Nokea
The nurse is caring for a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS). The patient tells the nurse the hardest thing to deal with is the fatigue. When teaching the patient how to reduce fatigue, what action should the nurse suggest?
- A. Taking a hot bath at least once daily
- B. Resting in an air-conditioned room whenever possible
- C. Increasing the dose of muscle relaxants
- D. Avoiding naps during the day
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Resting in a cool, air-conditioned environment reduces body temperature, which can alleviate MS-related fatigue. Hot baths exacerbate fatigue, muscle relaxants may worsen it, and naps are beneficial.
You may also like to solve these questions
A patient with suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is being admitted to the unit. The nurse would expect what diagnostic test to be ordered for this patient?
- A. Cerebral angiography
- B. ABG analysis
- C. CT
- D. EEG
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: EEG shows a characteristic pattern in CJD, aiding diagnosis. CT may rule out other conditions, but angiography and ABGs are not diagnostic for CJD.
A patient diagnosed with MS has been admitted to the medical unit for treatment of an MS exacerbation. Included in the admission orders is baclofen (Lioresal). What should the nurse identify as an expected outcome of this treatment?
- A. Reduction in the appearance of new lesions on the MRI
- B. Decreased muscle spasms in the lower extremities
- C. Increased muscle strength in the upper extremities
- D. Decreased severity and duration of exacerbations
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Baclofen reduces muscle spasms in MS by acting as a GABA agonist. It does not affect MRI lesions, upper extremity strength, or exacerbation duration.
A patient with MS has developed dysphagia as a result of cranial nerve dysfunction. What nursing action should the nurse consequently perform?
- A. Arrange for the patient to receive a low residue diet.
- B. Position the patient upright during feeding.
- C. Suction the patient following each meal.
- D. Withhold liquids until the patient has finished eating.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Upright positioning during feeding reduces aspiration risk in MS-related dysphagia. Low-residue diets, routine suctioning, and withholding liquids are not indicated.
The nurse is teaching a patient with Guillain-Barr?© syndrome about the disease. The patient asks how he can ever recover if demyelination of his nerves is occurring. What would be the nurse's best response?
- A. Guillain-Barr?© spares the Schwann cell, which allows for remyelination in the recovery phase of the disease.
- B. In Guillain-Barr?©, Schwann cells replicate themselves before the disease destroys them, so remyelination is possible.
- C. I know you understand that nerve cells do not remyelinate, so the physician is the best one to answer your question.
- D. For some reason, in Guillain-Barr?©, Schwann cells become activated and take over the remyelination process.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Guillain-Barr?© spares Schwann cells, enabling remyelination during recovery. Schwann cells do not replicate preemptively or take over uniquely, and deferring entirely to the physician dismisses the nurse's role.
A patient with metastatic cancer has developed trigeminal neuralgia and is taking carbamazepine (Tegretol) for pain relief. What principle applies to the administration of this medication?
- A. Tegretol is not known to have serious adverse effects.
- B. The patient should be monitored for bone marrow depression.
- C. Side effects of the medication include renal dysfunction.
- D. The medication should be first taken in the maximum dosage form to be effective.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Carbamazepine can cause bone marrow depression, requiring monitoring. It has serious side effects like aplastic anemia, not renal dysfunction, and is started at a low dose, gradually increased.