Nokea
While ambulating in the hallway following an appendectomy yesterday, a client complains of chest tightness and shortness of breath. Which action should the nurse implement first?
- A. Administer sublingual nitroglycerin
- B. Assist the client back to the room
- C. Have the client sit down in the hall
- D. Obtain a 12-lead electrocardiogram
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Having the client sit down in the hallway is the first action the nurse should implement. This is crucial to prevent further strain on the heart and to provide a safer environment for assessment and potential emergency intervention. Administering sublingual nitroglycerin (Choice A) may be appropriate later but should not precede ensuring the client's immediate safety. Assisting the client back to the room (Choice B) may not be advisable if the client is experiencing chest tightness and shortness of breath. Obtaining a 12-lead electrocardiogram (Choice D) is important but would not be the initial action to address the client's immediate symptoms.
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The PN is caring for an older client who was informed about the diagnosis of terminal cancer two days ago. Which intervention would be most helpful for the client's spouse at this time?
- A. Consultation with the case manager and hospital chaplain
- B. Visiting after procedures are done to avoid seeing the client in pain
- C. Participating in the client's care within his/her capabilities and desires
- D. Information about palliative and hospice care services
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Providing information about palliative and hospice care services can help the spouse understand the options for managing the client's symptoms and improving the quality of life. This also provides support and guidance during a difficult time. Consulting with the case manager and hospital chaplain may be beneficial for emotional support but may not address the practical aspects of care. Visiting after procedures are done to avoid seeing the client in pain may not foster open communication and support. While participating in the client's care is important, providing information about palliative and hospice care services is the most helpful intervention in this scenario.
A client has a prescription for a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) unit for pain management during the postoperative period following a lumbar laminectomy. Which information should the nurse reinforce about the action of this adjuvant pain modality?
- A. The discharge of electricity will distract the client's focus from the pain
- B. An infusion of medication in the spinal canal will block pain perception
- C. Pain perception in the cerebral cortex is dulled by the unit's discharge of an electrical stimulus
- D. A mild electrical stimulus on the skin surface closes the gates of nerve conduction for severe pain
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. TENS works by delivering a mild electrical stimulus to the skin, which can help close the 'gates' in the nervous system to block pain signals from reaching the brain, thus reducing pain perception. Choice A is incorrect because TENS does not distract from pain but rather helps manage it. Choice B is incorrect as it describes a different pain management technique involving medication in the spinal canal. Choice C is incorrect because TENS acts peripherally on nerve conduction rather than dulling pain perception in the cerebral cortex.
An adult female client with type 1 diabetes mellitus is receiving NPH insulin 35 units in the morning. Which finding should the PN document as evidence that the amount of insulin is inadequate?
- A. States that her feet are constantly cold and feel numb
- B. A wound on the ankle that starts to drain and becomes painful
- C. Consecutive evening serum glucose greater than 260 mg/dL
- D. Reports nausea in the morning but can still eat breakfast
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. High evening glucose levels indicate that the morning dose of NPH insulin may be insufficient to control blood sugar throughout the day. Choice A is incorrect as cold and numb feet are more indicative of a circulation issue rather than an insulin inadequacy. Choice B suggests a wound infection rather than inadequate insulin. Choice D, nausea in the morning, may be due to other causes and does not necessarily indicate inadequate insulin dosage.
An adult client is undergoing weekly external radiation treatments for breast cancer. Upon arrival at the outpatient clinic for a scheduled treatment, the client reports increasing fatigue to the nurse who is taking the client's vital signs. What action should the nurse implement?
- A. Notify the healthcare provider or charge nurse immediately
- B. Offer to reschedule the treatment for the following week
- C. Plan to monitor the client's vital signs every 30 minutes
- D. Reinforce the need for extra rest periods and plenty of sleep
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Fatigue is a common side effect of radiation therapy. In this scenario, the appropriate action for the nurse to take is to reinforce the importance of rest and adequate sleep. It is crucial to address the client's increasing fatigue by promoting self-care strategies such as additional rest periods and ensuring plenty of sleep. Rescheduling the treatment is not necessary for fatigue, and vital sign monitoring every 30 minutes may not directly address the client's reported symptom. Notifying the healthcare provider or charge nurse immediately is not the first-line intervention for increasing fatigue, as this symptom can be managed through education and self-care recommendations.
A client with blood type AB negative delivers a newborn with blood type A positive. The cord blood reveals a positive indirect Coombs test. Which is the implication of this finding?
- A. The newborn is infected with an infectious blood-borne disease
- B. The newborn needs phototherapy for physiologic jaundice
- C. The mother's Rh antibodies are present in the neonatal blood
- D. The mother no longer needs Rho immune globulin injections
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A positive indirect Coombs test indicates that the mother's Rh antibodies have crossed the placenta and are present in the neonatal blood, which can lead to hemolytic disease of the newborn. This finding necessitates close monitoring and potential intervention. Choice A is incorrect because a positive Coombs test does not indicate an infectious blood-borne disease. Choice B is incorrect as phototherapy for physiologic jaundice is not related to a positive Coombs test result. Choice D is incorrect because a positive Coombs test does not indicate that the mother no longer needs Rho immune globulin injections; in fact, it suggests a need for further management to prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn.