A patient arrives in the emergency department complaining of muscle weakness and drowsiness
The nurse notes a heart rate of 80 beats per minute, a respiratory rate of 18 breaths per minute, and a blood pressure of 90/50 mm Hg. The electrocardiogram reveals an abnormal rhythm. The nurse will question the patient about which over-the-counter medication?
a. Antacids
b. Aspirin
c. Laxatives
d. Potassium supplements
ANS: A
Hypermagnesemia can occur when patients are taking magnesium-containing antacids. Symptoms include muscle weakness, sedation, hypotension, and ECG changes. Aspirin would cause metabolic acidosis. Laxatives can contribute to hypokalemia. Potassium supplements would cause hyperkalemia.
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The nurse is cleaning the skin of a patient with wounds on the epidermis. This layer of skin is considered
1. the middle layer. 2. the layer with adipose tissue. 3. the outermost layer. 4. the layer with the muscles.
A nurse is applying for a new position. This position is one in which she will serve as a liaison between a hospital and a school of nursing
The nurse has to update her résumé to include her teaching experience. The goal of creating a curriculum vitae is to: a. Have a listing of facts about your professional life. b. Provide potential employers with information about where you are in your career. c. Respond quickly whenever a position becomes available. d. Be certain you can recall facts for a prospective position.
The nurse is caring for a client with prostate cancer with metastasis to S-1 and the adjacent nerve root. The client complains of unrelenting pain
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The pulse is counted by
A. palpating a vein. B. placing a stethoscope over the antecubital space. C. palpating an artery. D. auscultating a capillary.