A client with unstable angina pectoris receives a prescription for nitroglycerin 0.4 mg sublingually PRN chest pain every 5 minutes x3. The prescription directions include leaving the medication at the bedside for self-administration. Which assessment finding should the practical nurse (PN) obtain first?
Number of tablets taken in past 24 hours.
Level of orientation and compliance.
Heart rate and blood pressure.
Hourly urinary output and daily weight.
The Correct Answer is B
A. While knowing the number of tablets taken is important for managing chest pain, it is secondary to ensuring that the client can safely administer the medication.
B. Assessing the client's level of orientation and compliance is crucial because the client needs to understand how and when to use the nitroglycerin properly. Misunderstanding or non-compliance could lead to ineffective treatment or potential harm.
C. Checking heart rate and blood pressure is important for assessing the effects of nitroglycerin, but before leaving the medication for self-administration, it is vital to ensure that the client understands how to use the medication.
D. Monitoring hourly urinary output and daily weight is not relevant to the immediate concern of ensuring safe and effective nitroglycerin self-administration.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Maintaining low intermittent suction requires assessing the appropriate suction settings and monitoring for complications, which are responsibilities beyond the UAP’s scope of practice. This task involves clinical judgment and knowledge of suction settings.
B. Securing the tube to the client’s nose is a task that UAPs can perform. It is a straightforward task that helps ensure the tube stays in place, which is a supportive care measure within the UAP's scope of practice.
C. Ensuring correct placement of the tube involves assessing for proper tube position through methods such as aspirating gastric contents or using imaging, which are tasks that require clinical judgment and are outside the UAP's scope of practice.
D. Replacing the canister when full involves handling medical equipment and requires understanding of suction mechanics and infection control practices, which are tasks that the PN or RN should perform.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. While postmenopausal use of herbal estrogen may be a risk factor for breast cancer, it is not as significant as having a family history of the disease.
B. A history of fibrocystic changes and a painful lump are not as strong a risk factor for breast cancer as a family history of the disease.
C. Being of normal weight, height, and having children at a younger age are generally considered protective factors rather than risk factors for breast cancer.
D. A non-tender lump combined with a family history of breast cancer (mother with breast cancer) is the most significant risk factor for developing breast cancer.
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