A nurse is planning care for a child who has a prescription for somatropin.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include to evaluate the therapeutic effect of this medication?

Monitor the child's height monthly.

Verify the child's thyroid function is within the expected reference range.

Check the child's sodium level regularly.

Measure the child's abdominal girth.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

Choice A rationale

Somatropin is a synthetic growth hormone used to treat growth hormone deficiency. The primary therapeutic effect of this medication is to promote linear growth in children. Therefore, monitoring the child's height monthly is a direct and quantifiable measure to evaluate the effectiveness of somatropin therapy and ensure that the child is achieving the expected growth velocity.

Choice B rationale

While thyroid function can influence growth, and growth hormone deficiency can sometimes coexist with or impact thyroid axis, evaluating the therapeutic effect of somatropin directly involves assessing growth. Monitoring thyroid function is important for overall endocrine health but is not the primary measure for the therapeutic effect of somatropin itself, assuming thyroid function is within normal limits (e.g., TSH 0.4-4.0 mIU/L, free T4 0.8-1.8 ng/dL).

Choice C rationale

Checking the child's sodium level regularly is not a direct measure of the therapeutic effect of somatropin. Growth hormone can influence fluid balance, but sodium levels (normal range 135-145 mEq/L) are primarily monitored for hydration status or potential adverse effects like fluid retention, not as an indicator of growth hormone's efficacy in promoting growth.

Choice D rationale

Measuring the child's abdominal girth is a measure of abdominal circumference, primarily used to assess abdominal distention, fluid accumulation, or changes in visceral fat. It is not a relevant parameter for evaluating the therapeutic effect of somatropin, which is specifically aimed at stimulating linear bone growth and overall somatic growth.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A rationale

An INR (International Normalized Ratio) of 4.0 indicates that the client's blood is much thinner than the therapeutic range for most conditions (usually 2.0-3.0 for warfarin). This significantly increases the risk of bleeding. Vitamin K is the antidote for warfarin because it is essential for the synthesis of clotting factors (II, VII, IX, X) in the liver. Administering vitamin K reverses the anticoagulant effect of warfarin, reducing the risk of hemorrhage by promoting the production of functional clotting proteins.

Choice B rationale

Protamine sulfate is the antidote for heparin. It works by forming a stable ion pair with heparin, neutralizing its anticoagulant effects. It has no effect on the anticoagulant properties of warfarin, which acts by inhibiting vitamin K epoxide reductase, an enzyme crucial for the regeneration of active vitamin K necessary for clotting factor synthesis. Therefore, protamine is not indicated for warfarin overdose.

Choice C rationale

Calcium gluconate is used to treat hypocalcemia and magnesium toxicity. Calcium plays a vital role in numerous physiological processes, including bone health and muscle function, and is essential for blood coagulation. However, it does not directly counteract the effects of warfarin, which targets vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, and is not the appropriate antidote for an elevated INR.

Choice D rationale

Epinephrine is a potent vasoconstrictor and bronchodilator used in anaphylaxis, cardiac arrest, and severe asthma. It acts on alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors, leading to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and bronchodilation. It has no role in reversing the anticoagulant effects of warfarin and is not indicated for managing an elevated INR.

A. Urinary retention. B. Vomiting. C. Respiratory rate. D. Level of consciousness.

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A rationale

Urinary retention is a potential adverse effect of opioid analgesics like meperidine due to their anticholinergic effects, which can relax the detrusor muscle and increase bladder sphincter tone. While important to monitor, it is not the most immediate life-threatening concern compared to respiratory depression.

Choice B rationale

Vomiting is a common gastrointestinal adverse effect of opioid analgesics, often due to stimulation of the chemoreceptor trigger zone in the brainstem. While distressing for the client and requiring intervention, it does not pose the immediate life-threatening risk that respiratory depression does.

Choice C rationale

Meperidine is an opioid agonist that acts on mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system, including the brainstem respiratory centers. This can lead to dose-dependent respiratory depression by decreasing the sensitivity of these centers to carbon dioxide, making a depressed respiratory rate (normal range 12-20 breaths/min) the priority assessment for client safety.

Choice D rationale

Altered level of consciousness, such as drowsiness or sedation, is a common central nervous system effect of meperidine. While a significant finding indicating opioid effect, it is secondary in priority to respiratory depression, which directly impacts vital gas exchange and can quickly become life-threatening.

View Question and Answer

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

A nurse is planning care for a child who has a prescription for somatropin. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include to evaluate the therapeutic effect of this medication?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nurse is monitoring a client who is receiving warfarin and has an INR of 4 (0.8 to 1.1). Which of the following medications should the nurse plan to administer?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving meperidine. Which of the following is the nurse's priority assessment before administering the medication?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has gout and a new prescription for allopurinol. Which of the following statements should the nurse make to explain how this medication will help relieve the client's manifestations?

A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving midazolam during a colonoscopy. The client's blood pressure decreases from 122/84 mm Hg to 85/50 mm Hg. Which of the following medications should the nurse expect the provider to prescribe for the client?

A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a history of diabetes mellitus and a new prescription for hydrochlorothiazide to treat uncontrolled hypertension. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

A nurse is assessing a client who is taking codeine 60 mg PO every 4 hr as necessary to suppress a cough. Which of the following findings is the priority for the nurse to report to the provider?

A nurse is assessing a client who has Parkinson's disease and is taking levodopa/carbidopa. The nurse observes that the client has tremors and twitching. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate administering?

A nurse is caring for a client who has a prescription for acyclovir IV three times daily. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A nurse is preparing to administer mannitol via continuous IV infusion to a client. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an expected outcome of this medication therapy?

A nurse is providing teaching to a client about proper administration of a medication regarding meals. The nurse should instruct the client that the presence of food will alter the rate of which of the following pharmacokinetic processes?

A nurse is planning care for a child who has a prescription for somatropin.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include to evaluate the therapeutic effect of this medication?