Following a total thyroidectomy, the nurse plans to observe a client for complications. Which finding indicates that the client has developed a complication?

Denies muscle spasms in extremities.

Complains of back and joint tenderness and pain.

Complains of muscle twitching in hands and feet.

Diaphoretic, but denies any headache.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Choice A reason: Denying muscle spasms is normal and not a complication. Muscle twitching indicates hypocalcemia, a thyroidectomy risk due to parathyroid damage. Absence of spasms is reassuring, per postoperative complication monitoring and endocrine surgical care standards in nursing.

Choice B reason: Back and joint pain are nonspecific and not typical thyroidectomy complications. Muscle twitching suggests hypocalcemia, a critical issue post-thyroidectomy. Pain requires assessment but is less urgent, per postoperative monitoring and complication management protocols in surgical nursing.

Choice C reason: Muscle twitching in hands and feet indicates hypocalcemia, a serious complication from parathyroid gland damage during thyroidectomy. This requires immediate calcium replacement to prevent tetany, per postoperative complication monitoring and endocrine surgical care protocols in nursing practice.

Choice D reason: Diaphoresis without headache is nonspecific and not a primary thyroidectomy complication. Muscle twitching signals hypocalcemia, needing urgent intervention. Diaphoresis requires monitoring but is less critical, per postoperative assessment and complication management standards in surgical nursing.

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Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: Monitoring the metabolic panel detects antibiotic side effects like renal toxicity, but this is ongoing. Collecting blood cultures first identifies the HAP pathogen, ensuring targeted therapy. Premature antibiotics may obscure results, leading to resistance, making cultures more urgent for effective treatment of this nosocomial infection.

Choice B reason: Nebulizer treatments aid airway clearance in HAP, but identifying the pathogen via cultures is critical before antibiotics. Ineffective therapy delays recovery, as bacteria proliferate in mucus. Cultures guide precise antibiotic selection, reducing resistance risk, making this less immediate than obtaining microbiological data.

Choice C reason: Collecting blood cultures before antibiotics identifies the HAP pathogen (e.g., MRSA) and its sensitivity, critical for tailoring therapy. Broad-spectrum antibiotics can yield false-negative cultures, complicating treatment. This ensures accurate diagnosis, optimizing outcomes in severe infections, addressing the microbiological basis of HAP management.

Choice D reason: Reviewing chest x-ray confirms HAP with infiltrates but does not guide immediate antibiotic therapy. Cultures are urgent to identify the pathogen before antibiotics, as x-rays are non-specific and already documented. Cultures ensure pathogen-specific treatment, critical for combating hospital-acquired infections effectively.

A. Orientation to person and place only. B. Unequal bilateral hand grip strengths. C. Left-sided facial drooping and dysphagia. D. Pupillary changes to ipsilateral dilation.

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A reason: Orientation to person and place only suggests confusion, common in right hemisphere stroke affecting non-dominant cognition. This is not immediately life-threatening. Pupillary dilation indicates increased intracranial pressure (ICP) or herniation, a critical emergency requiring urgent intervention to prevent brain stem damage or death.

Choice B reason: Unequal hand grip strengths indicate hemiparesis, typical in right hemisphere stroke affecting left-sided motor function. This is expected and not acutely life-threatening. Pupillary dilation signals rising ICP or herniation, necessitating immediate intervention to prevent catastrophic neurological decline, making it the priority finding.

Choice C reason: Left-sided facial drooping and dysphagia are common in right hemisphere stroke, reflecting contralateral cranial nerve deficits. These are serious but not immediately life-threatening. Pupillary dilation indicates potential herniation from ICP, requiring urgent intervention like mannitol to prevent brain stem compression and fatal outcomes.

Choice D reason: Ipsilateral pupillary dilation in right hemisphere stroke signals increased ICP or herniation, compressing the oculomotor nerve (CN III), impairing pupillary constriction. This life-threatening emergency indicates impending brain stem compromise, requiring immediate intervention with ICP-lowering measures or surgery to prevent irreversible damage or death.

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Following a total thyroidectomy, the nurse plans to observe a client for complications. Which finding indicates that the client has developed a complication?

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