When is it most important for the nurse to assess a pregnant client's deep tendon reflexes (DTRs)?

When the client has ankle edema.

If the client has an elevated blood pressure.

During admission to labor and delivery.

Within the first trimester of pregnancy.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice B is correct because assessing the DTRs of a pregnant client with an elevated blood pressure can help detect signs of preeclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy that can cause seizures, organ damage, and fetal death. Preeclampsia can cause hyperreflexia, which is an exaggerated response of the DTRs.

Choice A is incorrect because ankle edema is not a reliable indicator of preeclampsia and does not require assessing the DTRs. Ankle edema is a common finding in normal pregnancy due to increased blood volume and fluid retention.

Choice C is incorrect because assessing the DTRs during admission to labor and delivery is not as important as assessing them if the client has an elevated blood pressure. Assessing the DTRs during admission to labor and delivery can help monitor the client's neurological status, but it is not a priority action.

Choice D is incorrect because assessing the DTRs within the first trimester of pregnancy is not as important as assessing them if the client has an elevated blood pressure. Assessing the DTRs within the first trimester of pregnancy can help establish a baseline, but it is not a priority action.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A: Determining the need for urinary catheterization is not a task that the nurse should assign to the PN, as this requires clinical judgment and critical thinking, which are beyond the scope of practice of the PN. This is a distractor choice.

Choice B: Titrating oxygen to prescribed parameters is a task that the nurse can assign to the PN, as this involves following orders and protocols, which are within the scope of practice of the PN. Therefore, this is the correct choice.

Choice C: Receiving a postoperative client and conducting the assessment is not a task that the nurse should assign to the PN, as this requires initial assessment and data collection, which are the responsibility of the registered nurse. This is another distractor choice.

Choice D: Evaluating and updating plans of care for clients is not a task that the nurse should assign to the PN, as this requires nursing diagnosis and outcome identification, which are part of the nursing process that only the registered nurse can perform. This is another distractor choice.

A. Encourage rest until the analgesic becomes effective. B. Raise head of bed until at a 90 degree angle. C. Place bed in a reverse Trendelenburg position. D. Position bedside table so the client can lean across it.

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A: Encourage rest until the analgesic becomes effective. This is not the best intervention, as it does not address the client's preference or comfort level. The analgesic may take some time to relieve the pain, and forcing the client to lie down may increase the pressure on the pancreas and worsen the pain.

Choice B: Raise head of bed until at a 90 degree angle. This is not the best intervention, as it does not address the client's preference or comfort level. Raising the head of bed may help reduce abdominal distension and improve breathing, but it may not relieve the pain as much as leaning forward.

Choice C: Place bed in a reverse Trendelenburg position. This is not the best intervention, as it does not address the client's preference or comfort level. Placing the bed in a reverse Trendelenburg position may help shift the abdominal organs away from the pancreas and reduce inflammation, but it may not relieve the pain as much as leaning forward.

Choice D: Position bedside table so the client can lean across it. This is the best intervention, as it addresses the client's preference and comfort level. Leaning forward may help decrease the tension on the pancreas and relieve the pain. The bedside table can provide support and stability for the client while sitting up.

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When is it most important for the nurse to assess a pregnant client's deep tendon reflexes (DTRs)?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse leading a cardiac team on a medical surgical unit is assigning client care to a practical nurse (PN) and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Which task should the nurse assign to the PN?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A client with pancreatitis complains of severe epigastric pain, so the nurse administers a prescribed narcotic analgesic. Ten minutes later, the client insists on sitting up and leaning forward. Which intervention should the nurse implement?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

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