Which laboratory value should the nurse review to determine whether a patient's hypothyroidism is caused by a problem with the anterior pituitary gland or with the thyroid gland?
a. Thyroxine (T4) level
b. Triiodothyronine (T3) level
c. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level
d. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) level
ANS: C
A low TSH level indicates that the patient's hypothyroidism is caused by decreased anterior pituitary secretion of TSH. Low T3 and T4 levels are not diagnostic of the primary cause of the hypothyroidism. TRH levels indicate the function of the hypothalamus.
You might also like to view...
A new mother is accompanied by her mother during her hospital stay on the postpartum unit. The patient's mother has made specific various requests of the nurses, including asking for a bottle so she can feed the baby after
the new mother attempts to breastfeed for the first time. How would the perinatal nurse best respond to the patient's mother in a culturally sensitive way? A. Ask both the patient and her mother about the preferred infant feeding method and assess what they already know. B. Ask the patient's mother to leave for 30 minutes to allow for some alone time with the patient in order to explore her learning needs. C. Ask the patient what she knows about breastfeeding and provide information to both women to support the patient's decision. D. Convey to the patient and her mother an understanding of the concepts of "hot" and "cold" within their belief system.
The nurse is caring for a patient receiving tolvaptan and digoxin. What drug–drug interaction will the nurse assess for when reviewing this patient's laboratory results?
A) Elevated serum sodium levels B) Reduced digoxin levels C) Elevated serum potassium levels D) Tolvaptan toxicity
When planning care for a patient who cannot perceive or interpret sounds, a nurse takes into consideration that the patient may have a(n) _____ hearing loss
Fill in the blank(s) with correct word
The nurse is caring for an 8-year-old child in the school nurse's office because the child received a bloody nose in a scuffle with another child during recess
The nurse discovers that the child's parents have recently divorced. The nurse recognizes that the child a. still has both parents and should not be experiencing a sense of loss. b. has gotten over his grief because he is able to play outside. c. needs to be referred for grief counseling. d. demonstrates behavior that is a common response when grieving.