A nurse is discussing the plan of care of a client who is 4 hr postoperative and has a urostomy with assistive personnel.

Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the discussion?

Choice A: While nitroglycerin is a common medication for angina, calling the provider after just one dose is not the recommended action. Nitroglycerin helps relax coronary arteries and improve blood supply to the heart. However, if chest pain persists, the client should follow additional steps..

Choice B: This describes the Valsalva maneuver, which involves holding the breath and bearing down as though straining to initiate a bowel movement. While this technique can regulate heart rhythms and help the ears to pop, it is not the recommended response to chest pain from angina.

Choice C: Correct: This statement demonstrates an understanding of appropriate action. When experiencing angina, the client should stop any physical activity, sit down, or lie down. Resting helps reduce the heart’s workload and allows blood flow to stabilize.

Choice D: Aspirin can be beneficial during angina episodes. However, the recommended dose is usually 162 to 325 milligrams (one tablet). Taking two tablets at once may not be necessary unless specifically advised by a healthcare provider.

This step is part of the process when mixing NPH and regular insulin in a single syringe. After injecting air into the NPH insulin vial, you should inject an equal amount of air (in this case, 15 units) into the regular insulin vial to maintain pressure balance. This allows for easy withdrawal of the prescribed doses of each insulin type in the same syringe without causing a vacuum in the vials.

After injecting air into the NPH insulin vial (step 1), the nurse should proceed to inject air into the regular insulin vial (step 2) before withdrawing the insulin doses in the subsequent steps.

Verifying the dosage with another nurse is not necessary in this step, as it is done prior to drawing up the insulin. However, it is good practice to have another nurse double-check the dosage before administration.

Injecting air into the regular insulin vial is not required at this stage. It is only necessary when withdrawing the regular insulin dose.

Placing the cap over the needle should be done after withdrawing the desired dose of insulin and before administering it to the client for safety and to prevent needlestick injuries.

The correct sequence when mixing NPH and regular insulin in a single syringe is as follows:

1. Inject air into the NPH insulin vial (in this case, 10 units of air).
2. Inject air into the regular insulin vial (in this case, 15 units of air).
3. Withdraw the prescribed dose of NPH insulin (10 units) from the NPH vial.
4. Withdraw the prescribed dose of regular insulin (15 units) from the regular insulin vial.

So, after injecting air into the NPH insulin vial (step 1), the nurse should proceed to inject air into the regular insulin vial (step 2) before withdrawing the insulin doses in the subsequent steps.