A 75-year-old client has a baseline oral temperature of 96.8° F (36° C). Two hours later the client’s oral temperature is 100.8° F (38.2° C).
Which action should a nurse take next?
Notify the health care provider to report and anticipate new orders.
Cover the client with an additional blanket & alert the UAP to recheck in two hours.
Chart the temperature on the vital signs sheet and report to the new shift coming on.
Assess the client’s temperature rectally and compare the results.
The Correct Answer is A
Notify the health care provider to report and anticipate new orders.
This is because an oral temperature of 100.8° F (38.2° C) indicates a fever, which could be a sign of infection or inflammation in an elderly client.
A fever of this magnitude could also cause dehydration, confusion, or seizures in older adults.
Therefore, the nurse should notify the health care provider as soon as possible to determine the cause and treatment of the fever.
Choice B is wrong because covering the client with an additional blanket could increase the body temperature and worsen the fever.
The UAP should not recheck the temperature in two hours, but rather monitor it more frequently and report any changes to the nurse.
Choice C is wrong because charting the temperature on the vital signs sheet and reporting to the new shift coming on is not enough to address the urgency of the situation.
The nurse has a responsibility to act on abnormal findings and communicate them to the health care provider.
Choice D is wrong because assessing the client’s temperature rectally and comparing the results is not necessary and could cause discomfort or injury to the client.
Rectal temperatures are usually higher than oral temperatures by about 0.5° F (0.3° C), so this would not change the interpretation of the fever.
The normal range for oral temperature in adults is 97.6° F to 99.6° F (36.4° C to 37.6° C).
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
“My medication will be given at the scheduled times to best manage my pain.” This statement demonstrates understanding of the pain management plan because it shows that the client knows the importance of preventing pain from becoming severe by taking medication regularly. Scheduled administration of analgesics is more effective than administering them on demand.
Choice A is wrong because it implies that the client will wait until the pain is severe before asking for medication, which can make it harder to control.
Choice C is wrong because it suggests that the client expects to receive inadequate pain relief due to their history of opioid abuse, which is not ethical or evidence-based.
Choice D is wrong because it indicates that the client believes they will be denied any narcotics for pain, which is also not ethical or
evidence-based. Clients with a history of opioid abuse can still receive opioids for acute pain, but they may need higher doses or more frequent administration to achieve adequate analgesia.
Normal ranges for vital signs are as follows: respiratory rate 12-20 breaths per minute, heart rate 60-100 beats per minute, blood pressure 120/80 mmHg, temperature 36.5-37.5°C (97.7- 99.5°F).
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A client with expiratory wheezing after an albuterol treatment.
This indicates that the client has a severe bronchospasm that is not responding to the medication and may lead to respiratory failure.
The client needs immediate intervention to improve airway patency and oxygenation.
Choice A is wrong because a fasting blood sugar of 187 mg/dL is high but not life- threatening. The normal range for fasting blood sugar is less than 99 mg/dL.
The client may have diabetes or prediabetes and needs further evaluation and treatment, but this is not a priority over choice B.
Choice C is wrong because a client who has been called to surgery 2 hours early may need some preparation and education, but this is not an urgent situation.
The client can wait until the nurse has assessed the other clients.
Choice D is wrong because a blood pressure of 178/90 mmHg is elevated but not critical. The normal range for blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg.
The client needs a dose of atenolol, which is a beta
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