A nurse is assisting in the plan of care for a client who has constipation after receiving opioid medication for incisional pain. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Auscultate the client's abdomen for bowel sounds.

Provide the client privacy with a set time to defecate.

Administer a fiber-based laxative to the client.

Encourage the client to increase oral intake of fluids.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

The correct answer is choice A. Auscultate the client's abdomen for bowel sounds. This is the first action the nurse should take because it provides information about the client's bowel motility and function. Opioid medications can decrease bowel motility and cause constipation. The nurse should assess the client's abdomen before implementing any interventions.

Choice B is not correct because providing privacy and a set time to defecate is a nonpharmacological intervention that can help prevent constipation, but it is not the first action the nurse should take.
Choice C is not correct because administering a fiber-based laxative is a pharmacological intervention that can help treat constipation, but it is not the first action the nurse should take. The nurse should also consider the client's fluid intake and preference before giving a laxative.
Choice D is not correct because encouraging the client to increase oral intake of fluids is a nonpharmacological intervention that can help prevent constipation, but it is not the first action the nurse should take. The nurse should also consider the client's fluid balance and medical condition before giving fluids.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Recent exposure to tuberculosis. This is the priority data that the nurse should address as it puts other clients and hospital staff at risk of contracting tuberculosis. Options B, C, and D are not urgent and can be addressed after addressing option A.

Reasons why the other options are not answers:

Option B: A history of generalized anxiety disorder is not an urgent issue that requires the nurse's immediate attention.

Option C: Reports periodic migraine headaches are not an urgent issue that requires the nurse's immediate attention.

Option D: Experiencing nocturia is not an urgent issue that requires the nurse's immediate attention.

A. Nonpalpable area of redness, less than 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter B. Area of ecchymosis, greater than 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter C. Tenderness at the injection site D. Palpable area of induration, greater than 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Palpable area of induration, greater than 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter. This indicates a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) reaction for a person with no known risk factors for TB infection. A positive TST reaction means that the person has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB disease, and needs further testing to confirm the diagnosis and rule out active TB disease.

The other choices are not correct because:

- Choice A. Nonpalpable area of redness, less than 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter. This indicates a negative TST reaction for any person, regardless of their risk factors for TB infection. A negative TST reaction means that the person has not been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or has a very low level of immune response to the bacterium.

- Choice B. Area of ecchymosis, greater than 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter. This indicates a bruise or bleeding under the skin, not a TST reaction. Ecchymosis is not caused by the injection of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) into the skin, but by trauma or injury to the blood vessels.

- Choice C. Tenderness at the injection site. This indicates a mild local reaction to the injection of tuberculin PPD into the skin, not a TST reaction. Tenderness is not measured in millimeters of induration (firm swelling), which is the standard way of reading TST results.

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A nurse is assisting in the plan of care for a client who has constipation after receiving opioid medication for incisional pain. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

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Explanation

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Correct Answer is D

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