A nurse is caring for a client who was admited with bleeding esophageal varices and has an esophagogastric balloon tamponade with a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube to control the bleeding. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Provide frequent oral and nares care
Keep the client in a supine position
Ambulate the client four times per day
Encourage the client to consume clear liquids
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A: Provide frequent oral and nares care is the correct action for the nurse to take. Oral and nares care can help prevent infection, dryness, and irritation of the mucous membranes, which can be damaged by the pressure and friction of the tube. The nurse should also monitor the tube position, secure it with tape, and keep scissors at the bedside in case of emergency deflation.
Choice B: Keep the client in a supine position is not the correct action for the nurse to take. The supine position can increase the risk of aspiration, regurgitation, and gastric distension, which can worsen the bleeding and compromise the airway. The nurse should elevate the head of the bed to at least 30 degrees and use a semi-Fowler's or high-Fowler's position.
Choice C: Ambulating the client four times per day is not the correct action for the nurse to take. Ambulation can increase abdominal pressure and dislodge the tube, which can cause bleeding and perforation. The nurse should keep the client on bed rest and use passive range-of-motion exercises to prevent complications such as thromboembolism and muscle atrophy.
Choice D: Encouraging the client to consume clear liquids is not the correct action for the nurse to take. Clear liquids can increase gastric volume and acidity, which can aggravate the bleeding and interfere with hemostasis. The nurse should maintain a nothing-by-mouth status and provide intravenous fluids and nutrition as prescribed.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
The correct answer is D. Blood pressure 115/68 mm Hg.
Choice A reason: Heart rate 180/min is incorrect because, although an increased heart rate is a compensatory mechanism, a rate of 180/min is excessively high and suggests a more severe stage of shock or other cardiac issues.
Choice B reason: Mottled skin is incorrect as it indicates poor perfusion seen in decompensated shock, where organ dysfunction begins to manifest, not in the compensatory stage.
Choice C reason: Hypokalemia, or low potassium levels, is incorrect because electrolyte imbalances are not typically a finding in the compensatory stage of shock. Normal potassium levels range from 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L.
Choice D reason: Blood pressure 115/68 mm Hg is correct because it falls within the normal blood pressure range, which the body strives to maintain during the compensatory stage of shock through various mechanisms.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A Reason: This is incorrect because the client's best motor response is 5, which means he can localize pain, not follow commands.
Choice B Reason: This is incorrect because the client's eye opening response is 3, which means he opens his eyes to pain, not to speech.
Choice C Reason: This is correct because the client's GCS score is 13, which indicates a severe impairment of consciousness. The GCS is a tool used to assess the level of consciousness of a person who has a head injury. The GCS score ranges from 3 to 15, with lower scores indicating lower levels of consciousness. A GCS score of 8 or less indicates coma. The client's GCS score is 3 + 5 + 5 = 13, which is above the coma threshold, but still indicates a severe impairment of consciousness. The other choices are not consistent with the client's GCS score.
Choice D Reason: This is incorrect because the client's best verbal response is 5, which means he can orient himself to person, place, and time, not that he is unable to make vocal sounds.
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