A patient taking a drug for insomnia reports becoming sunburned even when only minimally exposed to the sun. What is the nurse's best action?
a. Ask the patient whether he or she usually burns when exposed to the sun.
b. Instruct the patient to stop the drug and notify the prescriber immediately.
c. Teach the patient to use sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors.
d. Document the report as the only action and reassure the patient that this problem is temporary.
C
Most drugs for insomnia cause an increase in sensitivity to the sun or other sources of ultraviolet light and the patient can become severely sunburned. Even patients with dark skin who usually do not burn with sun exposure can have problems. This expected side effect is temporary and usually resolves within weeks after the patient stops taking the drug; however, it is most impor-tant for the patient to learn about sun protection while on the drug.
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Following his endoscopy, Mr. Gaines has begun complaining of severe shoulder and abdominal pain. His symptoms may be due to
A) perforation, allowing air into the abdominal cavity. B) a reaction to the contrast media. C) internal bleeding. D) the study itself; these are normal findings.
The nurse recognizes that changes in demographics have an influence on health care delivery. One of the expectations in the United States by the year 2020 is:
1. Growth of the European-American population 2. Increases in the Hispanic and Latino populations 3. Reduction of the African-American population by 50% 4. Equal growth in the Hispanic-, Asian-, and African-American populations
An oncology nurse is providing health education for a patient who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. What should the nurse explain about commonalities between all of the different subtypes of leukemia?
A) The different leukemias all involve unregulated proliferation of white blood cells. B) The different leukemias all have unregulated proliferation of red blood cells and decreased bone marrow function. C) The different leukemias all result in a decrease in the production of white blood cells. D) The different leukemias all involve the development of cancer in the lymphatic system.
The nurse is caring for a client who is being treated in the emergency department for a panic attack. Which of the following nursing interventions would be most appropriate?
A) Demonstrate empathy for the client by trying to mimic the client's state of anxiety. B) Tell the client that you must leave to go report his symptoms to the psychiatrist on duty. C) Tell the client this is an acute exacerbation with a positive prognosis and low morbidity. D) Stay with the client, emphasizing that he is safe and that you will remain with him.