The home health nurse assessing skin lesions uses the PQRST mnemonic as a guide. What does the S in this guide indicate?

A. Take her blood pressure twice a day to check for hypertension. Lithium does not typically cause hypertension. Monitoring blood pressure is not a primary concern for patients on lithium.
B. Have her drug blood level checked every month. Regular monitoring of lithium blood levels is crucial to ensure therapeutic levels and avoid toxicity. Lithium has a narrow therapeutic window, and frequent monitoring helps in adjusting the dose to maintain safe and effective levels.
C. Avoid aged cheese and red wine. This advice is relevant for patients taking MAOIs, not lithium. There is no need for patients on lithium to avoid these foods specifically.
D. Examine her skin closely for eruptions. While skin eruptions can be a side effect of some medications, it is not a primary concern for patients on lithium. The focus should be on monitoring for signs of lithium toxicity and other common side effects like tremors, thyroid dysfunction, and renal impairment.

A. Mood disorders: Mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, involve severe and persistent disturbances in mood and emotions.
B. Anxiety disorders: Anxiety disorders involve excessive fear or anxiety, not primarily mood disturbances.
C. Thought process disorders: Thought process disorders, such as schizophrenia, involve disordered thinking but are not primarily characterized by mood disturbances.
D. Personality disorders: Personality disorders involve enduring patterns of behavior and thought that deviate from cultural expectations, not necessarily involving severe mood disturbances