The nurse is caring for a lethargic, 18-year-old patient with a respiratory rate of 32 breaths per minute. What is the first action the nurse should take?
a. Place the patient in high-Fowler's position.
b. Assess the remaining vital signs.
c. Reassess the respiratory rate.
d. Notify the healthcare provider.
A
The patient's head should be elevated quickly to promote better lung expansion. The remaining vital signs can be assessed after taking actions to improve the patient's breathing. The healthcare provider will be notified, but the nurse's first responsibility is to the patient.
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A surgical patient has highly elevated AST and ALT levels. Standard orders specify that she is to receive morphine sulfate 10 mg postoperatively. What action should the nurse take prior to administering the medication?
A) Draw up half of the medication for administration. B) Notify the physician for a reduced dosage. C) Assess the patient's respiratory status. D) Assess the patient's pain tolerance.
Which of the following is an appropriate conclusion to draw from research based on network therapy theory?
a. Nurses can help at-risk populations access or build support systems. b. Problems in our health care system are worsened by specialization and fragmentation. c. Social class places limitations on access to health care. d. The family is culturally anchored in American beliefs.
The mother of a 3-day-old infant calls the clinic and reports that her baby's skin is turning slightly yellow. The nurse should explain to the mother that:
1. Physiologic jaundice is normal, and peaks at this age. 2. The newborn's liver is not working as well as it should. 3. The baby is yellow because the bowels are not excreting bilirubin. 4. The yellow color indicates that brain damage might be occurring.
When assessing a family, the nurse determines that the parents exert little or no control over their children. This style of parenting is called:
a. permissive. b. dictatorial. c. democratic. d. authoritarian.