The nurse is preparing to apply a topical ointment to a patient with a sore throat. Which instruction by the nurse would lead to first to help facilitate absorption of the medication?

Ensure that the skin is clean and dry.

Don gloves prior to administration.

Take the patient's vital signs.

Apply to non irritated areas of the skin.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

A. Ensure that the skin is clean and dry. Cleaning and drying the skin removes dirt, oils, and moisture that could impede the absorption of the medication. This is the first step to ensure maximum efficacy of the topical ointment.

B. Don gloves prior to administration. While wearing gloves is important for infection control and personal protection, it does not directly facilitate the absorption of the ointment into the patient's skin.

C. Take the patient's vital signs. Checking vital signs is a general nursing practice but is unrelated to the application of topical ointments and does not affect absorption.

D. Apply to non-irritated areas of the skin. Applying to non-irritated skin is important to avoid exacerbating skin issues, but it’s not the first step to facilitate absorption. Ensuring the skin is clean and dry takes precedence.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A. Notify the charge nurse that patients may have received inappropriate medication dosages.
Jumping to conclusions about inappropriate dosages without first investigating the rationale for the dosing is premature and could cause unnecessary alarm.

B. Evaluate the laboratory values of each patient to determine liver and kidney function as a possible reason for decreased dosages. Lower dosages are often prescribed for older adults due to decreased liver and kidney function, which can affect drug metabolism and excretion. Evaluating lab values ensures that these dosages are appropriate and safe.

C. Do not worry about the discrepancy because this is not the nurse's unit.
Ignoring the discrepancy is not appropriate, as it’s important for all nurses to advocate for patient safety, regardless of the unit.

D. Call the nursing supervisor to investigate the nurse's concerns.
The nursing supervisor may need to be involved, but the first step is to review the relevant clinical data (lab values) to assess the situation.

A. The patient takes 4 medications each day. B. The patient states that the medications are delivered by the local pharmacy. C. The patient is able to describe each medication and why it is being taken. D. The patient skips a dose of certain medications sometimes.

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A. The patient takes 4 medications each day.
Taking multiple medications is common in geriatric patients and does not warrant immediate priority action unless there is evidence of polypharmacy or interactions.

B. The patient states that the medications are delivered by the local pharmacy.
This is a routine aspect of medication management and does not present an immediate concern.

C. The patient is able to describe each medication and why it is being taken.
This indicates that the patient is knowledgeable about their medications, which is positive and does not require immediate action.

D. The patient skips a dose of certain medications sometimes. Skipping doses can lead to subtherapeutic levels of medication, potentially worsening the patient's condition or leading to medication errors. This requires immediate attention to ensure proper adherence to the medication regimen.

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The nurse is preparing to apply a topical ointment to a patient with a sore throat. Which instruction by the nurse would lead to first to help facilitate absorption of the medication?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

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