A nurse is planning to teach a client about taking prednisone.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse include
Increase dietary calcium.
Monitor for weight loss.
Take on an empty stomach.
Schedule dosage at bedtime.
The Correct Answer is A
The correct answer is A. Increase dietary calcium. Prednisone is a corticosteroid medication that can cause bone loss (osteoporosis) by reducing the absorption of calcium and increasing the excretion of calcium in the urine. Therefore, patients taking prednisone should increase their intake of calcium-rich foods or supplements to prevent bone loss and fractures.
Choice B is wrong because prednisone can cause weight gain, not weight loss, by increasing appetite and fluid retention. Patients taking prednisone should monitor their weight and limit their salt and calorie intake.
Choice C is wrong because prednisone should not be taken on an empty stomach, as it can cause stomach irritation, ulcers, or bleeding. Patients taking prednisone should take it with food or milk to protect their stomach.
Choice D is wrong because prednisone should not be scheduled at bedtime, as it can cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping. Patients taking prednisone should take it in the morning or early afternoon to avoid disrupting their sleep cycle.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The correct answer is C. FHR baseline 170/min. This is because a normal FHR baseline is between 110 and 160 bpm, and anything above or below this range indicates fetal distress and should be reported to the provider. A FHR baseline of 170/min could indicate fetal tachycardia, which could be caused by maternal fever, infection, dehydration, fetal anemia, or fetal hypoxia.
Choice A is wrong because early decelerations in the FHR are normal and benign, and indicate head compression during contractions.
They do not require any intervention or reporting.
Choice B is wrong because contractions lasting 80 seconds are within the normal range for active labor, which is 40 to 90 seconds per contraction.
They do not indicate any complication or abnormality.
Choice D is wrong because a temperature of 37.4° C (99.3° F) is slightly elevated but not considered a fever. A fever is defined as a temperature of 38° C (100.4° F) or higher.
A mild increase in temperature could be due to dehydration, exertion, or environmental factors, and does not necessarily indicate infection or inflammation.
Correct Answer is {"dropdown-group-1":"C","dropdown-group-2":"C"}
Explanation
The nurse should first administer oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula because the client has signs of hypoxemia (low oxygen saturation) and respiratory distress (increased respiratory rate) that may worsen the chest pain and myocardial ischemia. Oxygen therapy can help improve oxygen delivery to the heart muscle and reduce the workload of the heart.
The nurse should then administer sublingual nitroglycerin as prescribed because nitroglycerin is a vasodilator that can help relieve chest pain by dilating the coronary arteries and improving blood flow to the heart. Nitroglycerin can also lower blood pressure and reduce cardiac preload and afterload, which can decrease myocardial oxygen demand.
Other choices:
• Prepare the client for cardiac catheterization: This may be a later intervention if the chest pain persists or if the client has a confirmed myocardial infarction, but it is not the first priority for the nurse. Cardiac catheterization is an invasive procedure that involves inserting a catheter into a large artery and advancing it to the coronary arteries to visualize any blockages or stenosis. The procedure may also involve angioplasty or stent placement to restore blood flow to the affected area.
• Request a prescription for an increase in statin: This may be a long-term intervention to lower the client’s LDL cholesterol and prevent further plaque formation in the coronary arteries, but it is not an immediate intervention for chest pain. Statins are lipid-lowering drugs that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in clients with CAD, but they do not have a direct effect on chest pain or myocardial ischemia.
• Check a STAT cardiac troponin: This may be a diagnostic test to confirm or rule out a myocardial infarction, but it is not an intervention for chest pain. Cardiac troponin is a protein that is released into the bloodstream when there is damage to the heart muscle. Elevated levels of cardiac troponin indicate a myocardial infarction or other cardiac injury.
• Request a prescription for a beta-blocker: This may be an adjunctive therapy to reduce chest pain and prevent complications, but it is not the first-line intervention for chest pain. Beta-blockers are drugs that block the effects of adrenaline on the heart and blood vessels, which can lower heart rate, blood pressure, and myocardial oxygen demand. Beta-blockers can also prevent arrhythmias and reduce mortality in clients with CAD.
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