A nurse is teaching a client who is at 20 weeks of gestation about how to manage heartburn.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

Choice A rationale:

A client who had blood drawn from the right antecubital area 1 hour ago does not require blood pressure measurement from the left arm. Blood drawing from one arm does not affect the accuracy of blood pressure measurement in the opposite arm.

Choice B rationale:

A client who has a right peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line should have blood pressure measured from the opposite arm to avoid disrupting the PICC line.

Choice C rationale:

A client who had dialysis and is using an arteriovenous shunt in the left lower forearm should have blood pressure measured from the opposite arm. Using the arm with an arteriovenous shunt for blood pressure measurement can lead to inaccurate readings and potentially damage the shunt, disrupting the client's dialysis treatment.

Choice D rationale:

A client who had a right hemisphere stroke does not necessarily require blood pressure measurement from the left arm. Stroke location does not impact the choice of the arm for blood pressure measurement; other factors, such as vascular access devices or medical procedures, are more relevant in this context.

a. Improves muscle strength.

Explanation:

Neostigmine is a medication used in the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). It belongs to a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors. Neostigmine works by inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmiter involved in muscle contraction. In MG, there is a decrease in the amount of acetylcholine available at the neuromuscular junction, leading to muscle weakness and fatigue.

By inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, neostigmine helps to increase the concentration of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. This, in turn, improves muscle strength and can alleviate the symptoms of weakness and fatigue associated with MG.

Option b, destroying the antibodies that cause MG, is not accurate. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the presence of antibodies that interfere with neuromuscular transmission.

Neostigmine does not directly target or eliminate these antibodies.

Option c, enhancing immune system function, is not accurate either. Neostigmine primarily acts on the neuromuscular junction to improve muscle strength and does not have a direct effect on immune system function.

Option d, preventing excessive coughing, is not the primary action of neostigmine. While increased muscle strength may indirectly improve respiratory function and reduce coughing in individuals with myasthenia gravis, it is not the primary indication or action of neostigmine.

Therefore, the most accurate information to include in teaching about neostigmine for a client with myasthenia gravis is that it improves muscle strength.