Which nursing action should be included in the plan of care for a patient returning to the surgical unit after a left modified radical mastectomy with dissection of axillary lymph nodes?
Post a sign at the bedside warning against venipunctures or blood pressures in the left arm.
Obtain a permanent breast prosthesis before the patient is discharged from the hospital.
Teach the patient to use the ordered patient-controlled analgesia every 10 minutes.
Insist that the patient examine the surgical incision when the initial dressings are removed.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A rationale: Post-surgery, there's a risk of lymphedema in the affected arm, so avoiding procedures like venipuncture or blood pressure measurements in the left arm helps prevent complications.
Choice B rationale: Obtaining a permanent breast prosthesis is a consideration post- recovery but not an immediate priority upon return to the surgical unit.
Choice C rationale: Patient-controlled analgesia instructions are important but don't specifically address immediate care after mastectomy.
Choice D rationale: Insisting that the patient examine the surgical incision might not be appropriate upon return to the unit, and it's typically done by healthcare professionals during dressing changes.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale: After visual inspection, the next step typically involves auscultation, which allows the nurse to listen for bowel sounds and gather information about
gastrointestinal function.
Choice B rationale: Percussion involves tapping the abdomen to assess density or abnormal masses but usually follows auscultation.
Choice C rationale: Palpation, both light and deep, follows percussion in the sequence of an abdominal examination.
Choice D rationale: Similar to light palpation, deep palpation follows auscultation and percussion in the sequence of an abdominal examination.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale: Petit mal seizures, also known as absence seizures, involve a sudden lapse in consciousness for a brief duration, typically 5 to 30 seconds.
Choice B rationale: Clonic seizures involve rhythmic jerking movements.
Choice C rationale: Tonic-clonic seizures involve both tonic (muscle stiffness) and clonic (rhythmic jerking) phases.
Choice D rationale: Tonic seizures involve muscle stiffness but don't usually present as sudden lapses of consciousness in a short duration.
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