History and Physical

The client is a 26-year-old female with acute appendicitis. She has a 12-year history of type 1 diabetes and no other significant medical histor The appendectomy was completed without issue, and the client will be admitted to the surgical floor to recover.

For each nursing action below, click to specify if the action is indicated, contraindicated or non-essential.

Choice A rationale: Ingestion of Wort can reduce the client's intake of sodium: This information is not directly related to the situation of a renal transplant and graft rejection. It is not the most significant finding regarding the use of St. John's Wort in this context.

Choice B rationale: Adding the herb decreases the need for corticosteroids: There is no evidence or indication that St. John's Wort can decrease the need for corticosteroids, especially in the context of a renal transplant and graft rejection.

Choice C rationale: While St. John's Wort is sometimes used as an herbal remedy for depression, the most significant information, in this case, is its potential to interact with cyclosporine and affect the client's immunosuppressive medication. The focus should be on the drug interaction and the risk it poses to the client's graft health, rather than the reason for using the herb.

Choice D rationale: The most significant information about the finding that the client has been self-administering St. John's Wort is that it can decrease plasma concentrations of cyclosporine. Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressive medication commonly used after a renal transplant to prevent graft rejection. When St. John's Wort is taken concurrently with cyclosporine, it can induce certain liver enzymes responsible for drug metabolism, leading to a decreased concentration of cyclosporine in the bloodstream. This can potentially reduce the effectiveness of cyclosporine in preventing graft rejection, putting the client's transplanted kidney at risk.

Choice A rationale; Family history of mental illness is important information to consider when assessing the client's overall mental health history, but it is not directly related to the immediate safety and effectiveness of duloxetine.

Choice B rationale: Weight change in the last month is relevant to monitoring for side effects of duloxetine, but it is not as critical as assessing liver function, which directly impacts the metabolism of the medication.

Choice C rationale: When planning care for a client starting on duloxetine, it is most important for the nurse to obtain liver function laboratory results. Duloxetine is primarily metabolized in the liver, and it is important to assess the client's liver function before starting the medication to ensure that the liver can process the drug effectively and safely. Clients with impaired liver function may require dose adjustments or be at higher risk for adverse effects, so obtaining liver function test results is crucial for safe medication management.

Choice D rationale: Recent use of other antidepressants is essential to avoid potential drug interactions, but it is not the most critical piece of information compared to assessing liver function, which directly affects the client's ability to process duloxetine.