A female client who is admitted to the mental health unit for opiate dependency is receiving clonidine 0.1 mg by mouth (PO) for withdrawal symptoms.

The client begins to complain of feeling nervous and tells the nurse that her bones are itching.

Which finding should the nurse identify as a contraindication for administering the medication?

Hypertension.

Apical heart rate 72 beats/minute.

Muscle weakness.

Blood pressure 90/76 mm Hg.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

The correct answer is Choice D.

Choice A rationale:

Hypertension is not a contraindication for administering clonidine. In fact, clonidine is often used to treat hypertension. It works by decreasing the levels of certain chemicals in your blood, allowing your blood vessels to relax and your heart to beat more slowly and easily.

Choice B rationale:

An apical heart rate of 72 beats/minute is within the normal range (60-100 beats/minute) and would not be a contraindication for administering clonidine. Clonidine can lower heart rate, so it’s important to monitor heart rate, but a normal heart rate does not preclude its use.

Choice C rationale:

Muscle weakness is not a specific contraindication for the use of clonidine. While muscle weakness can be a side effect of many medications, it is not typically associated with clonidine. However, if a patient was experiencing severe or unusual muscle weakness, it would be important for the healthcare provider to evaluate this symptom.

Choice D rationale:

A blood pressure of 90/76 mm Hg could be a contraindication for the use of clonidine. Clonidine is a medication that is used to lower blood pressure, and if a patient’s blood pressure is already low, further lowering it could lead to symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, or even shock. Therefore, it would be important to monitor the patient’s blood pressure closely while they are taking this medication.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

4012 mg/day is not the correct answer. To calculate the maximum safe dosage of valproic acid, you need to convert the client's weight from pounds to kilograms. The client's weight in kilograms can be calculated by dividing the weight in pounds by 2.2. Therefore, 176 pounds divided by 2.2 equals 80 kilograms. The maximum safe dosage is 60 mg/kg/day, so 60 mg multiplied by 80 kg equals 4800 mg/day.

Choice B rationale:

Step 1: Convert the client’s weight from pounds to kilograms. We know that 1 kg is approximately equal to 2.2 pounds. So, we have:

176 pounds ÷ 2.2 = 80 kg (approximately)

Step 2: Calculate the maximum safe dosage for the client. We know that the maximum safe dosage of valproic acid is 60 mg/kg/day. So, we have:

60 mg/kg/day × 80 kg = 4800 mg/day

So, the maximum safe dosage for a client who weighs 176 pounds is4800 mg/day.

Choice C rationale:

3520 mg/day is not the correct answer. It does not accurately calculate the maximum safe dosage based on the client's weight.

Choice D rationale:

6171 mg/day is not the correct answer. It is significantly higher than the correct calculation and would exceed the maximum safe dosage for the client's weight.

A. “You may notice that your reaction time is slower than before.”. B. “You may experience some difficulty with learning new things.”. C. “You may have more neurotransmitters in your brain as you age.”. D. “You may lose some of your sense of smell and taste over time.”. E. “You may have more oxygen delivery to your brain cells as you age.”.

Correct Answer is ["A","B","D"]

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

Slower reaction time is a common age-related change in the neurological system. The processing of sensory information and response time may become slower in older adults due to changes in neural pathways and decreased neurotransmitter activity.

Choice B rationale:

Older adults may experience some difficulty with learning new things due to changes in cognitive function and neural plasticity. This is a common age-related effect on the neurological system.

Choice C rationale:

This statement is incorrect. Older adults typically have fewer neurotransmitters in their brains as they age, which can contribute to cognitive changes and a decline in cognitive function.

Choice D rationale:

Loss of some sense of smell and taste is an age-related change. Older adults may experience a decreased ability to detect and differentiate smells and tastes due to changes in olfactory and gustatory receptors.

Choice E rationale:

This statement is incorrect. Aging does not necessarily lead to an increase in oxygen delivery to brain cells. In fact, there may be a decrease in cerebral blood flow with age in some individuals.

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse is caring for a client who receives a prescription for valproic acid in which the maximum safe dosage is 60 mg/kg/day. How many mg/day is the maximum safe dosage for a client who weighs 176 pounds? (Enter numerical value only.).

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A nurse is teaching a group of older adults about the effects of aging on the neurological system. Which of the following statements should the nurse include as correct? (Select all that apply.).

Correct Answer is ["A","B","D"]

Explanation

The practical nurse (PN) learns that a client who is receiving chemotherapy has developed stomatitis. Which information should the PN obtain from the client during a focused assessment?

A 5-year-old child with a history of a waddling gait and frequent falls is brought into the hospital for diagnostic testing. When explaining the diagnostic testing to the parents, the nurse should provide information based on which understanding of the underlying disease pathology?

Four days after exposure to the coronavirus (COVID-19), a client has a negative COVID-19 test result. Eight days after the negative test result, the client presents with fever, fatigue, and cough, and the nurse performs a second COVID-19 test. Which action is most important for the nurse to take?

A nurse is documenting the data collected from an ongoing assessment of a client who has diabetes mellitus. The nurse writes, “The client reports feeling thirsty and hungry all the time.” How should the nurse label this type of data?

A client is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a spinal cord injury (SCI) following a motor vehicle collision. Which nurse should be contacted to coordinate the progression of the client's care?

Patient Data Exhibits The nurse notes that the client’s oxygen saturation is 88% on room air. What is the priority action by the nurse?