A student nurse is caring for an elderly patient with rheumatoid arthritis. The patient states that he or she experiences constant pain, is having difficulty sleeping, and has lost weight over the past 2 months
The patient is very tearful and states, "I'm not sure how long I can keep going with this pain." What is the most important question for the student nurse to ask the patient? a. "Have you started a new diet?"
b. "Have you ever thought of suicide?"
c. "What are you taking for your pain?"
d. "Do you take naps during the day?"
B
Chronic pain affects a patient's activity (eating, sleeping, hygiene, social interactions), thinking (confusion, forgetfulness, helplessness), or emotions (anger, depression,
irritability, frustration) and quality of life and productivity. The incidence of depression is very high in patients with chronic pain. They experience many losses, such as their ability to enjoy life, to be in control, to work, to socialize, and to be independent. Suicidal thoughts are relatively common; therefore you need to routinely assess for suicidal tendencies.
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A client with a major burn develops a dysrhythmia. What should the nurse suspect as the cause for this cardiac complication?
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The nurse is performing an initial assessment on a mental health client in the emergency department. The client is uncooperative, and the nurse recognizes the client's behavior is escalating. The most appropriate response by the nurse is to
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The nurse is performing discharge teaching for a client taking an NSAID. The client states that he has heard taking an antacid with this medication will help decrease the incidence of upset stomach. The nurse's best response is:
A) "Antacids reduce the absorption and therefore the effectiveness of the NSAID." B) "Antacids help to reduce the incidence of gastric bleeding that could occur with the use of NSAIDs." C) "Antacids help to reduce the incidence of pain." D) "Antacids should never be taken with an NSAID."