The nurse is caring for a client with type 2 diabetes mellitus who reports frequent episodes of hypoglycemia. Which action should the nurse prioritize?
Increase carbohydrate intake at meals
Review the client’s medication regimen
Monitor blood glucose every hour
Encourage high-protein snacks
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A reason: Increasing carbohydrate intake may prevent hypoglycemia but does not address the root cause, such as excessive insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents. Reviewing medications identifies dosing issues, ensuring safer management of type 2 diabetes, making it the priority over dietary changes.
Choice B reason: Reviewing the medication regimen is critical, as hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes often results from excessive insulin or sulfonylureas. Adjusting doses or timing with a provider prevents recurrent episodes, addressing the primary cause and ensuring safe glycemic control, making it the priority action.
Choice C reason: Monitoring blood glucose hourly is reactive and impractical long-term. It confirms hypoglycemia but does not prevent it. Reviewing medications addresses the cause, such as inappropriate dosing, making it more effective for managing recurrent hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes.
Choice D reason: High-protein snacks stabilize blood glucose but are secondary to addressing medication-related hypoglycemia. Excessive insulin or oral agents are likely causes, so reviewing the regimen is prioritized to correct dosing, preventing recurrent episodes more effectively than dietary adjustments alone.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Arterial blood gases assess oxygenation and acid-base balance, critical for diagnosing respiratory distress severity. However, this diagnostic measure does not immediately relieve airway obstruction. Clearing secretions is prioritized to restore ventilation, as hypoxia can rapidly cause tissue damage or cardiac arrest in acute respiratory distress.
Choice B reason: Suctioning removes airway secretions, directly addressing breathing difficulty. Secretions obstruct airways, reducing oxygen delivery to alveoli and impairing gas exchange. Immediate suctioning restores patency, enhances ventilation, and prevents hypoxia, making it the priority intervention to stabilize the client’s respiratory function in acute distress.
Choice C reason: PRN analgesia addresses pain, which is not indicated as the primary issue. Pain relief does not resolve airway obstruction or improve breathing. Administering analgesia prematurely could mask respiratory symptoms, delaying critical airway management and potentially worsening hypoxia by neglecting the underlying obstruction.
Choice D reason: An antipyretic reduces fever, improving comfort but not addressing breathing difficulty. Fever is secondary, and treating it does not restore airway patency or oxygenation. Airway management is prioritized in respiratory distress to prevent hypoxia and ensure effective gas exchange before managing fever symptoms.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason: Diclofenac, an NSAID, can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, leading to anemia. Pale appearance and fatigue suggest blood loss. Reviewing hemoglobin levels is critical to confirm anemia, as low hemoglobin impairs oxygen delivery, exacerbating fatigue and requiring immediate intervention to address potential bleeding.
Choice B reason: Glucose levels are unrelated to diclofenac’s common side effects. Fatigue may occur in hypoglycemia, but diclofenac does not typically affect glucose metabolism. Pale appearance and fatigue are more indicative of anemia from NSAID-related bleeding, making hemoglobin a more urgent lab value to review.
Choice C reason: Total protein levels reflect nutritional status or liver function but are not directly linked to diclofenac’s side effects. Fatigue and pallor suggest anemia from gastrointestinal bleeding, a known NSAID risk. Hemoglobin is more critical to assess, as it directly correlates with the client’s symptoms.
Choice D reason: Sodium levels influence fluid balance but are not typically altered by diclofenac. Fatigue and pallor point to anemia from potential bleeding, not electrolyte imbalance. Hemoglobin review is prioritized, as diclofenac’s gastrointestinal side effects are more likely to cause blood loss than sodium disturbances.
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