Before administering digoxin to a client with heart failure, what is the most important assessment for the nurse to perform?
- A. Check the client's blood pressure
- B. Monitor the client's heart rate
- C. Assess the client's respiratory rate
- D. Review the client's potassium level
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor the client's heart rate. Digoxin slows the heart rate, so it is crucial to assess the heart rate before administering the medication. If the heart rate is below 60 beats per minute, the dose should be held, and the healthcare provider should be notified. Checking the blood pressure (Choice A) is important but not as crucial as monitoring the heart rate in this case. Assessing the respiratory rate (Choice C) is not directly related to the action of digoxin. Reviewing the client's potassium level (Choice D) is important for clients taking digoxin due to the risk of hypokalemia, but assessing the heart rate takes priority.
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A preschool-aged boy is admitted to the pediatric unit following successful resuscitation from a near-drowning incident. While providing care to the child, the nurse begins talking with his preadolescent brother who rescued the child from the swimming pool and initiated resuscitation. The nurse notices the older boy becomes withdrawn when asked about what happened. Which action should the nurse take?
- A. Involve the older brother in supporting the child
- B. Ask the older brother how he felt during the incident
- C. Ask the parents for more information about the brother's behavior
- D. Reassure the brother that everything is fine now
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The older brother's withdrawal likely indicates emotional trauma or stress from the near-drowning event. Asking how he felt provides an opportunity for emotional support and allows the child to express feelings that may need addressing. Involving him in supporting the child may be overwhelming and not address his emotional needs directly. Asking the parents for more information may not allow the older brother to express his own feelings. Simply reassuring him that everything is fine now may dismiss his emotional experience without providing a chance for him to process his feelings.
The home care nurse visits a client who has cancer. The client reports having a good appetite but experiencing nausea when smelling food cooking. Which action should the nurse implement?
- A. Encourage family members to cook meals outdoors and bring the cooked food inside
- B. Provide anti-nausea medication prior to meals
- C. Suggest drinking cold water with meals to reduce nausea
- D. Recommend smaller, frequent meals
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In some cases, the smell of food cooking can trigger nausea in cancer patients. Cooking food outside reduces the intensity of odors that could trigger nausea, helping the client maintain adequate nutrition. Providing anti-nausea medication (Choice B) may not address the root cause of the nausea triggered by the smell of cooking food. Suggesting cold water (Choice C) or smaller, frequent meals (Choice D) may not directly address the issue of cooking odors triggering nausea, which is specific to this client's situation.
A client with cirrhosis is admitted with ascites and peripheral edema. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
- A. Elevate the legs to reduce swelling.
- B. Restrict fluids to reduce fluid overload.
- C. Administer furosemide to reduce fluid overload.
- D. Monitor the client's intake and output.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Administering a diuretic like furosemide is the priority intervention for a client with cirrhosis, ascites, and peripheral edema. Furosemide helps reduce fluid overload by promoting diuresis. Elevating the legs may provide some symptomatic relief but does not address the underlying issue of fluid overload. Restricting fluids is not appropriate initially as the client needs proper hydration while managing fluid balance. Monitoring intake and output is important but not the first action to address the immediate fluid overload in this client.
A client reports dizziness when standing up quickly. What advice should the nurse give?
- A. Encourage the client to drink more fluids.
- B. Change positions slowly to prevent dizziness.
- C. Report the symptom to the healthcare provider immediately.
- D. Limit physical activity to avoid triggering dizziness.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct advice for a client experiencing dizziness when standing up quickly is to change positions slowly to prevent dizziness. This symptom is suggestive of postural hypotension, where a sudden change in position can lead to a drop in blood pressure, causing dizziness. Encouraging the client to drink more fluids (Choice A) may be beneficial for other conditions but is not directly related to the prevention of dizziness in this case. Reporting the symptom to the healthcare provider immediately (Choice C) is important if the dizziness is persistent or severe, but the immediate action to prevent it is to change positions slowly. Limiting physical activity (Choice D) may not necessarily address the underlying cause of dizziness in this context.
A client receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is experiencing nausea and vomiting. What is the nurse's first action?
- A. Check the client's blood glucose level.
- B. Decrease the rate of TPN infusion.
- C. Administer an antiemetic as prescribed.
- D. Check the client's TPN bag for solution accuracy.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct first action for the nurse to take when a client receiving TPN is experiencing nausea and vomiting is to check the client's TPN bag for solution accuracy. This is crucial to ensure that the correct solution is being administered and to address any potential errors. Checking the blood glucose level or administering an antiemetic may be necessary interventions but addressing the TPN bag's accuracy should be the priority to prevent any complications related to incorrect TPN solution.