The nurse is caring for a client who has undergone a radical jaw and neck resection. The client tells the nurse that the area feels very swollen and painful. Which is the best intervention for the nurse to make this client more comfortable?
a. Frequently suction the client's mouth and airway.
b. Apply warm moist compresses to the area.
c. Elevate the head of the client's bed to semi-Fowler's.
d. Administer ibuprofen (Motrin) 600 mg every 6 hours around the clock.
C
Elevating the head of the bed will help to reduce edema by using gravity. Ibuprofen can affect blood clotting, leading to bleeding from the incisions. Intravenous morphine is a better choice than ibuprofen. Suctioning should be completed only when necessary because this will be un-comfortable. Moist compresses are used with salivary gland inflammation, not with postoperative radical jaw and neck resection.
You might also like to view...
In addition to the nurse, what other key people are involved in the evaluation phase of the nursing process?
a. nurse managers b. patient and his family c. patient and her physician d. all health care professionals involved with the patient's care
An infant is to have a scalp-vein intravenous infusion begun. What is an advantage of this insertion site?
A) The infant can be picked up and held more easily. B) Glucose is absorbed best from scalp veins. C) Infiltration cannot occur with this insertion site. D) The child will not feel pain from the needle insertion.
Lila is 24 weeks pregnant and has been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). Treatment regimens for a pregnant patient with TB would include:
1. Streptomycin 2. Levofloxacin 3. Kanamycin 4. Pyridoxine
A long-term care facility would be most likely to provide care to a resident who has which of the following conditions?
A) Urinary tract infection B) Allergies C) Severe burns D) Parkinson's disease