The nurse is preparing instructions for a patient with an inflammation of the right lower leg. What should the nurse emphasize when teaching this patient?
Select all that apply.
1. Elevate the extremity.
2. Reduce the intake of fluids.
3. Take analgesics as prescribed.
4. Increase activity to the extremity.
5. Cleanse the area with soap and water.
Correct Answer: 1, 3
Elevation promotes venous return and reduces swelling. One action to reduce the pain of an inflamed area is to take analgesics as prescribed. Fluid intake may or may not impact healing of the inflammation.
Strenuous activity or exercising an inflamed body part may increase discomfort and tissue damage. Rest should be encouraged. Inflamed tissue should be cleansed gently with water, normal saline, or nontoxic wound cleansers. Soap can cause further drying and tissue damage.
You might also like to view...
An elderly male patient is complaining of dribbling after he urinates and feeling like he never empties his bladder. The nurse suspects the patient may have a problem with
A) kidney stones. B) an enlarged prostate gland. C) blood clots clogging the urethra. D) calcium sediment in the bladder.
A patient has taken five or six nitroglycerin tablets per day to prevent chest pain for more than 2 years. His health care provider has recommended that he decrease the amount of medication he takes a day to no more than three tablets
This patient should reduce his medication according to which timetable? a. Stop taking the medication all at once. b. Take one fewer tablet every 2 months. c. Gradually cut down over a period of time. d. Take the medication once a week.
The physician ordered colloidal oatmeal baths followed by application of an occlusive ointment for a client with pruritus. The nurse's teaching plan would include explaining the need to
a. apply the ointment to damp skin. b. bathe several times a day. c. soak for at least 30 minutes. d. use hot water in the bath.
A nurse is conducting a developmental screening to assess for domain-specific development, including gross and fine motor skills. Which developmental screening tool would the nurse most likely use?
a. Pediatric Symptom Checklist b. Ages and Stages Questionnaire c. Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status d. Denver II