A patient with angina is receiving Nitroglycerin and begins to complain of a severe headache. What is the most appropriate response from the nurse?

Headaches can occur due to the vasoconstriction effect of the medication.

I can give you some Morphine to help with that headache.

I will notify the physician immediately.

This is a normal side effect of Nitroglycerin as it dilates your body's vessels.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: The statement "Headaches can occur due to the vasoconstriction effect of the medication" is incorrect. Nitroglycerin causes vasodilation, not vasoconstriction. Vasodilation increases blood flow, which can lead to headaches as a common side effect.

Choice B reason: Offering Morphine to manage the headache is not the most appropriate initial response. While Morphine can relieve pain, it's essential to educate the patient about the common side effects of Nitroglycerin and provide reassurance. Morphine use should be carefully considered and is typically reserved for more severe pain management.

Choice C reason: Notifying the physician immediately is not necessary in this scenario, as a headache is a known and common side effect of Nitroglycerin. It's more appropriate to educate the patient about the side effects and provide reassurance. Only if the headache is severe and unrelieved by other measures should the physician be notified.

Choice D reason: Explaining that the headache is a normal side effect of Nitroglycerin, which dilates blood vessels, is the most appropriate response. This helps to reassure the patient and provides an understanding of why the headache is occurring. Nitroglycerin works by dilating blood vessels to improve blood flow and reduce angina symptoms, and headaches are a common side effect due to this vasodilation.

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A reason: Administering a muscle relaxant addresses the symptom of muscle twitching and jerking, but it does not identify or treat the underlying cause. For patients with acute pancreatitis, muscle twitching and jerking could be indicative of a more serious condition.

Choice B reason: While a nutritional imbalance could potentially lead to symptoms like muscle twitching and jerking, in the context of acute pancreatitis, the nurse should consider more specific causes related to the condition. Nutritional imbalances do not usually explain these symptoms in patients with pancreatitis as well as hypocalcemia does.

Choice C reason: A reaction to morphine could include various symptoms such as itching, nausea, or constipation, but muscle twitching and jerking are not common side effects. The nurse should consider other causes related to the patient's condition of acute pancreatitis.

Choice D reason: Hypocalcemia, or low calcium levels, is a common complication of acute pancreatitis. It can lead to symptoms such as muscle twitching and jerking, as calcium is crucial for proper muscle function and nerve signaling. This makes hypocalcemia the most relevant and accurate interpretation of the patient's symptoms in this context.

A. Administering normal saline 500-1000 mL infused over 1 hour. B. Administering drugs to suppress aldosterone release. C. Having the patient drink several large glasses of water. D. Instilling 500-1000 mL of normal saline through a nasogastric tube.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Administering normal saline 500-1000 mL infused over 1 hour is an effective fluid challenge to promote kidney perfusion in patients with acute kidney injury and no signs of fluid overload. This intervention helps increase intravascular volume, improving renal blood flow and potentially enhancing urine output.

Choice B reason: Administering drugs to suppress aldosterone release is not appropriate for promoting kidney perfusion in this context. Suppressing aldosterone could potentially decrease sodium and water reabsorption, which may not be beneficial for improving renal perfusion in a patient with acute kidney injury.

Choice C reason: Having the patient drink several large glasses of water is not the most effective method for a fluid challenge. Oral intake may not provide the rapid volume expansion needed to improve kidney perfusion, especially in a patient with acute kidney injury where fluid balance and perfusion are critical.

Choice D reason: Instilling 500-1000 mL of normal saline through a nasogastric tube is not an appropriate fluid challenge for promoting kidney perfusion. This method is not typically used for volume expansion in the context of acute kidney injury, as it may not provide the rapid intravascular volume increase needed to enhance renal blood flow.

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A patient with angina is receiving Nitroglycerin and begins to complain of a severe headache. What is the most appropriate response from the nurse?

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse notes that a client with acute pancreatitis occasionally experiences muscle twitching and jerking. How should the nurse interpret the relevance of these symptoms?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse is caring for a postoperative 70-kg patient who had major blood loss during surgery and now has acute kidney injury. The patient does not have signs of fluid overload. Which intervention would be most effective as a fluid challenge to promote kidney perfusion?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

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