Nokea
An 86-year-old nursing home resident who has decreased mental status is hospitalized with pneumonic infiltrates in the right lower lobe. When the nurse assists the client with a clear liquid diet, the client begins to cough. What should the nurse do next?
- A. Add a thickening agent to the fluids
- B. Check the client's gag reflex
- C. Feed the client only solid foods
- D. Increase the rate of intravenous fluids
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Checking the client's gag reflex is crucial in this situation as coughing while consuming liquids can indicate a risk of aspiration. Assessing the gag reflex can help determine if the client is safe to swallow without inhaling fluids into the lungs, which could lead to further respiratory complications. Adding a thickening agent may not address the underlying issue of aspiration risk. Feeding the client only solid foods is not appropriate without assessing the swallowing safety first. Increasing the rate of intravenous fluids does not directly address the client's difficulty with liquid intake.
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When assessing constipation in elders, which action should be the nurse's priority?
- A. Obtain a complete blood count
- B. Obtain a health and dietary history
- C. Refer to a provider for a physical examination
- D. Measure height and weight
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is to obtain a health and dietary history when assessing constipation in elders. This action is crucial as it helps the nurse identify potential causes and contributing factors to constipation in elderly clients. Obtaining a complete blood count (choice A) may be necessary at some point, but it is not the priority in this situation. Referring to a provider for a physical examination (choice C) and measuring height and weight (choice D) are important but are not the priority actions when assessing constipation.
A client is lactose intolerant, and a nurse is reinforcing teaching. Which of the following statements should the nurse include?
- A. You should increase the fiber in your diet.
- B. You should increase the calories in your diet.
- C. You should decrease the dairy products in your diet.
- D. You should decrease the amount of vitamin D in your diet.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct statement for a client who is lactose intolerant is to decrease dairy products since lactose intolerant individuals should avoid dairy to prevent symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, and gas. Increasing fiber (Choice A) or calories (Choice B) is not directly related to lactose intolerance. Decreasing vitamin D (Choice D) is not necessary as lactose intolerance is about the sugar in dairy, not vitamin D.
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for a low-sodium diet. The client's family has requested to bring in some of the client's favorite foods. Which of the following food items should the nurse recommend the family members to omit?
- A. Boiled rice
- B. Italian bread
- C. Broiled salmon filet
- D. Pickled beets
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D, Pickled beets. Pickled foods often contain high levels of sodium, which should be avoided in a low-sodium diet. Boiled rice, Italian bread, and broiled salmon filet are generally lower in sodium compared to pickled beets, making them more suitable choices for a client on a low-sodium diet.
A nurse is assisting with the development of strategies to prevent foodborne illnesses for a community group. The nurse should plan to include which of the following recommendations? (Select one that doesn't apply).
- A. Avoid unpasteurized dairy products.
- B. Keep cold food temperatures below 4.4°C (40°F).
- C. Discard leftovers after 48 hours.
- D. Wash raw vegetables thoroughly in clean water.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. Discarding leftovers after 48 hours is not an effective recommendation to prevent foodborne illnesses. Leftovers should actually be discarded within 2 hours if they have been at room temperature. Choices A, B, and D are all effective strategies to prevent foodborne illnesses: avoiding unpasteurized dairy products reduces the risk of harmful bacteria, keeping cold food temperatures below 4.4°C (40°F) inhibits bacterial growth, and washing raw vegetables thoroughly removes contaminants.
The client is being taught to select foods rich in potassium to help prevent digitalis toxicity. Which choice indicates the client understands dietary needs?
- A. Three apricots
- B. Medium banana
- C. Naval orange
- D. Baked potato
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. A baked potato is high in potassium and helps prevent digitalis toxicity by maintaining adequate potassium levels. While choices A, B, and C all contain some potassium, a baked potato is a more concentrated source of potassium compared to three apricots, a medium banana, or a naval orange. Therefore, the client should choose a baked potato to better meet the dietary needs for preventing digitalis toxicity.