The nurse is caring for a patient who reports sudden right-sided numbness and weakness of the arm and leg.
The nurse also observes a distinct right-sided facial droop.
After reporting the findings to the healthcare provider, the nurse receives several prescriptions for the patient, including a STAT computerized tomography scan of the head.
What intervention should the nurse perform in the immediate management of the patient?
Initiate bilateral intermittent sequential pneumatic compression devices.
Raise the head of the bed to 30 degrees keeping head and neck in neutral alignment.
Maintain elevated positioning of the dependent joints on affected side.
Obtain a focused history to determine recent bleeding and use of anticoagulants.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale
Initiating bilateral intermittent sequential pneumatic compression devices is not the most appropriate immediate intervention for a patient showing signs of a possible stroke. These devices are typically used to prevent deep vein thrombosis in patients who are immobile, not for stroke management.
Choice B rationale
Raising the head of the bed to 30 degrees and keeping the head and neck in neutral alignment is the correct intervention. This position can help reduce intracranial pressure and facilitate venous drainage. In the case of a suspected stroke, it’s crucial to maintain proper cerebral blood flow.
Choice C rationale
Maintaining elevated positioning of the dependent joints on the affected side is not the immediate priority in stroke management. While it’s important to prevent contractures and maintain functional positioning, the immediate concern is to stabilize the patient’s condition.
Choice D rationale
Obtaining a focused history to determine recent bleeding and use of anticoagulants is important, but it’s not the first intervention. While this information will be necessary for the healthcare provider to determine the appropriate course of treatment, the immediate priority is to manage the patient’s acute symptoms.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
While it’s true that many contraceptives can help prevent certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), they are not 100% effective. Condoms, for instance, can reduce the risk of STIs that are spread through bodily fluids, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. However, they are less effective at protecting against STIs that are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, such as herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV)1.
Choice B rationale
Not all STIs are transmitted through sexual intercourse. Some STIs, such as herpes and HPV, can be spread through skin-to-skin contact. Others, like HIV and hepatitis B and C, can also be spread through sharing needles or from mother to child during childbirth.
Choice C rationale
Safe sex practices can significantly reduce, but not completely remove, the risk of STIs. These practices include using condoms correctly every time you have sex, getting tested regularly for STIs, and limiting the number of sexual partners.
Choice D rationale
Reinfections can indeed occur from having sex with untreated partners. This is particularly true for bacterial STIs like syphilis. If a person’s partner is not treated, the bacteria can remain in their body and they can pass the infection back to the person after they’ve been treated.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Exenatide is a medication used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. One of the potential side effects of exenatide is pancreatitis, which can cause severe abdominal pain. Therefore, patients should be instructed to notify their healthcare provider if they start having abdominal pain after starting exenatide.
Choice B rationale
Exenatide should be injected within 60 minutes (1 hour) before the morning and evening meal (or before the two main meals of the day, at least 6 hours apart), not 30 minutes before or after a meal. Therefore, this instruction is incorrect.
Choice C rationale
Exenatide does not act in the same way as insulin. While both insulin and exenatide help to control high blood sugar, they work in different ways. Insulin allows sugar in your blood to enter your cells, while exenatide works by increasing the release of insulin when blood sugar levels are high, decreasing the amount of glucose produced and released by the liver, and slowing gastric emptying.
Choice D rationale
There are precautions about taking exenatide with other medications. For example, exenatide may affect the absorption of some orally administered drugs due to its effect on gastric emptying. Therefore, patients should be advised to take oral medications that require rapid absorption at least 1 hour before injecting exenatide.
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