The nurse is caring for a patient who states, "I don't feel well today.". Which is the best follow-up action to the patient's statement for the nurse to implement?
a. Ask the patient to continue to describe the feeling.
b. Measure the blood pressure and tempera-ture.
c. State that the patient's diagnostic testing had normal results.
d. Compare recent laboratory results with the prior results.
A
Because the patient's statement is too vague, the nurse asks him or her to continue describing, "I don't feel well today," because many disorders begin with nonspecific complaints. Depending on the details the patient shares, the nurse plans and implements nursing care individualized to his or her description. This is a better choice than taking vital signs or checking test results because principles of diagnostics mandate completing the patient history before objective data; a good diagnostician should be able to formulate a reasonable prognostication about the patient's actual health alteration with the history alone.
You might also like to view...
The nurse is caring for a patient who takes ramipril (Altace) to treat hypertension. What would be an appropriate nursing diagnosis to include in this patient's care plan?
A) Ineffective tissue perfusion related to changes in cardiac output B) Acute pain related to skin effects and headache C) Altered gas exchange related to unrelenting cough D) Impaired body image
When caring for a client with an arthroplasty, the nurse needs to monitor the client for which major complication?
1. Postoperative pain 2. Infection post-surgery 3. Cardiac arrhythmias 4. Mobility post-surgery
As the nurse caring for a 25-year-old patient who has recently been diagnosed with testicular cancer, you know that this patient's illness will impact every aspect of his life. What developmental tasks might you expect to be affected?
A) Achieving self-actualization B) Marrying and starting a family C) Reviewing life's accomplishments D) Establishing financial security
The nurse assesses a facial characteristic that is a sign of fluid retention in the patient with renal impairment, which is:
1. broken blood vessels around the nose. 2. periorbital edema. 3. rash on cheeks and neck. 4. facial twitching.