The home health nurse educates the 75-year-old patient about the warm compresses he is using on his swollen elbow. Which information is most important to include in the teaching plan?
a. Apply the warm compress directly on the skin.
b. Allow the compress to remain in place for 15 to 20 minutes.
c. Take aspirin 30 minutes prior to applying the compress.
d. Alternate the warm compress with an ice pack every 10 minutes.
B
Applications of heat should only be left in place for 15 to 20 minutes. The warm compress should not be applied directly on the skin. The warm compress does not need to be combined with pharmacologic therapy, and aspirin therapy may not be indicated. The nurse should consult with the health care provider before suggesting any medication. The compress works to offer mild pain relief by vasodilation; these effects would be negated by alternating the warm compress with ice.
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A home health nurse is making a visit to a family with an 8-month-old infant with severe motor deterioration. The physician has diagnosed the infant with Tay-Sachs disease
The parents are asking the nurse why this happened. The nurse will base her answer knowing the root cause of Tay-Sachs is A) high exposure to lead in the home environment. B) an enzyme defect causing abnormal lipid accumulation in the brain. C) hypoxia caused by placing the infant on their abdomen during sleep. D) an increase in bilirubin retention leading to destruction of RBCs.
The nurse needs to evaluate arterial blood gases before the administration of which drug?
a. Calcium chloride b. Magnesium sulfate c. Potassium d. Sodium bicarbonate
The nurse suspects an elevated bilirubin level in a patient who exhibits which findings?
A) Pale itchy skin B) Icterus with green-colored stools C) Yellow skin and pruritus D) Xanthomas and pale urine
The adjectives "mechanical" and "chemical" describe two
a. actions needed to cook food. b. ways to move substances in the body. c. types of action that result in digestion. d. ways molecules are transported into and out of cells.