The nursing student is caring for a client who fell and hit the back of her head on the way to the bathroom. The client stated that she became dizzy. The client had just begun a new medication to control her high blood pressure
The student noted that the blood pressure was low after the incident. Which should the nursing student communicate to the physician?
A) ìYou should not have prescribed that new blood pressure med because it caused the client to become dizzy and fall and hit her head.î
B) ìThe client fell today hitting her head and I think she needs a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan because she says she is dizzy.î
C) ìHello, Dr. Smith this is Sue Ellen, a nursing student at Smith Memorial Hospital, caring for Joan Johnson in 15 Bed 2, and she received the new blood pressure med, atenolol 100 mg 1 hour ago and became dizzy on the way to the bathroom this afternoon and fell hitting her head. Her blood pressure before the med was 180/90 and currently it is 88/40 and her pulse is 40, and she has a small raised bump on the back of her head and the RN stated her assessment is within normal limits. The atenolol is currently ordered b.i.d.; what recommendations would you like to make?î
D) ìHello Dr. Smith, your client in 15 Bed 2 became dizzy on the way to the bathroom after receiving the new blood pressure you ordered and she fell hitting her head and has a bump on it. What change in her medication would you like to make?î
Ans: C
Feedback:
When communicating with the physician, it is best to remain objective and not interject personal opinion. Since physicians may care for clients in a number of hospitals, it is best to identify who the nurse is, what hospital or place he or she is calling from, and what client the nurse is calling about. In addition, the nurse should provide as many details as possible about the situation, background, and assessment, and then request for the physician to make recommendations for the client. The nursing student would not be able to take telephone orders, but could communicate what is going on with the client and her nursing instructor. If the staff nurse is also listening to the telephone conversation, the staff nurse could write the orders. The other options are not thorough and do not provide enough information for the physician to make an accurate judgment.
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