A nurse is providing teaching to an older adult client who has a seizure disorder and a new prescription for phenytoin. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

The correct answer is choice C. Determine the client’s Glasgow Coma Scale score. This is because the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a tool to assess the level of consciousness and neurological status of a client who has a closed head injury. The GCS score can help guide the priority of interventions and the need for further diagnostic tests.

Choice A is wrong because an MRI of the brain is not the first action to take for a client who has a closed head injury. An MRI may be indicated later to evaluate the extent of brain damage, but it is not an emergency procedure.

Choice B is wrong because mannitol IV bolus is a medication that reduces intracranial pressure (ICP) by drawing fluid out of the brain tissue. However, mannitol should not be administered before confirming the presence and degree of increased ICP, which can be done by measuring the GCS score and other vital signs.

Choice D is wrong because inserting an indwelling urinary catheter for the client is not the first action to take for a client who has a closed head injury. A urinary catheter may be needed to monitor fluid balance and renal function, but it is not an urgent intervention.

The correct answer is choice A. The nurse should ensure the state health department has been notified of the child’s Lyme disease, as it is a reportable disease in most states.

Reporting helps to monitor the incidence and prevalence of Lyme disease and to implement prevention and control measures.

Choice B is wrong because antitoxin is not used to treat Lyme disease.

Antitoxin is a substance that neutralizes the effects of a toxin, such as botulism or tetanus. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which can be treated with antibiotics.

Choice C is wrong because Lyme disease is not transmitted by sharing personal belongings. Lyme disease is spread to humans by the bite of infected ticks that carry the

bacterium. The risk of getting Lyme disease can be reduced by avoiding tick-infested areas, wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and removing ticks promptly.

Choice D is wrong because skin necrosis is not a common complication of Lyme disease.

Skin necrosis is the death of skin tissue due to lack of blood supply or infection. Lyme disease can cause a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans, which is usually circular or oval and expands over time. Other possible signs and symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain, and neurological problems.