A client is scheduled to receive a sublingual tablet and has difficulty swallowing tablets. Which is the best nursing action?
Crush the medication and administer in applesauce.
Place the tablet under the client's tongue.
Obtain a liquid form of the medication.
Place the tablet inside the client's cheek.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale:
Crushing the medication and administering it in applesauce might alter its pharmacokinetics, rendering it ineffective or causing it to act too quickly. Sublingual tablets are designed to dissolve under the tongue for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Crushing the tablet and mixing it with applesauce could change its intended mode of action.
Choice B rationale:
Placing the tablet under the client's tongue is the correct action for a sublingual tablet. Sublingual administration allows the medication to dissolve directly into the bloodstream through the sublingual mucosa, bypassing the digestive system and providing rapid onset of action.
Choice C rationale:
Obtaining a liquid form of the medication might be an option, but it may not always be available. Additionally, some medications are not available in liquid forms, and the liquid form might have a slower onset of action compared to the sublingual route.
Choice D rationale:
Placing the tablet inside the client's cheek is known as the buccal route of administration. While this route is also for oral absorption, sublingual administration is preferred for specific medications designed for rapid absorption.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The correct answer is choice B: Thinning of the skin with loss of elasticity.
Choice A rationale:
While a decreased ability to communicate can be a significant challenge in elderly clients, it is not the primary physical characteristic of aging that contributes to the risk of pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers develop due to prolonged pressure on specific areas of the skin, leading to reduced blood flow and tissue damage.
Choice B rationale:
Thinning of the skin with loss of elasticity is a critical physical characteristic of aging that contributes to the risk of pressure ulcers. As the skin becomes thinner and less elastic with age, it becomes more susceptible to injury from pressure and shear forces, increasing the likelihood of developing pressure ulcers.
Choice C rationale:
A 16 percent increase in overall body fat does not directly contribute to the risk of pressure ulcers. While changes in body composition occur with aging, the primary risk factors for pressure ulcers are related to skin integrity and mobility, not body fat percentage.
Choice D rationale:
Calcium loss in the bones (osteoporosis) is not the main contributing factor to pressure ulcers. Osteoporosis primarily affects bone density and strength but does not directly influence the development of pressure ulcers.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Asking the client to describe the intensity of the eye pain using the numerical pain scale is not the most relevant action in this situation. The client's statement indicates a misconception about the purpose of pilocarpine eye drops, so addressing this misunderstanding should be the focus.
Choice B rationale:
Reminding the client that the action of the eye drops is to decrease internal eye pressure is the appropriate action. Pilocarpine eye drops are used to treat glaucoma by reducing intraocular pressure, not to anesthetize the eye.
Choice C rationale:
Documenting in the chart that the client understands the action and use of the eye drops might be necessary but should not be the first action taken. The priority is to correct the client's misunderstanding about the eye drops.
Choice D rationale:
Clarifying with the client that eye pain in glaucoma is uncommon, so drops are rarely needed, is not accurate. While eye pain might not be a common symptom of glaucoma, pilocarpine eye drops are specifically used to manage intraocular pressure and are not intended to address eye pain.
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