A nurse is caring for a preschooler immediately following a tonsillectomy and notices the child swallowing frequently.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Check the back of the throat with a pen light.
Obtain the child’s vital signs in 15 min.
Administer analgesia.
Offer the child a drink of water.
The Correct Answer is A
A. Frequent swallowing after a tonsillectomy may indicate postoperative bleeding. The nurse should check the back of the throat with a pen light to assess for signs of hemorrhage.
B. While obtaining vital signs is important, it does not directly address the concern of potential bleeding.
C. Administering analgesia is appropriate for pain management but does not address the priority concern of bleeding.
D. Offering water could potentially worsen bleeding if it is occurring and should not be the first action.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Encourage the client to help care for their surgical incision. This can help the client accept the body image change and promote healing.
Choice B is wrong because suggesting that the client decide about reconstruction as soon as possible can pressure the client and interfere with their coping process.
Choice C is wrong because postponing referrals to support services until the client requests them can delay the client’s emotional recovery and increase their isolation.
Choice D is wrong because avoiding talking to the client about the surgery can indicate that the nurse is uncomfortable with the topic and discourage the client from expressing their feelings.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
This action indicates that the charge nurse should intervene because adding food coloring to the tube feeding is not recommended and can cause adverse effects such as aspiration, diarrhea, and allergic reactions.
Choice A is wrong because checking the volume of the aspirate is a correct action to assess gastric residual volume and prevent complications such as nausea, vomiting, and aspiration.
Choice B is wrong because checking the pH of the aspirate is a correct action to verify the placement of the NG tube and prevent accidental administration of enteral feeding into the lungs.
Choice C is wrong because administering 15 mL of water before administering the feeding is a correct action to flush the NG tube and prevent clogging.
Normal ranges for gastric residual volume are less than 250 mL for adults and less than 5 mL/kg for children. Normal ranges for pH of gastric aspirate are less than 5.5 for adults and less than 4 for children.
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