Lewis's Medical Surgical Nursing in Canada, 5th Edition - Nursing Management: Male Reproductive Conditions Related

Review Lewis's Medical Surgical Nursing in Canada, 5th Edition - Nursing Management: Male Reproductive Conditions related questions and content

The nurse is caring for a patient who has benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with mild obstruction and tells the nurse, 'My symptoms have gotten a lot worse this week.' Which of the following responses by the nurse is best?

  • A. I will talk to the health care provider about ordering a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
  • B. Have you been taking any over-the-counter (OTC) medications recently?
  • C. Have you talked to the doctor about surgical procedures such as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)?
  • D. The prostate gland changes slightly in size from day to day, and this may be making your symptoms worse
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Because the patient's increase in symptoms has occurred abruptly, the nurse should ask about OTC medications (such as decongestants and anticholinergics) that might cause contraction of the smooth muscle in the prostate and worsen obstruction. The prostate gland does not vary in size from day to day. A TURP may be needed, but more assessment about possible reasons for the sudden symptom change is a more appropriate first response by the nurse. PSA testing is done to differentiate BPH from prostatic cancer.