A nurse is caring for a client who has acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and requires mechanical ventilation. The client receives a prescription for pancuronium. The nurse recognizes that this medication is for which of the following purposes?

Choice A reason: This is incorrect. Taking the albuterol before taking the cromolyn is not necessary. Albuterol and cromolyn are both used to treat asthma, but they have different mechanisms of action. Albuterol is a bronchodilator that relaxes the muscles around the airways and opens them up, making it easier to breathe. Cromolyn is a mast cell stabilizer that prevents the release of substances that cause inflammation and allergy symptoms in the airways. Albuterol is used to relieve acute asthma attacks, while cromolyn is used to prevent chronic asthma symptoms. The nurse should advise the client to use albuterol as needed for quick relief, and to use cromolyn regularly as prescribed to prevent asthma flareups.

Choice B reason: This is incorrect. Using both medications immediately after exercising is not recommended. Exercise can trigger asthma symptoms in some people, such as wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath. This is called exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) or exercise induced asthma (EIA). The nurse should advise the client to use albuterol 15 to 30 minutes before exercising to prevent EIB or EIA, and to avoid exercising in cold, dry, or polluted air. The nurse should also instruct the client to use cromolyn at least 15 minutes before exercising, as it takes time to work and does not provide immediate relief. The nurse should also tell the client to stop exercising and use albuterol if asthma symptoms occur during or after exercising.

Choice C reason: This is incorrect. Using cromolyn immediately if the breathing begins to feel tight is not effective. Cromolyn is not a rescue medication that can provide quick relief of asthma symptoms. It is a preventive medication that works by reducing the inflammation and sensitivity of the airways over time. The nurse should advise the client to use albuterol instead of cromolyn if the breathing begins to feel tight, as albuterol can rapidly open up the airways and ease the breathing. The nurse should also instruct the client to seek medical attention if the albuterol does not work or if the symptoms get worse.

Choice D reason: This is correct. Administering the medications 10 minutes apart is good practice. Cromolyn and albuterol can be used together to treat asthma, but they should not be mixed in the same nebulizer, as they may not be compatible and may lose their effectiveness. The nurse should instruct the client to use separate nebulizers for each medication, and to wait at least 10 minutes between each nebulization to allow the medication to reach the lungs and avoid irritation of the airways. The nurse should also teach the client how to use the nebulizer properly, and how to clean and store it after each use.

Choice A reason: Flexing the upper and extending the lower extremities in response to the painful stimulus is not an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of decorticate posturing, which indicates damage to the cerebral hemispheres or the internal capsule. Decorticate posturing is a type of abnormal flexion that involves the abduction of the arms, internal rotation of the shoulders, flexion of the wrists, and extension of the legs.

Choice B reason: Pushing the painful stimulus away is not an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of normal motor function, which indicates that the client can localize and withdraw from the painful stimulus. This is the highest level of motor response on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), which is a neurological scoring system used to assess conscious level after head injury.

Choice C reason: Extending the body toward the painful stimulus is an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of decerebrate posturing, which indicates damage to the brainstem or midbrain. Decerebrate posturing is a type of abnormal extension that involves the abduction of the arms, external rotation of the shoulders, extension of the wrists, and extension of the legs.

Choice D reason: Showing no reaction to the painful stimulus is not an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of flaccid paralysis, which indicates damage to the spinal cord or peripheral nerves. Flaccid paralysis is a type of complete loss of muscle tone and reflexes that involves the absence of any voluntary or involuntary movements.