The nurse is developing a teaching plan for a client with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) who has a history of a myocardial infarction (MI) and smokes two packs of cigarettes daily. Which instruction has the greatest priority?
Keep toenails trimmed short.
Apply heating pad to soothe leg pain.
Enrol in a smoking cessation program.
Reduce intake of high saturated fats and salt.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Keeping toenails trimmed short is important for foot care, especially in clients with PAD, but it is not the highest priority.
Choice B reason: Applying a heating pad to soothe leg pain can provide temporary relief but does not address the underlying issue of PAD or reduce cardiovascular risk.
Choice C reason: Enrolling in a smoking cessation program is the highest priority. Smoking significantly exacerbates PAD and increases the risk of further cardiovascular events, including heart attacks. Quitting smoking is crucial for improving vascular health and reducing the risk of complications.
Choice D reason: Reducing intake of high saturated fats and salt is important for overall cardiovascular health but is not as immediate or impactful as smoking cessation in reducing the risk of complications from PAD and MI.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Decreasing dietary fat intake can be beneficial for overall health, but it is not specifically related to managing diverticulitis. Dietary fat does not directly influence the inflammation of diverticula.
Choice B reason: Increasing fluids and dietary fibber is important for preventing diverticulosis, which is the presence of diverticula in the colon. However, during an acute episode of diverticulitis, high fibber can exacerbate symptoms. Therefore, this recommendation is not appropriate during active inflammation.
Choice C reason: Ingesting frequent small meals can aid in digestion and prevent large meals from causing discomfort, but it does not directly address the dietary needs during diverticulitis.
Choice D reason: Reducing roughage in the diet is crucial during an acute episode of diverticulitis. High-fibber foods and roughage can irritate the inflamed diverticula and worsen symptoms. A low-fibber diet is often recommended until the inflammation subsides, after which a gradual return to a high-fibber diet can be beneficial to prevent future episodes.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Pain in the lower legs when walking, also known as intermittent claudication, is a common symptom of PAD but does not indicate an immediate threat to limb viability.
Choice B reason: Black eschar over the ankle ulcer indicates necrotic tissue, which is concerning but not as immediately critical as absent pulses. It does need to be monitored and treated to prevent infection and further complications.
Choice C reason: Absent pedal pulses by Doppler indicate a significant reduction in blood flow to the lower extremities, which can lead to critical limb ischemia and requires immediate intervention to restore perfusion and prevent tissue loss.
Choice D reason: Dependent rubor (redness when the leg is in a dependent position) is a sign of poor arterial circulation but does not require as urgent intervention as absent pedal pulses.
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