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The home care nurse assesses a client diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who is reporting increased dyspnea. The client is on home oxygen via a concentrator at 2 L per minute, and has a respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute. Which action should the nurse take?
- A. Determine the need to increase the oxygen.
- B. Reassure the client that there is no need to worry.
- C. Conduct further assessment of the client's respiratory status.
- D. Call emergency services to take the client to the emergency department.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: With the client's respiratory rate at 22 breaths per minute, the nurse should obtain further assessment. Oxygen is not increased without the approval of the primary health care provider, especially because the client with COPD can retain carbon dioxide. Reassuring the client that there is 'no need to worry' is inappropriate. Calling emergency services is a premature action.
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During a follow-up visit 2 weeks after pneumonectomy, the client reports numbness and tenderness at the surgical site. Which statement should the nurse make to accurately address the client's concerns?
- A. This is not likely to be permanent, but may last for some months.
- B. You are having a severe problem and will probably be rehospitalized
- C. This is probably caused by permanent nerve damage as a result of surgery.
- D. This is often the first sign of a wound infection; I will check your temperature.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Clients who undergo pneumonectomy or other surgical procedures may experience numbness, altered sensation, or tenderness in the area that surrounds the incision. These sensations may last for months. It is not considered to be a severe problem and is not indicative of a wound infection.
The nurse is preparing to initiate an intravenous nitroglycerin drip on a client who has experienced an acute myocardial infarction. In the absence of an invasive (arterial) monitoring line, the nurse prepares to have which piece of equipment for use at the bedside to help assure the client's safety?
- A. Defibrillator
- B. Pulse oximeter
- C. Central venous pressure (CVP) tray
- D. Noninvasive blood pressure monitor
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Nitroglycerin dilates arteries and veins (vasodilator), causing peripheral blood pooling, thus reducing preload, afterload, and myocardial workload. This action accounts for the primary side effect of nitroglycerin, which is hypotension. In the absence of an arterial monitoring line, the nurse should have a noninvasive blood pressure monitor for use at the bedside.
The nurse is planning care for a client who has experienced a T3 spinal cord injury. The nurse should include which intervention in the plan to prevent autonomic dysreflexia (hyperreflexia)?
- A. Assist the client to develop a daily bowel routine to prevent constipation.
- B. Teach the client to manage emotional stressors by using mental imaging.
- C. Assess vital signs and observe for hypotension, tachycardia, and tachypnea.
- D. Administer dexamethasone orally per the primary health care provider's prescription.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Autonomic dysreflexia is a potentially life-threatening condition and may be triggered by bladder distention, bowel distention, visceral distention, or stimulation of pain receptors in the skin. A daily bowel program eliminates this trigger. Options 3 and 4 are unrelated to this specific condition. A client with autonomic hyperreflexia would be severely hypertensive and bradycardic. Removal of the stimuli results in prompt resolution of the signs and symptoms.
A client diagnosed with both a wound infection and osteomyelitis is to receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy. During the therapy, which priority intervention should the nurse implement?
- A. Maintaining an intravenous access
- B. Ensuring that oxygen is being delivered
- C. Administering sedation to prevent claustrophobia
- D. Providing emotional support to the client's family
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a process by which oxygen is administered at greater than atmospheric pressure. When oxygen is inhaled under pressure, the level of tissue oxygen is greatly increased. The high levels of oxygen promote the action of phagocytes and promote healing of the wound. Because the client is placed in a closed chamber, the administration of oxygen is of primary importance. Although options 1, 3, and 4 may be appropriate interventions, option 2 is the priority.
The nurse performing a prenatal assessment on a client in the first trimester of pregnancy discovers that the client frequently consumes beverages containing alcohol. Why should the nurse initiate interventions immediately to assist the client in avoiding alcohol consumption?
- A. To reduce the potential for fetal growth restriction in utero
- B. To promote the normal psychosocial adaptation of the mother to pregnancy
- C. To minimize the potential for placental abruptions during the intrapartum period
- D. To reduce the risk of teratogenic effects to embryo's developing fetal organs and tissue
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Alcohol consumption during the first trimester poses a significant risk for teratogenic effects, as this is a critical period for organogenesis in the developing embryo. Exposure to alcohol can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome or other congenital anomalies, making immediate intervention essential to protect fetal development. While fetal growth restriction, psychosocial adaptation, and placental abruption are concerns, they are less directly associated with early pregnancy alcohol exposure compared to teratogenic effects.