Consider the following essentials of care after a patient has overdosed on drugs, and rank them in the order of their importance
a. Eliminate the substance from the body.
b. Stabilize the patient.
c. Reverse the toxic substance's effects and manage any complications.
d. Identify the toxic substance.
e. Support the patient and significant others (physically and psychologically).
ANS: A, B, C, D, E
Essentials of care after the patient has overdosed on drugs include the following:
? Stabilize the patient. The key principle in the treatment of poisonings is "Treat the patient, not the poison." Treatment for most poisonings is symptomatic and supportive.
? Identify the toxic substance.
? Reverse its effects and manage any complications.
? Eliminate the substance from the body.
? Support the patient and significant others (physically and psychologically). Support vital functions and manage complications.
You might also like to view...
A nurse is removing an arterial line from a patient's radial artery. What actions by the nurse are most appropriate after the line is removed? (Select all that apply.)
A. Apply pressure for at least 5 minutes. B. Assess perfusion distal to the site. C. Monitor the patient for bleeding. D. Place a clean dressing over the site. E. Secure the insertion site with Steri-Strips.
A patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has been admitted to the medical unit
During the nurse's admission interview, the patient states that she takes over-the-counter "water pills" on a regular basis. How should the nurse best respond to the fact that the patient has been taking diuretics? A) Encourage the patient to drink at least 2 liters of fluid daily. B) Increase the patient's oral sodium intake. C) Inform the care provider because diuretics are contraindicated. D) Ensure that the patient's fluid balance is monitored vigilantly.
Factors that complicate assessment of older adults include: (Select all that apply.)
a. presence of multiple comorbid conditions. b. atypical presentation of illness. c. difficulty in differentiating symptoms of disease from normal age-related changes. d. increase in iatrogenic illness. e. lack of assessment instruments specific for the older adult population.
A client is receiving continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH). Which laboratory value does the nurse monitor most closely?
a. Hemoglobin b. Glomerular filtration rate c. Sodium d. White blood cells