A client with nasal congestion receives a prescription for phenylephrine 10 mg PO every 4 hours. Which client condition should the nurse report to the healthcare provider before administering the medication?

 

Choice A Reason:

Checking for the correct placement of the patch behind the client’s ear is important to ensure proper administration of the medication. However, this action does not address the client’s concern about pain relief. Scopolamine is used to prevent nausea and vomiting, not to manage pain. Therefore, while correct placement is necessary, it does not explain why the client is still experiencing pain.

Choice B Reason:

Offering to apply a new transdermal patch to relieve the pain is not appropriate because scopolamine is not intended for pain relief. Applying a new patch would not address the client’s pain and could lead to unnecessary medication use. The nurse should clarify the purpose of the medication instead.

Choice C Reason:

Explaining that the medication is not given to prevent pain is the correct action. Scopolamine is an anticholinergic medication used to prevent nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness and recovery from anesthesia. It is not an analgesic and does not provide pain relief. The nurse should inform the client about the intended use of the medication and address pain management separately.

Choice D Reason:

Advising the client that the effects of the medication have worn off is incorrect. Scopolamine patches are designed to release medication over a period of up to 72 hours. The effects would not wear off within a few hours. This statement does not address the client’s misunderstanding about the purpose of the medication.

Choice A Reason:

Antiretroviral medications are effective in decreasing AIDS-related complications. These medications work by reducing the viral load in the body, which helps to maintain the immune system and prevent the progression of HIV to AIDS. By keeping the viral load low, the risk of opportunistic infections and other complications associated with AIDS is significantly reduced.

Choice B Reason:

One of the primary goals of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is to decrease the viral load to an undetectable level. When the viral load is undetectable, it means that the amount of HIV in the blood is so low that it cannot be detected by standard laboratory tests. Achieving and maintaining an undetectable viral load is crucial for the health of the individual and helps to prevent the progression of the disease.

Choice C Reason:

It is important to understand that while antiretroviral therapy can control HIV infection and reduce the viral load to undetectable levels, it does not cure the infection. HIV remains in the body, and if the medication is stopped, the viral load will increase again. Continuous adherence to the medication regimen is necessary to keep the virus under control and maintain health.

Choice D Reason:

While antiretroviral therapy significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission, it does not completely prevent it. The concept of “undetectable = untransmittable” (U=U) means that individuals with an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of transmitting the virus through sex7. However, it is still important to use other preventive measures, such as condoms, to further reduce the risk of transmission.