A nurse on a telemetry unit is caring for a client who has unstable angina and is reporting chest pain with a severity of 6 on a 0 to 10 scale.The nurse administers 1 sublingual nitroglycerin tablet.
After 5 minutes, the client states that his chest pain is now a severity of 2. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Obtain an ECG.
Call the Rapid Response Team.
Administer another nitroglycerin tablet.
Initiate a peripheral IV.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice C rationale
Administering another nitroglycerin tablet is appropriate if the client's chest pain has not been fully relieved after the initial dose. Nitroglycerin helps to dilate blood vessels, improving blood flow to the heart and relieving angina. A second dose can be given if the pain persists, following the protocol for managing chest pain.
Choice A rationale
Obtaining an ECG is important for diagnosing and monitoring cardiac conditions; however, in this immediate context, further pain relief takes precedence. After ensuring pain relief, an ECG can be performed to assess the client's cardiac status.
Choice B rationale
Calling the Rapid Response Team is unnecessary if the client’s chest pain severity has already decreased. The priority should be to continue managing the chest pain with additional nitroglycerin if needed and monitoring the client's response.
Choice D rationale
Initiating a peripheral IV might be required for administering medications or fluids, but it is not the immediate action needed in this scenario. The priority is to provide additional pain relief with nitroglycerin.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is []
Explanation
Condition: Myocardial infarction.
2 actions:
Administer oxygen via nasal cannula 2 L/min,
Request a prescription for aspirin 325 mg.
2 parameters:
Vital signs,
Electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythm.
Rationale for correct condition: A myocardial infarction is indicated by the elevated troponin levels and ST elevation on the ECG. The client’s symptoms of chest pain, elevated heart rate, and low oxygen saturation support this diagnosis. Prompt identification and treatment are crucial to minimize heart damage. The medical history of hypertension and coronary artery disease increases the likelihood. Immediate interventions can significantly improve outcomes.
Rationale for actions: Administer oxygen to improve oxygenation and reduce myocardial workload. Requesting aspirin helps prevent further clot formation. Morphine alleviates pain but may obscure symptoms, making it less urgent. Nitroglycerin relieves chest pain by vasodilation but is secondary. Verapamil is less immediate for acute myocardial infarction management. Vital signs reflect hemodynamic status and response to treatment. ECG rhythm detects ongoing ischemia or arrhythmias. Monitoring WBC count is less relevant acutely. Platelet count is stable; not the focus in immediate management.
Rationale for parameters: Vital signs ensure hemodynamic stability and detect hypotension or shock. ECG rhythm monitors arrhythmias and ongoing ischemia, critical in myocardial infarction. WBC count indicates infection or inflammation, less immediate concern. Platelet count is important for bleeding risks but less immediate. Chronic stable angina presents with predictable, non-severe pain. Ischemic stroke symptoms differ; focus on neurological deficits. Cardiogenic shock would present with more severe hypotension and signs of organ failure.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
A decreased white blood cell count indicates the body's response to infection is improving, showing the effectiveness of the antibiotics.
Choice B rationale
Increased chest pain and shortness of breath would suggest worsening of the condition, not improvement.
Choice C rationale
Adventitious breath sounds and increased cough are signs that pneumonia may be persisting or worsening.
Choice D rationale
Improved appetite and weight gain are positive signs but are not direct indicators of the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment.
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