A client with uterine cancer is being treated with internal radiation herapy (brachytherapy). What is the nurse's PRIORITY action when caring for this client?
Wear a dosimeter badge and lead apron when providing direct patient care.
Avoid placing a radiation sign at the entrance of the room for patient privacy
Alert family members that they should restrict their visiting to 60 minutes at a time.
Explain to the patient that she will continue to emit radiation for months after the implant is removed.
The Correct Answer is A
A) Wear a dosimeter badge and lead apron when providing direct patient care: When caring for a patient undergoing internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy), radiation safety is the nurse’s priority. The nurse must take measures to minimize radiation exposure by wearing protective equipment such as a dosimeter badge (to monitor exposure levels) and a lead apron (to shield against radiation). These precautions are critical to protect healthcare workers from potential radiation harm while caring for a patient with a radiation implant.
B) Avoid placing a radiation sign at the entrance of the room for patient privacy: Placing a radiation warning sign at the entrance of the room is a mandatory safety protocol when a patient is undergoing brachytherapy. This warning sign informs healthcare personnel and visitors that radiation is present, and it is important for ensuring safety. Patient privacy should not override radiation safety protocols.
C) Alert family members that they should restrict their visiting to 60 minutes at a time: While it is essential to inform family members about safety precautions when visiting a patient receiving radiation therapy, the priority action for the nurse is to ensure their own safety and radiation exposure first. Limiting family visits is an important step to reduce unnecessary exposure, but this is a secondary concern compared to the nurse's direct radiation safety measures.
D) Explain to the patient that she will continue to emit radiation for months after the implant is removed: The patient will continue emitting radiation only for a short period after the implant is removed. The duration of radiation emission depends on the type of radioactive material used in brachytherapy, but it is typically limited to a few days or weeks at most. In most cases, the nurse would explain to the patient that, after the implant is removed, radiation emission will cease.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Synchronized cardioversion: Synchronized cardioversion is indicated for unstable supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), especially when the client shows signs of hemodynamic instability, such as hypotension, altered mental status, or chest pain. This intervention delivers a timed shock to restore normal rhythm, prioritizing the client's immediate stabilization.
B. Adenosine infusion over 30 minutes: Adenosine is typically administered as a rapid intravenous push to terminate SVT by temporarily blocking atrioventricular nodal conduction. However, this client is unstable, and synchronized cardioversion is the preferred intervention in cases of hemodynamic compromise.
C. Immediate defibrillation: Defibrillation is used for life-threatening arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. In this case, the rhythm is SVT, and the client is not in cardiac arrest, so defibrillation is inappropriate.
D. Vagal maneuvers: Vagal maneuvers, such as carotid sinus massage or the Valsalva maneuver, are first-line interventions for stable SVT. However, in unstable clients with severe symptoms or hemodynamic compromise, these measures are insufficient, and synchronized cardioversion is urgently required.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A) Infuse lipoproteins to restore the myelin sheath:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath around nerve fibers. Plasmapheresis does not work by infusing lipoproteins to restore the myelin sheath. The treatment's primary goal is to remove harmful substances from the blood that may be contributing to the autoimmune attack, particularly antibodies that target the nervous system, not by restoring the myelin itself.
B) Remove excess fluid from the bloodstream:
Plasmapheresis is a process used to remove certain substances from the plasma, including antibodies and immune complexes that might be exacerbating an autoimmune condition like MS. If the goal were to remove excess fluid, the treatment would be more akin to dialysis or a fluid management procedure, but this is not the case with plasmapheresis.
C) Restore protein levels in the blood:
While plasmapheresis can sometimes lead to a temporary decrease in protein levels due to the removal of plasma, this is not its primary purpose. The primary goal of plasmapheresis in the context of multiple sclerosis is to remove circulating antibodies and other immune-related substances.
D) Remove circulating antibodies from the bloodstream:
Plasmapheresis works by removing circulating antibodies from the bloodstream. In multiple sclerosis, the immune system mistakenly targets the myelin sheath, and plasmapheresis helps to remove the antibodies responsible for this autoimmune response. This can provide temporary relief of symptoms during acute flare-ups of MS by reducing the immune system's attack on the nervous system.
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