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An elderly male patient, who has been experiencing abdominal pain, is admitted to the hospital from a long-term care facility.

He hasn’t had a bowel movement in 7 days, his abdomen is distended, and he recently vomited 150 mL of dark brown emesis.

In what order should the nurse perform the following interventions? Arrange from highest to lowest priority.

A.

Complete a focused assessment.

B.

Offer PRN pain medication.

C.

Send the emesis sample to the lab.

D.

Elevate the head of the bed.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A,D,B,C

  1. Complete a focused assessment: The first step in managing a patient with abdominal pain and other symptoms is to perform a comprehensive assessment. This will help identify the cause of the symptoms and guide subsequent interventions.
  2. Offer PRN pain medication: Once the immediate risks have been addressed, managing the patient’s pain is a priority. However, the choice of pain medication will depend on the results of the assessment.
  3. Send the emesis sample to the lab: Sending the emesis sample to the lab can provide valuable information about the cause of the patient’s symptoms. However, this is not as urgent as the other interventions.
  4. Elevate the head of the bed: Elevating the head of the bed can help reduce the risk of aspiration, especially in a patient who has vomited. This should be done as soon as possible.


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Related Questions

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A rationale
Replacing the IV site with a smaller gauge is not the most appropriate intervention in this situation. The client’s confusion and picking at the dressing and tape are likely due to the dementia and increased confusion at night, known as “sundowning”. While a smaller gauge might be less noticeable to the client, it does not address the primary issue of the client’s confusion and restlessness at night.

Choice B rationale
Applying soft bilateral wrist restraints might be considered in some situations to prevent a confused client from removing necessary medical devices. However, restraints should be a last resort after all other interventions have been tried because they can increase agitation and confusion, and they pose a risk for injury.
Choice C rationale
Redressing the abdominal incision is the correct choice. The dressing is no longer occlusive, which means it’s not providing a proper barrier to bacteria. This could lead to an infection in the surgical site. The nurse should clean the area and apply a new sterile dressing.
Additionally, the nurse should continue to monitor the client’s behavior and implement interventions to reduce confusion and restlessness, such as reorienting the client and providing a quiet and calm environment.
Choice D rationale
Leaving the lights on in the room at night can actually increase confusion and agitation in clients with dementia. It can disrupt the client’s sleep-wake cycle and make “sundowning” worse. Therefore, this is not the most appropriate intervention.

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A rationale

Monitoring capillary refill distal to the infusion site is a general nursing intervention during IV therapy. However, it is not specific to the administration of a vesicant chemotherapeutic agent.

Choice B rationale
Applying a topical anesthetic at the infusion site for burning is not a standard intervention during the administration of a vesicant chemotherapeutic agent. The burning sensation is not due to the IV site but due to the vesicant agent itself.

Choice C rationale
Assessing the IV site frequently for signs of extravasation is the most appropriate intervention during the administration of a vesicant chemotherapeutic agent. Extravasation, the leakage of the vesicant into the surrounding tissue, can cause severe local tissue damage. Early detection and intervention are crucial to minimize harm.

Choice D rationale
While it is important to explain potential side effects to the client, explaining that temporary burning at the IV site may occur is not the most crucial intervention. The priority is to monitor for and prevent extravasation.

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