A nurse is caring for a client who has type 1 diabetes mellitus. The nurse misread the client’s morning fasting blood glucose level as 210 mg/dL instead of 120 mg/dL and administered the insulin dose appropriate for reading over 200 mg/dL. Which of the following actions should the nurse identify as the priority?
Notify the nurse manager.
Give the client 15 to 20 g of carbohydrate.
Complete an incident report.
Check the client’s blood glucose level.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A: Notify the nurse manager. This is an important action that the nurse should take, but not a priority. The nurse should notify the nurse manager to report the error and seek guidance on how to proceed. The nurse manager can also provide support and feedback to the nurse and help prevent similar errors in the future.
Choice B: Give the client 15 to 20 g of carbohydrate. This is a necessary action that the nurse should take, but not the priority. The nurse should give the client 15 to 20 g of carbohydrates to raise their blood glucose level and prevent or treat hypoglycemia. The nurse should choose a fast-acting carbohydrate source, such as juice, glucose tablets, or candy.
Choice C: Complete an incident report. This is a required action that the nurse should take, but not the priority. The nurse should complete an incident report to document the error and its consequences. The incident report can help identify the root cause of the error and improve patient safety and quality of care.
Choice D: Check the client’s blood glucose level. This is the priority action that the nurse should identify according to the ABCDE principle, which prioritizes interventions based on airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure. The nurse should check the client’s blood glucose level to confirm the error and assess the risk of hypoglycemia, which is a low level of glucose in the blood. Hypoglycemia can cause symptoms such as sweating, trembling, confusion, and loss of consciousness. It can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A: Determine the client’s calcium level. This is the priority action for the nurse to take because the client might have hypocalcemia, which is a low level of calcium in the blood. Hypocalcemia can occur after a thyroidectomy due to accidental removal or damage of the parathyroid glands, which regulate calcium levels. Hypocalcemia can cause muscle spasms, tetany, paresthesia, and seizures.
Choice B: Give the client an oral potassium supplement. This is not an appropriate action for the nurse to take because the client might have hyperkalemia, which is a high level of potassium in the blood. Hyperkalemia can also occur after a thyroidectomy due to damage to the adrenal glands, which regulate potassium levels. Hyperkalemia can cause muscle weakness, arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest.
Choice C: Administer intravenous normal saline solution. This is not a necessary action for the nurse to take because the client does not have signs of dehydration or fluid imbalance. Normal saline solution does not affect calcium or potassium levels.
Choice D: Monitor the client’s peripheral pulses. This is an important action for the nurse to take, but not the priority. The nurse should monitor the client’s peripheral pulses for signs of decreased perfusion or ischemia, which can result from hypocalcemia or hyperkalemia affecting the cardiac function. However, this should be done after determining the client’s calcium level and correcting it if needed.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A: Palpitations. This is not a finding that the nurse should expect in a client who has a new diagnosis of hypothyroidism, but rather a sign of hyperthyroidism, which is a condition that occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. Hyperthyroidism can cause palpitations due to increased cardiac output and heart rate.
Choice B: Weight gain. This is a finding that the nurse should expect in a client who has a new diagnosis of hypothyroidism, which is a condition that occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid hormone regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and affects energy expenditure and body temperature. Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain due to decreased metabolic rate and increased fluid retention.
Choice C: Diaphoresis. This is not a finding that the nurse should expect in a client who has a new diagnosis of hypothyroidism, but rather a sign of hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism can cause diaphoresis due to increased heat production and vasodilation.
Choice D: Protruding eyeballs. This is not a finding that the nurse should expect in a client who has a new diagnosis of hypothyroidism, but rather a sign of Graves’ disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that causes hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease can cause protruding eyeballs due to inflammation and edema of the orbital tissues and muscles.
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