A patient with peripheral neuropathy states, "I don't know why the doctor put me on an antidepressant. I am not depressed!" Which response by the nurse is best?
a. "Depression is often a factor in pain. Treating the depression helps treat the pain."
b. "Maybe you are more depressed than you realize. Would you like to talk about it?"
c. "Antidepressants are sometimes used to treat nerve pain such as you are experiencing."
d. "Why don't you try it for a while, and if you don't feel better, you can ask your doctor if you can stop it?"
ANS: C
Certain antidepressants have been shown to relieve pain related to neuropathy. A. B. Depression is not necessarily a factor in neuropathy. D. Antidepressants may take several weeks to be effective, so they should not be stopped prematurely.
You might also like to view...
What factor is necessary to express and experience spirituality?
A) Quiet time in isolation from others B) Membership in an organized religion C) Long-term suffering and pain D) Connectedness with other people
Why is subacute care called transitional care?
What will be an ideal response?
A nurse measures a pregnant woman's fundal height and finds it to be 28 cm. The nurse interprets this to indicate which of the following?
A) 14 weeks' gestation B) 20 weeks' gestation C) 28 weeks' gestation D) 36 weeks' gestation
A client with a diagnosis of chronic renal failure has pH of 7.35, PaCO2 of 29 mm Hg, and bicarbonate level of 16 mEq/L. The nurse interprets these ABG results as
a. compensated metabolic acidosis. b. compensated respiratory acidosis. c. uncompensated metabolic acidosis. d. uncompensated respiratory acidosis.