A nurse is caring for a terminally ill patient during the 2300 to 0700 shift.
The patient says, "I just can't go to sleep.
I keep thinking about what my family will do when I am gone.”. What response by the nurse would be most appropriate?

Choice A rationale:

Telling the patient that their wife will be fine does not address the patient's concerns and may come across as dismissive. It does not encourage further communication about the patient's fears and worries.

Choice B rationale:

Dismissing the patient's concerns and instructing them to sleep does not address the underlying issue. It fails to acknowledge the patient's emotional distress and may make the patient feel unheard and unsupported.

Choice C rationale:

Offering medication without exploring the patient's concerns further does not address the root cause of the patient's anxiety. It is important to assess the patient's emotional state and concerns before resorting to medication.

Choice D rationale:

Asking the patient, "What seems to be concerning you the most?" demonstrates active listening and empathy. It encourages the patient to express their feelings and fears, allowing the nurse to provide appropriate emotional support and interventions. Open-ended questions like this facilitate therapeutic communication and help establish trust between the nurse and the patient.

To calculate the amount of Augmentin to be administered per day, first, determine the total daily dose. The prescribed dose is 27 mg, given three times daily, resulting in a total daily dose of:

27 mg × 3 = 81 mg per day

Next, calculate the volume of the reconstituted solution needed to provide the total daily dose of 81 mg, considering that the vial, when reconstituted with 2.3 mL of saline, has a concentration of 20 mg/mL. The volume needed per dose is:

81 mg ÷ 20 mg/mL = 4.05 mL per dose

Since the medication is administered three times daily, the total volume required per day is:

4.05 mL per dose × 3 doses per day = 12.15 mL per day

Therefore, the nurse will administer 12.15 mL of the reconstituted Augmentin solution per day to the 6-year-old patient.