The spouse of a patient who is prescribed promethazine (Phenergan) as part of her antiemetic therapy with chemotherapy reports that after the last dose the patient did not remember the drive home. What is the nurse's best action?
a. Thank the spouse for reporting the problem, and document the adverse drug reac-tion.
b. Hold the dose of promethazine for this round of chemotherapy until the patient is seen by the prescriber.
c. Reassure the patient and spouse that this is a normal response to the drug and that the patient should not drive home.
d. Perform a mini-mental status exam and assess the patient's pupillary reflexes be-fore administering the promethazine.
C
Promethazine, a phenothiazine-based drug, induces sedation and confusion in addition to having antiemetic effects. Some patients have reduced memory about events occurring within a few hours after receiving the drug. This is an expected, temporary side effect and does not denote any permanent reduced cognition. Both the patient and the spouse should be aware of this effect so that the patient is not at risk for injury. Driving, cooking, or operating dangerous equipment should not be performed until the drug's effects have worn off.
You might also like to view...
An 8-year-old girl was diagnosed with a closed fracture of the radius at approximately 2 p.m. The fracture was reduced in the ER and her arm placed in a cast
At 11 p.m. her mother has brought her back to the ER due to unrelenting pain that has not been relieved by the prescribed narcotics. What should the nurse do first? A) Notify the doctor immediately. B) Apply ice. C) Elevate the arm. D) Give additional pain medication as ordered.
Which of the following assessment findings would be most important for indicating dumping syndrome in a postgastrectomy client?
A) Abdominal distention, elevated temperature, weakness before eating B) Constipation, rectal bleeding following bowel movements C) Persistent loose stools, chills, hiccups after eating D) Weakness, diaphoresis, diarrhea 90 minutes after eating
A nurse is talking with a client about a negative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for human immune deficiency virus (HIV) antibodies. The test is negative and the client states "Whew! I was really worried about that result." What action by the nurse is most important?
a. Assess the client's sexual activity and patterns. b. Express happiness over the test result. c. Remind the client about safer sex practices. d. Tell the client to be retested in 3 months.
Each time a nurse administers an insulin injection to a patient with diabetes, she tells the patient what she is doing and demonstrates each step of preparing and giving the injection. What is the nurse promoting?
A) self-care C) coping with disability B) dependence D) nurse–patient relationship