The nurse assists with admission of a patient to the hospital with pancreatitis and a history of alcohol abuse. Why should the nurse observe the patient for agitation, tremors, and hallucinations?
a. These are symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
b. These symptoms indicate possible cirrhosis of the liver.
c. The patient may be using alcohol in the hospital setting.
d. Patients with a history of alcohol abuse are at risk for mental illness.
ANS: A
Patients who are actively using drugs or alcohol when admitted to an inpatient setting, or who are cut off from their alcohol abruptly, can experience a condition called delirium tremens (DTs). In DTs, hyper-excitability can cause visual hallucinations, tremors, and possibly tonic-clonic seizures. B. These are not symptoms of cirrhosis. D. Patients with alcohol histories are at risk for cognitive changes, but not necessarily mental illness. C. If the patient were using alcohol in the hospital, he or she would not be experiencing DTs.
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