A nurse in an emergency department is assessing a client who reports right lower quadrant pain, nausea, and vomiting for the past 48 hr.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Offer pain medication.
Auscultate bowel sounds.
Palpate the abdomen.
Administer an antiemetic.
The Correct Answer is B
The nurse should first auscultate the client’s bowel sounds.
This will provide important information about the client’s gastrointestinal function and can help determine the cause of the client’s symptoms.
Choice A is wrong because while offering pain medication may provide temporary relief, it does not address the underlying cause of the client’s symptoms.
Choice C is wrong because palpating the abdomen before auscultating bowel sounds can alter the bowel sounds and make it more difficult to accurately assess the client’s condition.
Choice D is wrong because administering an antiemetic may provide temporary relief from nausea and vomiting, but it does not address the underlying cause of the client’s symptoms.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Assisting with ambulation for a client who has a pulmonary infection.
Assistive personnel can perform basic nursing care functions such as assisting patients with mobility.
Choice A is wrong because showing a client how to use an incentive spirometer prior to surgery requires more specialized knowledge and training.
Choice C is wrong because irrigating a client’s infected surgical wound is a more complex medical procedure that should be performed by a licensed nurse.
Choice D is wrong because inserting a glycerin suppository for a client who is constipated is also a more complex medical procedure that should be performed by a licensed nurse.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
“Potassium 5.8 mEq/L” should be reported to the provider because it is higher than the normal range for potassium levels in the blood.
Normal potassium levels range from.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L)1.
Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because sodium levels of 140 mEq/L, and magnesium levels of.9 mEq/L and calcium levels of 9.6 mg/dL are all within normal ranges and do not need to be reported to the provider.
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