A mental health nurse is planning care for a client who has a new prescription for clonazepam. For which of the following adverse effects should the nurse plan to monitor?
Manifestations of seizure activity.
Decreased urine output.
Inability to recall events.
Increase in white blood cell count.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A rationale:
Manifestations of seizure activity are not a common adverse effect of clonazepam. In fact, clonazepam is often used to treat seizures. It is a benzodiazepine that works by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
While it is possible for clonazepam to worsen seizures in some individuals, this is not a typical response. Therefore, it is not the most important adverse effect for the nurse to monitor.
Choice B rationale:
Decreased urine output is not a known adverse effect of clonazepam.
Some medications can affect kidney function and urine output, but clonazepam is not one of them. Therefore, it is not necessary for the nurse to monitor urine output in a client taking clonazepam. Choice C rationale:
Inability to recall events, also known as amnesia, is a common adverse effect of clonazepam.
Clonazepam can impair short-term memory, making it difficult for people to remember things that happened recently.
This can be a significant problem for clients who need to be able to recall important information, such as instructions from their healthcare providers.
Therefore, it is important for the nurse to monitor clients taking clonazepam for signs of amnesia.
Choice D rationale:
An increase in white blood cell count is not a known adverse effect of clonazepam. In fact, clonazepam can sometimes cause a decrease in white blood cell count.
However, this is a rare side effect and is not typically something that the nurse would need to monitor.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale: Dissociation is a defense mechanism where a person disconnects from reality, memory, identity, or perception. It is often a response to trauma and can result in a detachment from emotional and physical experiences. The client’s behavior does not indicate a disconnection from reality or self.
Choice B rationale: Regression is a defense mechanism where an individual reverts to an earlier stage of development in response to stress or anxiety. In this case, the client’s behavior of wanting someone to take care of them can be seen as a regression to a childlike state of dependency, which is a common response to overwhelming stress or anxiety.
Choice C rationale: Introjection is a defense mechanism where a person internalizes the ideas or voices of other people- often authority figures. This is not evident in the client’s behavior.
Choice D rationale: Repression is a defense mechanism where a person unconsciously blocks out distressing thoughts or feelings. In this scenario, the client is expressing their feelings of stress rather than repressing them.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The correct answer is choice b. Administer the morning dose of lithium.
Choice A rationale:
Preparing for gastric lavage is unnecessary because a lithium level of 1.0 mEq/L is within the therapeutic range (0.6-1.2 mEq/L) and does not indicate toxicity.
Choice B rationale:
Administering the morning dose of lithium is appropriate as the current lithium level is within the therapeutic range, indicating that the medication is being managed correctly.
Choice C rationale:
Holding the medication and assessing for early manifestations of toxicity is not necessary since the lithium level is not indicative of toxicity. Toxicity typically occurs at levels above 1.5 mEq/L.
Choice D rationale:
Checking the client’s medication record to assess whether the client has been refusing her lithium is not relevant in this scenario because the lithium level is within the therapeutic range, suggesting compliance with the medication regimen.
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