The nurse is caring for a patient with chronic low back pain. The patient reports taking 800 mg of ibuprofen tid for the past 12 years. For this patient, which lab result is most important for the nurse to review?
a. WBC with differential
b. Serum sodium, potassium, chloride, and CO2
c. Hemoglobin and hematocrit
d. Platelet count
C
NSAIDS can irritate the gastric mucosa, causing bleeding, which will be reflected in the hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. White blood cell count is an indicator of infection and is not likely to be impacted by long-term NSAID use. Serum electrolytes are not likely to be impacted by long-term NSAID use unless the patient experiences kidney damage. Platelet count is usually not impacted by NSAIDs, although platelet aggregation may be increased; however, this does not affect the number of platelets.
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The nurse provides patient teaching about chlorzoxazone (Paraflex) in preparation for the patient's discharge to home. The nurse evaluates the patient understands potential adverse effects when the patient makes what statement?
A) "This drug can cause diarrhea." B) "My urine may turn orange to purple red while taking this drug." C) "My skin may turn yellow but that will go away when I stop taking the drug." D) "After I take a pill it will take 2 to 3 hours before I feel the effects."
The nurse is concerned when a patient admitted with a diagnosis of pneumonia suddenly develops a urinary tract infection (UTI) because the nurse recognizes the UTI as a:
a. viral infection. b. bacterial infection. c. health care–associated infection. d. spore infection.
When the patient doing physical therapy four times a day to regain control of his lower extremities is told that his insurance will no longer pay for the therapy, the nurse is aware that this obstruction to his goal may result in:
a. conflict. b. adaptation. c. frustration. d. anxiety.
A patient with gastrointestinal dysfunction says, "I was having chest pain so bad last week I thought I was having a heart attack!" What should the nurse suspect the patient was experiencing?
A. Hiatal hernia B. Constipation C. Diverticulitis D. Bowel obstruction