Nokea
When taking a medication history on a patient, why should the nurse ask about complementary or alternative therapies?
- A. Many drug alternative therapy interactions can cause serious problems.
- B. Natural products may be more effective, and the prescribed drugs may not be needed.
- C. Patients starting on new drugs are usually not compliant with medical regimes.
- D. The cost of the drug and the alternative therapy may be too expensive for the patient to handle.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because many complementary or alternative therapies can interact with prescribed medications, leading to serious adverse effects or reduced efficacy. By asking about these therapies, the nurse can identify potential interactions and prevent harm to the patient. Choice B is incorrect because natural products can also have interactions and may not always be more effective. Choice C is irrelevant to the question as it pertains to medication adherence, not interactions. Choice D focuses on cost, which is not directly related to the potential harm from interactions.
You may also like to solve these questions
A nurse is caring for a six-year-old child who had surgery that morning. The child is awake and lying very still in bed. What should the nurse do?
- A. Use an “ouch†scale for pain assessment.
- B. Encourage the child to request pain medication when needed.
- C. Plan to administer pain medication if the child begins to cry.
- D. Ask the child to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Use an "ouch" scale for pain assessment. This approach is appropriate for a six-year-old child as it uses a simple and understandable method to assess pain levels. The child may not verbalize pain or cry, so using a visual scale like an "ouch" scale can help the nurse accurately assess the child's pain level. Encouraging the child to request pain medication (B) assumes the child will always feel comfortable expressing their needs, which may not be the case. Planning to administer pain medication if the child cries (C) may lead to unnecessary medication administration if the child is not in pain. Asking the child to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10 (D) may be too complex for a young child to understand and communicate effectively.
The nurse is performing an admission assessment on a stable patient admitted after a motor vehicle accident. The patient reports having bad pain. What will the nurse do first?
- A. Attempt to determine what type of pain the patient has.
- B. Request an order for intravenous opioid analgesic.
- C. Administer acetaminophen (Tylenol).
- D. Ask the patient to rate the pain on a scale of 1-10.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Ask the patient to rate the pain on a scale of 1-10. This is the first step in assessing pain intensity, which helps determine the urgency and appropriate interventions needed. By having the patient rate the pain, the nurse can establish a baseline for pain management and monitor effectiveness of interventions.
Choice A is incorrect because determining the type of pain comes after assessing the intensity. Choice B is incorrect as requesting IV opioids without assessing pain intensity first may not be appropriate for a stable patient. Choice C is incorrect as administering acetaminophen should be based on the pain assessment.
What drug might the nurse administer to achieve both analgesic and antitussive effects?
- A. Acetaminophen.
- B. Ibuprofen.
- C. Aspirin.
- D. Codeine.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Codeine. Codeine is an opioid analgesic that acts on the central nervous system to relieve pain and suppress coughing. It has both analgesic and antitussive properties, making it the ideal choice for achieving both effects. Acetaminophen (choice A) and ibuprofen (choice B) are analgesics but do not have antitussive effects. Aspirin (choice C) is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug but is not commonly used for cough suppression. Therefore, codeine is the most appropriate option for achieving both analgesic and antitussive effects.
The nursing instructor asks the student nurse to explain the action of sumatriptan. What is the student's best response?
- A. Vasodilation of peripheral blood vessels.
- B. Depresses pain response in the central nervous system.
- C. Vasoconstrictive on cranial blood vessels.
- D. Binds to acetylcholine receptors to prevent nerve transmission.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Vasoconstrictive on cranial blood vessels. Sumatriptan is a medication used to treat migraines by constricting blood vessels in the brain, which helps to reduce inflammation and pain associated with migraines. This action helps to alleviate migraine symptoms. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because sumatriptan does not cause vasodilation, depress pain response in the central nervous system, or bind to acetylcholine receptors. Sumatriptan specifically targets cranial blood vessels to relieve migraine symptoms.
A patient is admitted to the emergency department with severe recurrent convulsive seizures. Would the nurse expect to order for the use in emergency control of status epileptic?
- A. Ethosuximide (Zarontin).
- B. Diazepam (Valium).
- C. Phenobarbital (Luminal).
- D. Phenytoin (Dilantin).
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Diazepam (Valium). In emergency situations of status epilepticus, diazepam is the preferred medication for immediate control of seizures due to its fast onset of action and efficacy in stopping prolonged seizures. Diazepam acts by enhancing the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain, which inhibits excessive neuronal activity. Ethosuximide (A) is used for absence seizures, not convulsive seizures. Phenobarbital (C) and phenytoin (D) have slower onset of action and are not ideal for immediate control of seizures.