A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about wearing medical masks. Which of the following statements should the nurse include?

A. This response addresses the timeframe for heparin to achieve therapeutic levels in the bloodstream, not its action on dissolving clots. Heparin works primarily by inhibiting the formation of new clots and preventing existing clots from enlarging or propagating, rather than directly dissolving existing clots.
B. This statement accurately describes the mechanism of action of heparin. Heparin is an anticoagulant that works by enhancing the activity of antithrombin III, which inhibits the clotting factors thrombin and factor Xa. This action prevents the formation of new clots and stabilizes existing clots, but it does not actively dissolve them.
C. While pharmacists are knowledgeable about medications, including their mechanisms of action, it is within the scope of nursing practice to provide information on how medications work to clients. The nurse should be prepared to explain the basic mechanism of heparin's action to the client in understandable terms.
D. This response is inaccurate regarding heparin's action. Heparin itself does not directly dissolve clots; it prevents further clot formation and allows the body's natural fibrinolytic (clot-dissolving) mechanisms to work on existing clots. Oral medications like warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) may be used after initial heparin therapy to continue anticoagulation, but they do not directly dissolve clots either.

A. Hoarseness or changes in voice quality is one of the hallmark symptoms of laryngeal cancer. It occurs due to the tumor affecting the vocal cords or surrounding structures. Hoarseness is often persistent and does not resolve with voice rest or usual treatments for laryngitis.
B. Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, can occur in laryngeal cancer, especially if the tumor affects the structures involved in swallowing. However, dysphagia typically occurs later in the course of the disease as the tumor grows and obstructs the passage of food or liquids.
C. Weight loss can be a symptom of advanced laryngeal cancer but is less commonly reported as an early manifestation. Significant weight loss may occur as a result of difficulty eating due to dysphagia or as a generalized effect of cancer on the body.
D. Dyspnea, or difficulty breathing, is not typically an early manifestation of laryngeal cancer unless the tumor is large and obstructs the airway. It is more commonly associated with advanced disease or tumors that have spread to nearby structures.