A child is diagnosed with absence seizures, and the prescriber orders ethosuximide [Zarontin]. When teaching the child's parents about dosage adjustments for this drug, the nurse will stress the importance of:
a. frequent serum drug level monitoring.
b. learning as much as possible about the disorder and its treatment.
c. recording the number of seizures the child has each day.
d. reporting dizziness and drowsiness to the provider.
C
Measurements of plasma drug levels are less important than observation of seizure activity for determining effective dosages for absence seizures, because this type of seizure is characterized by as many as several hundred occurrences a day. Keeping a chart of seizure activity is the best way to monitor drug effectiveness when treating absence seizures. Frequent drug level monitor-ing is important when side effects occur to ensure that drug toxicity is not occurring. Learning about the disorder is an important part of adherence. Dizziness and drowsiness are common side effects that diminish with continued use.
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A nurse is working with a cardiac patient who is anxious about his upcoming surgery. At his request, the nurse hands him his MP3 player
After the patient listens to his MP3 player for a few moments, the nurse notices on the patient's heart rate monitor that his heart rate has decreased somewhat. What physiological response would explain this decrease in heart rate? A) Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and the subsequent release of norepinephrine B) Release of epinephrine from the adrenal medulla C) Release of norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla D) Stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system and the subsequent release of acetylcholine
A basic principle of making chaos work is being able to:
1. perform procedures quickly. 2. tell your supervisor that you need help. 3. delegate properly. 4. assess your patients carefully.
A patient is brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle accident. The patient's speech is slurred. The nurse notes the smell of alcohol on the patient's breath and observes hand tremors. The patient's blood alcohol level is 0.4%
The nurse will expect to: a. find that the patient has lost consciousness within a short time. b. administer naltrexone [ReVia] and prepare for gastric lavage. c. give carbamazepine to reduce the risk of seizures. d. provide mechanical ventilation and oxy-gen.
Which clients would the nurse consider high risk for adverse drug effects related to inefficient blood–brain barrier?
1. Older adult taking benzodiazepines for anxiety 2. Older adult with a current history of seizures 3. Older adult with a history of difficulty sleeping 4. Older adult taking high doses of antibiotics for pneumonia 5. Older adult with a history of emphysema