A client with a fracture of the left arm that has been set in a cast complains of severe, diffuse pain that is unrelieved by pain medication. The nurse notes that the pulse distal to the site of injury has weakened and that the tissue is pale. Which of the following nursing actions should the nurse perform first?
Contact the health care provider.
Administer PRN pain medication.
Document the findings.
Elevate the extremity.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A Reason: Contacting the health care provider is the first nursing action that the nurse should perform, as it indicates that the client may have compartment syndrome, which is a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention to prevent tissue necrosis and nerve damage.
Choice B Reason: Administering PRN pain medication is not the first nursing action that the nurse should perform, as it may not relieve the pain and may mask the symptoms of compartment syndrome.
Choice C Reason: Documenting the findings is not the first nursing action that the nurse should perform, as it may delay the treatment and worsen the outcome of compartment syndrome.
Choice D Reason: Elevating the extremity is not the first nursing action that the nurse should perform, as it may decrease blood flow and increase tissue ischemia in compartment syndrome.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason: Loss of erythropoietin will not result in diminished immunologic function, but it may affect the production of some white blood cells and antibodies.
Choice B Reason: Loss of erythropoietin will not result in hypertension, but it may cause hypotension due to reduced blood volume and viscosity.
Choice C Reason: Loss of erythropoietin will not result in elevated lipid levels in the bloodstream, but it may be associated with dyslipidemia due to other factors such as malnutrition, inflammation, or medication use.
Choice D Reason: Loss of erythropoietin will result in anemia, as erythropoietin is a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason: Parkinson's disease does not result from too low acetylcholine as a result of an autoimmune reaction, but this may be a description of myasthenia gravis, which affects the neuromuscular junction.
Choice B Reason: Parkinson's disease is not caused by the deterioration of the myelin sheath of the basal ganglia, but this may be a description of multiple sclerosis, which affects the central nervous system.
Choice C Reason: Excess dopamine and deficient acetylcholine are not the two major causes of Parkinson's disease, but they are reversed. Parkinson's disease is caused by low dopamine and high acetylcholine levels in the brain.
Choice D Reason: Parkinson's is caused by depletion of dopamine and excess of acetylcholine, as this affects the balance between these two neurotransmitters that control movement and coordination.
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