A client presents to the emergency department with complaints of "feeling like something is ripping in my chest" and sudden onset of mid-back pain. The client has a history of hypertension. What is the top priority for this client?
1. Facilitate an immediate CT scan.
2. Provide pain medication.
3. Contact the client's family.
4. Obtain a surgical history.
Facilitate an immediate CT scan.
Rationale: Rapid diagnosis for this client is imperative and may mean the difference between life and death. Facilitating an immediate CT or other diagnostic study will help with a diagnosis. The client will need pain medication, but it can be provided after the CT arrangements have been made. Contacting the client's family and obtaining a surgical history are not top priorities for this client, but will need to also be accomplished.
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A hospitalized patient who is prescribed lovastatin (Mevacor) 80 mg orally looks at the four tablets the nurse provides and says "At home, I only take two pills for 80 mg. I think this is too many pills." What is the nurse's best action?
a. Hold the dose and contact the prescriber. b. Remind the patient that the prescriber knows what is best for his or her particular health problem. c. Explain that each tablet contains 20 mg of the drug instead of 40 mg, and that four 20-mg tablets are the same dosage as two 40-mg tablets. d. Explain to the patient that while at home a lower dosage of the drug may have been prescribed than what is required while being hospitalized.
The nurse visits a household that consists of an elderly person living with non-relatives. This type of household is classified as a:
a. Single-family household b. Family household c. Non-family household d. Family demographic trend
The clinic nurse receives a phone call from a patient. The patient tells the nurse that he forgot to take his medication this morning. Which response by the nurse is best?
a. "Take the next dose as scheduled." b. "What is the name of the medication?" c. "Has this ever happened to you before?" d. "Don't be concerned, this happens all the time."
The nurse is caring for a patient with severe mania. Which neuromodulation therapy should the nurse expect to be ordered for maintenance treatment?
1. Light therapy 2. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) 3. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) 4. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)