The nurse is caring for a patient with a neurologic injury who is awake. On assessment, the patient displays mild disorientation to surroundings and time and needs additional verbal cues to stimulate response to commands
The nurse correctly documents the patient's level of con-sciousness (LOC) by using which term?
a. Alert
b. Confused
c. Lethargic
d. Obtunded
B
The confused patient is awake, but slightly confused and needs coaching to respond to com-mands. Alert indicates appropriate response to questions and commands with little stimulation. Lethargic is described as the patient being drowsy, but easily aroused. Obtunded patients are more difficult to arouse and respond slowly to stimulation.
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A client is prescribed alprazolam (Xanax) for acute anxiety. What client history should cause a nurse to question this order?
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