A 68-year-old patient hospitalized with a new diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome has numbness and weakness of both feet. The nurse will anticipate teaching the patient about
a. intubation and mechanical ventilation.
b. administration of corticosteroid drugs.
c. insertion of a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube.
d. infusion of immunoglobulin (Sandoglobulin).
ANS: D
Because the Guillain-Barré syndrome is in the earliest stages (as evidenced by the symptoms), use of high-dose immunoglobulin is appropriate to reduce the extent and length of symptoms. Mechanical ventilation and tube feedings may be used later in the progression of the syndrome but are not needed now. Corticosteroid use is not helpful in reducing the duration or symptoms of the syndrome.
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Which nursing diagnosis is categorized as a psychosocial, rather than a self-concept, diagnosis?
1) Ineffective Individual Coping 2) Situational Low Self-Esteem 3) Disturbed Personal Identity 4) Disturbed Body Image
The nursing student tells her instructor, "My patient is Jewish and when I tried to teach her about her antihypertensive medication she said, ‘I'd rather eat chicken soup than take those medications.'"
What is the most appropriate response by the instructor? a. "This is common folk medicine among some Jewish people. You can talk to her about taking her medications and eating chicken soup." b. "There is no scientific evidence to support chicken soup as a substitute for antihypertensive medications. Maybe you should do some research on this." c. "The patient can make her own choices and decisions, and there is nothing we can do about this." d. "You can tell the patient she can eat her soup, but she needs to understand that she has to take her medications first."
Brett has just been diagnosed with pernicious anemia. He comes to you, as the physician's nurse, to give him more information. Discuss the diagnosis of pernicious anemia
a. What is the client lacking to have this disorder? b. What does the body need for nutrition that it is unable to get and why? c. Explain the etiology and pathophysiology of this disorder. d. How is this disorder diagnosed? e. What would you expect to see for signs and symptoms? f. What is the medical management and nursing considerations for this type of client?
The 30-year-old woman whose mother has type 2 diabetes mellitus asks the nurse what her chances are of developing diabetes because of her mother's disease. What is the nurse's best response?
A. "You have a greater susceptibility for developing the disease, with a 1 in 20 to a 1 in 50 chance." B. "Your risk is the same as the general population, because there is no genetic risk for development of type 2 diabetes." C. "Type 2 diabetes is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Therefore, your risk for becoming diabetic is 50%." D. "Children of people with type 2 diabetes have a 15% chance of developing the disease, but environmental factors, such as obesity, also influence your risk."