A client with a history of gout comes to the clinic with an inflamed left knee. The client reports the knee is extremely painful to touch for the second time in 6 months. The healthcare provider prescribes colchicine and ibuprofen.
What instruction should the nurse include in the discharge teaching?

Choice D rationale
Seeking clarification of the type of advance directive the client has is the most appropriate response. A living will typically outlines a person’s wishes for end-of-life care, but it may not specifically address emergency situations like cardiac arrest.

Choice A rationale
Scheduling a client and family conference to review the plan of care may be helpful, but it is not the immediate priority. The nurse first needs to understand the client’s wishes as outlined in their advance directive.

Choice B rationale
Explaining that living wills cannot be followed by emergency personnel is not entirely accurate. While it’s true that emergency personnel initiating resuscitative measures may not have immediate access to a person’s living will, in a hospital setting, a person’s known wishes should be respected as much as possible.

Choice C rationale

Checking the client’s arm for a “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) bracelet is not the most appropriate response. While some people may choose to wear such a bracelet, not all do. Furthermore, a DNR order is just one type of advance directive, and it’s important to clarify what specific directives the client has in place.

Choice A rationale
The symptoms described - right-sided numbness and weakness in the arm and leg, along with a distinct droop on the right side of the face - are indicative of a stroke. Immediate medical intervention is crucial in such cases. Initiating two large-bore IV catheters would allow for rapid administration of necessary medications and fluids. Reviewing the inclusion criteria for IV fibrinolytic therapy is also important, as this type of therapy can help dissolve the clot causing the stroke and restore blood flow to the brain.

Choice B rationale
While continuous observation for transient episodes of neurological dysfunction is important in the care of a patient with suspected stroke, it is not the first course of action. Immediate medical intervention to treat the stroke is the priority.
Choice C rationale
Elevating the head of the bed to 30 degrees can help reduce intracranial pressure in a patient with a stroke. However, this is not the first course of action. Immediate medical intervention to treat the stroke is the priority.
Choice D rationale
Administering aspirin can help prevent further clot formation and platelet aggregation in patients with certain types of stroke. However, aspirin is not typically the first line treatment in the acute phase of a stroke, especially when the type of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic) has not yet been determined.