A nurse is assessing a client who is taking haloperidol and is experiencing pseudoparkinsonism.

Which of the following findings should the nurse document as a manifestation of pseudoparkinsonism?

The correct answer is D. Remind the client to use the incentive spirometer.

Choice A rationale:

Observing the position of the suspended weight is beyond the scope of practice for assistive personnel (AP). This task requires assessment skills to ensure proper alignment and functioning of the traction system, which is the responsibility of the nurse.

Choice B rationale:

Checking the client’s pedal pulse on the right leg involves assessment and clinical judgment to evaluate perfusion and detect potential complications such as impaired circulation. This is not a task that can be delegated to AP.

Choice C rationale:

Asking the client to describe her pain requires assessment and interpretation of subjective data, which falls under the nurse's scope of practice. Pain assessment is a critical nursing function.

Choice D rationale:

Reminding the client to use the incentive spirometer is a non-assessment task that involves reinforcing previously taught instructions. This is appropriate to delegate to assistive personnel, as it does not require clinical judgment.

1. . Answer and explanation.

The correct answer is choice C, first-degree atrioventricular block.

This is because the PR interval is longer than normal, which indicates a delay in the conduction of electrical impulses from the atria to the ventricles through the AV node. A normal PR interval is 0.12 to 0.2 seconds, or 3 to 5 small squares on the EKG strip.

In this case, the PR interval is 0.35 seconds, which is more than 5 small squares.

Choice A is wrong because atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia where the atria beat irregularly and rapidly, producing chaotic and variable P waves and an irregular ventricular response.

There is no constant PR interval in atrial fibrillation.

Choice B is wrong because complete heart block is a type of arrhythmia where there is no conduction of electrical impulses from the atria to the ventricles, resulting in independent and dissociated atrial and ventricular rhythms.

There are no consistent P waves or PR intervals in complete heart block.

Choice D is wrong because premature atrial complexes are extra beats that originate from the atria and interrupt the normal sinus rhythm.

They produce abnormal P waves that are different from the sinus P waves, and may have a shorter or longer PR interval depending on the timing of the impulse.

However, they do not cause a constant prolongation of the PR interval.