A 53-year-old male patient with deep partial-thickness burns from a chemical spill in the workplace has severe pain followed by nausea during dressing changes.

Which action will be most useful in decreasing the patient's nausea?

This is because the persistent dysuria suggests that the initial treatment was not effective, and there may be a possibility of a resistant organism. Obtaining a midstream urine specimen for culture and sensitivity testing will help identify the specific microorganism causing the infection and determine the most effective antibiotic to use. The nurse should also instruct the patient to continue to drink plenty of fluids, as this will help flush out the bacteria and relieve symptoms. The nurse may suggest the use of acetaminophen (Tylenol) to relieve discomfort, but this should not be the only action taken, as treating the underlying infection is crucial. The nurse should not tell the patient to take trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole for an additional three days, as the initial treatment was not effective, and a different course of treatment may be required based on the results of the urine culture and sensitivity testing.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones. The initial management of DKA involves fluid resuscitation with intravenous normal saline to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Therefore, starting an infusion of normal saline at 125 ml/hr is the first prescribed action the nurse should implement.

Bringing the patient a meal is not a priority at this time because the patient's blood glucose levels need to be stabilized before they can safely consume food. Administering Lantus insulin IV and giving sodium bicarbonate 50 mEq IV push are also not the first-line treatments for DKA. Lantus insulin is a long-acting insulin used to treat hyperglycemia over an extended period and should not be given intravenously. Sodium bicarbonate may be used to correct acidosis, but it is not the first priority in DKA management.