Which instruction would be most important for the nurse to give to a patient who is scheduled to have a subtotal thyroidectomy?
1. Report sensations of tingling in toes, fingers, or lips.
2. Report headache immediately.
3. Herbal remedies are appropriate for use postoperatively.
4. Avoid exposure to crowds for several weeks after surgery.
1
Rationale 1: Hypoparathyroidism may result from the manipulation of the parathyroid glands during a subtotal thyroidectomy. The lack of circulating PTH causes hypocalcemia. Neuromuscular manifestations include numbness and tingling around the mouth and in the fingertips.
Rationale 2: Headache is not an emergent sign of any complication of this surgery.
Rationale 3: Herbal therapies should be used with extreme caution and only after consultation with the patient's health care provider.
Rationale 4: There is no indication that the patient should avoid crowds any more than with any other surgical procedure.
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