The nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of terminal cancer of the throat. The family tells the nurse that they have spoken to the primary health care provider regarding taking their loved one home. The nurse plans to coordinate discharge planning. Which service would be most supportive to the client and the family?
- A. Hospice care
- B. The American Cancer Society
- C. The American Lung Association
- D. Local religious and social organizations
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hospice care provides an environment that emphasizes caring rather than curing; the emphasis is on palliative care. One of the major goals of hospice care is that clients be free of pain and other symptoms that do not allow them to maintain a quality life. An interdisciplinary approach is used. Although the remaining options may be helpful, they are not the most supportive of the options provided.
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The nurse provides care for a client diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The client’s spouse states that the client has not slept in 3 nights. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
- A. Assign the client to straighten up the day room.
- B. Establish a trusting nurse-client relationship.
- C. Encourage the client to sleep and offer a sleep aid.
- D. Introduce the client to other clients on the unit.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Encouraging sleep and offering a sleep aid addresses the client’s insomnia, which can exacerbate paranoia and schizophrenia symptoms. A trusting relationship is important but less urgent, and other options do not address the immediate need for rest.
The nurse in the emergency department (ED) provides care for a client who states that the client's spouse, 'Became angry and physically abusive.' Which action does the nurse take first?
- A. Encourage the client to verbalize feelings.
- B. Assess the client for physical trauma.
- C. Provide a list of shelters appropriate for the situation.
- D. Assist the client to identify a support system.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Assessing for physical trauma is the priority to identify injuries requiring immediate medical attention, ensuring the client's safety. Verbalizing feelings, providing shelter lists, and identifying support systems are important but secondary to physical assessment.
A client has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and is using opioid analgesics for pain relief. Which action by the home care nurse would best allay the client's anxiety about becoming addicted to the pain medication?
- A. Encouraging the client to hold off as long as possible between doses of pain medication
- B. Encouraging the client to take lower doses of medications even though the pain is not well controlled
- C. Explaining to the client that the fears are justified but should be of no concern during the final stages of care
- D. Explaining to the client that addiction rarely occurs in individuals who are taking medication appropriately to relieve pain
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Clients who are on opioid analgesics often have well-founded fears about addiction, even in the face of pain. The nurse has the responsibility to provide correct information about the likelihood of addiction while still maintaining adequate pain control. Addiction is rare for individuals who are taking medication to relieve pain. Allowing the client to be in pain, as in options 1 and 2, is not acceptable nursing practice. Option 3 is only partially correct in that it acknowledges the client's fear.
A client with an endotracheal tube gets easily frustrated when trying to communicate personal needs to the nurse. Which method for communication should the nurse determine may be the best for the client?
- A. Use a picture or word board.
- B. Have the family interpret needs.
- C. Devise a system of hand signals.
- D. Use a pad of paper and a pencil.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The client with an endotracheal tube in place cannot speak, so the nurse devises an alternative communication system with the client. The use of a picture or word board is the simplest method of communication because it requires only pointing at the word or object. The family does not need to bear the burden of communicating the client's needs, and they may not understand the client either. The use of hand signals may not be a reliable method because it may not meet all needs, and it is subject to misinterpretation. A pad of paper and a pencil is an acceptable alternative, but it requires more client effort and time.
The nurse is assessing a client to determine the client's adjustment to presbycusis. Which indicates successful adaptation by the client to this problem?
- A. Proper use of a hearing aid
- B. Denial of a hearing impairment
- C. Withdrawal from social activities
- D. Reluctance to answer the telephone
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Presbycusis occurs as part of the aging process; it is a progressive sensorineural hearing loss. Clients show adequate adaptation by obtaining and regularly using a hearing aid. Some clients may not adapt well to the impairment, denying its presence. Others withdraw from social interactions and contact with others, embarrassed by the problem and the need to wear a hearing aid.
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