A client with postpartum depression receives a prescription for sertraline. Which information is most important for the nurse to include in client teaching?
Contact the healthcare provider (HCP) immediately if suicidal thoughts occur.
Contact the healthcare provider (HCP) immediately if muscle stiffness occurs.
Increase activity level to include a daily exercise routine.
Avoid processed meats, red wine, and Swiss cheese.
The Correct Answer is A
A. Contact the healthcare provider (HCP) immediately if suicidal thoughts occur: Antidepressants like sertraline can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts, especially during the early stages of treatment. Immediate reporting of such thoughts is critical to ensure the client’s safety and prevent harm.
B. Contact the healthcare provider (HCP) immediately if muscle stiffness occurs: Although rare, muscle stiffness could signal serotonin syndrome if occurs with a constellation of symptoms including confusion, agitation, fever, sweating and tremors, not just stiffness. Suicidal ideation presents a more immediate and life-threatening risk in clients starting antidepressants and requires the highest priority.
C. Increase activity level to include a daily exercise routine: While exercise is beneficial for managing depression, it is supportive therapy and not the most urgent teaching point compared to recognizing and reporting suicidal ideation associated with antidepressant use.
D. Avoid processed meats, red wine, and Swiss cheese: This dietary restriction is necessary when taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) to prevent hypertensive crises. Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), so these dietary precautions are not required.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Avoid driving or operating machinery: Drowsiness and dizziness can occur with atenolol, especially when initiating therapy, but these effects are usually mild. While it's reasonable to use caution initially, this is not the most critical teaching point compared to orthostatic safety.
B. Take a missed dose as soon as possible: Although this may seem helpful, patients should not double doses or take extra doses close together. If a significant amount of time has passed, the missed dose may need to be skipped to prevent bradycardia or hypotension.
C. Standing slowly when getting up from bed: Atenolol, a beta-blocker, can cause orthostatic hypotension, especially in older adults. Teaching the client to rise slowly helps reduce the risk of dizziness and falls, making this a high-priority safety instruction following discharge.
D. Avoid intake of alcoholic beverages: Alcohol may enhance the hypotensive effects of beta-blockers, but moderate consumption is not strictly contraindicated. This advice is relevant but less urgent than preventing injury from orthostatic hypotension.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Excessive bruising: While statins can rarely affect platelet function, leading to bruising, this is not commonly associated with elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels. Bruising is more indicative of coagulation issues rather than muscle injury.
B. Muscle tenderness: Elevated CK levels in a client taking atorvastatin suggest muscle injury, such as myopathy or rhabdomyolysis. Muscle tenderness, pain, or weakness are hallmark symptoms of these conditions. Prompt assessment is crucial, as continued statin use in the presence of muscle damage can lead to serious complications, including kidney failure .
C. Nausea and vomiting: These symptoms are nonspecific and can result from various causes. While they may occur in rhabdomyolysis, they are not primary indicators and should be considered in the broader clinical context.
D. Peripheral edema: Swelling in the extremities is not a typical sign of statin-induced muscle injury. It is more commonly associated with cardiac, renal, or hepatic conditions.
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