurse is caring for a 69-year-old client with a diagnosis of hyperglycemia. Which tasks could the nurse delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
- A. Test blood sugar every 2 hours using Accu-Chek
- B. Review signs of hyperglycemia with the family and client
- C. Administer insulin if the blood sugar is elevated
- D. Measure the client's urine output
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because measuring urine output is a task that falls within the UAP's scope of practice and does not require clinical decision-making. Choice A is incorrect because testing blood sugar using Accu-Chek involves interpreting results and possible adjustments, which require a licensed healthcare provider. Choice B is incorrect as discussing signs of hyperglycemia involves education and interpretation that should be done by a nurse. Choice C is incorrect since administering insulin is a high-risk task that necessitates precise dosing and monitoring, thus should not be delegated to UAP.