A nurse teaches a client with angina pectoris that he or she needs to take up to three sublingual nitroglycerin tablets at 5-minute intervals and immediately notify the health care provider if chest pain doesn’t subside within 15 minutes. What symptoms may the client experience after taking the nitroglycerin?

Choice A reason: Nonmaleficence ensures no harm but is secondary to veracity, which provides truthful information for consent. Truthfulness is critical, making this incorrect, as it’s not the primary ethical principle the nurse prioritizes when soliciting informed consent from a patient.

Choice B reason: Fidelity involves keeping promises but doesn’t directly ensure the patient receives accurate information for consent. Veracity is key, making this incorrect, as it’s less relevant than the nurse’s focus on truthfulness during the informed consent process.

Choice C reason: Beneficence promotes well-being but is less critical than veracity, which ensures informed decision-making. Truthful disclosure is primary, making this incorrect, as it’s secondary to the nurse’s ethical priority when obtaining informed consent from the patient.

Choice D reason: Veracity, or truthfulness, is the most important principle, ensuring the patient receives accurate information for informed consent. This aligns with ethical standards, making it the correct principle the nurse prioritizes to support autonomous decision-making during the consent process.

Choice A reason: A potassium level of 7.0 mEq/L risks lethal arrhythmias, necessitating cardiac monitoring. This aligns with hyperkalemia management, making it a correct priority action the nurse would plan to ensure the client’s safety and detect cardiac changes promptly.

Choice B reason: Notifying the provider is critical for a potassium level of 7.0 mEq/L, as urgent interventions like insulin or dialysis may be needed. This aligns with acute care protocols, making it a correct priority action for the nurse to address hyperkalemia.

Choice C reason: NPO status with ice chips is unrelated to hyperkalemia management, which focuses on lowering potassium. Cardiac monitoring is a priority, making this incorrect, as it’s not relevant to the nurse’s urgent actions for a client with severe hyperkalemia.

Choice D reason: Reviewing medications identifies potassium-containing or retaining drugs, preventing further elevation of 7.0 mEq/L. This aligns with hyperkalemia treatment, making it a correct priority action the nurse would plan to manage the client’s electrolyte imbalance effectively.

Choice E reason: Extra IV fluids (500 mL) may dilute potassium but risk fluid overload in acute kidney injury. Notifying the provider is more urgent, making this incorrect, as it’s not a priority compared to the nurse’s focus on immediate hyperkalemia interventions.