A client with a history of peptic ulcer disease reports epigastric pain. Which action should the nurse take first?

Administer an antacid as prescribed

Assess the characteristics of the pain

Check for recent NSAID use

Obtain a stool sample for occult blood

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A reason: Administering an antacid relieves epigastric pain but is premature without assessing pain characteristics. Pain in peptic ulcer disease may indicate complications like perforation, requiring urgent evaluation. Assessment guides whether antacids or other interventions are appropriate, prioritizing patient safety.

Choice B reason: Assessing pain characteristics (e.g., location, intensity, radiation) is the first step, as epigastric pain in peptic ulcer disease may signal complications like bleeding or perforation. This data guides interventions, ensuring timely management of potentially life-threatening conditions, making it the priority action.

Choice C reason: Checking NSAID use identifies ulcer triggers but is secondary to pain assessment. Pain characteristics determine urgency, as severe or radiating pain may indicate perforation, requiring immediate action. Assessment provides critical data before investigating contributing factors like medication history.

Choice D reason: Obtaining a stool sample for occult blood detects gastrointestinal bleeding but is not the first step. Assessing pain characteristics identifies urgent complications like perforation, guiding whether diagnostic tests or interventions are needed, making pain assessment the initial priority.

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Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Topical corticosteroids reduce inflammation, scaling, and itching in psoriasis by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune responses in affected skin. They are first-line for plaque psoriasis with silvery scales, effectively managing burning and promoting healing of inflamed, bleeding areas on elbows and palms.

Choice B reason: Topical analgesics relieve pain but do not address psoriasis’s underlying inflammation or scaling. Psoriatic plaques are primarily inflammatory, not neuropathic. Analgesics may reduce burning temporarily but lack the anti-inflammatory action of corticosteroids, making them ineffective for managing chronic psoriatic lesions.

Choice C reason: Topical antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not psoriasis, which is an autoimmune inflammatory condition. Bleeding in psoriasis results from skin fragility, not infection. Antibiotics are unnecessary unless secondary infection is confirmed, making them inappropriate compared to corticosteroids, which target the disease’s inflammatory pathology.

Choice D reason: Colloidal oatmeal-based lotion soothes irritated skin and reduces itching but lacks anti-inflammatory properties to treat psoriasis’s scaling and inflammation. It may provide symptomatic relief but is inadequate for managing chronic plaques, unlike corticosteroids, which directly address the autoimmune-driven inflammation and scaling.

A. Encourage weight-bearing exercises B. Restrict calcium-rich foods C. Limit vitamin D supplementation D. Promote bed rest to prevent fractures

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Weight-bearing exercises, like walking, stimulate bone formation by increasing osteoblast activity, improving bone density in osteoporosis. This reduces fracture risk, making it a key intervention to strengthen bones and enhance balance, preventing falls, which is critical for osteoporosis management.

Choice B reason: Restricting calcium-rich foods is inappropriate, as calcium is essential for bone health in osteoporosis. Dietary calcium supports bone mineralization, reducing fracture risk. Weight-bearing exercises are prioritized, as they directly enhance bone strength, unlike dietary restrictions that weaken bones.

Choice C reason: Limiting vitamin D supplementation is incorrect, as vitamin D enhances calcium absorption, supporting bone health in osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises are the priority, as they mechanically stimulate bone remodeling, improving density and reducing fracture risk more directly than supplements.

Choice D reason: Promoting bed rest increases bone loss in osteoporosis by reducing mechanical stress, which stimulates bone formation. Weight-bearing exercises are essential, as they enhance bone density and strength, preventing fractures, making bed rest counterproductive to osteoporosis management.

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A client with a history of peptic ulcer disease reports epigastric pain. Which action should the nurse take first?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

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