A nurse is caring for a client with numerous episodes of watery diarrhea. The client reports eating some spoiled deli meat earlier in the day. The client asks if they should take loperamide (Imodium) to stop the diarrhea. What would be an appropriate response from the nurse?

Choice A Reason:

Age dose of pain medication refers to adjusting the dosage of pain medication based on the client’s age. Elderly clients often have different pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics compared to younger individuals, which means they may require lower doses of medication to achieve the same effect. This adjustment helps to prevent overmedication and potential side effects, ensuring safe and effective pain management for elderly clients.

Choice B Reason:

Correct method of administering your own pain medication is important for clients who are capable of self-administering their medication. However, this choice does not directly address the issue of balance deficit and the need for an assistive device. While proper medication administration is crucial, it is not the primary concern in this scenario.

Choice C Reason:

Operator can push the PCA button for you if you are asleep is not an appropriate practice. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is designed to allow clients to self-administer pain medication as needed. Allowing someone else to push the button can lead to overmedication and potential complications. This choice does not address the need for an assistive device for balance deficit.

Choice D Reason:

The pain medication is delivered at your nose is not a standard method of pain medication administration. This choice is incorrect and does not relate to the client’s need for an assistive device for balance deficit. Pain medication is typically administered orally, intravenously, or through other appropriate routes, but not through the nose.

Choice A Reason:

Place suction equipment at the bedside is incorrect. While having suction equipment available is important for emergency situations, it does not directly prevent postoperative pulmonary complications. Suction equipment is used to clear the airway if the client has difficulty breathing or if there is an obstruction.

Choice B Reason:

Administer a prophylactic expectorant is incorrect. Prophylactic expectorants can help in managing secretions, but they are not the primary intervention for preventing postoperative pulmonary complications. The main goal is to promote lung expansion and prevent atelectasis.

Choice C Reason:

Encourage the use of an incentive spirometer is correct. Using an incentive spirometer encourages deep breathing and lung expansion, which helps prevent atelectasis and other postoperative pulmonary complications. It is a key intervention in postoperative care to maintain optimal lung function.

Choice D Reason:

Perform range of motion exercises is incorrect. While range of motion exercises are important for preventing musculoskeletal complications and promoting circulation, they do not directly prevent pulmonary complications. The focus for pulmonary health is on lung expansion and clearing secretions.