An older client recently transferred to a rehabilitation facility after aortic valve replacement surgery is experiencing anxiety and difficulty adjusting to the transition. The healthcare provider prescribes an antidepressant and a mild sedative for sleep. Which intervention is most important for the nurse to include in the client's plan of care?

Obtain a blood pressure reading before the client gets out of bed.

Monitor and record the client's urinary output every day.

Provide the client with teaching regarding a cardiac diet.

Assess the client's vital signs every 4 hours when awake.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

Choice A: Obtain a blood pressure reading before the client gets out of bed. This is the most important intervention, as it can prevent or detect orthostatic hypotension, which is a drop in blood pressure when changing position from lying to standing. Orthostatic hypotension can cause dizziness, fainting, or falls, and it can be caused by medications, dehydration, or cardiac problems.

Choice B: Monitor and record the client's urinary output every day. This is not the most important intervention, as it does not address the client's anxiety or adjustment issues. The urinary output should be monitored for signs of fluid balance, kidney function, or infection, but it is not a priority for this client.

Choice C: Provide the client with teaching regarding a cardiac diet. This is not the most important intervention, as it does not address the client's anxiety or adjustment issues. The cardiac diet should be taught to promote heart health, lower cholesterol, and reduce sodium intake, but it is not a priority for this client.

Choice D: Assess the client's vital signs every 4 hours when awake. This is not the most important intervention, as it does not address the client's anxiety or adjustment issues. The vital signs should be assessed for signs of infection, pain, or hemodynamic instability, but they are not a priority for this client.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice B reason: Emotional conflict due to stress is not a specific problem for a client who had an MI 24 hours ago and wants to go home despite his condition. Emotional conflict is a state of having mixed or contradictory feelings about something or someone, such as family, work, or self. Stress is a response to any physical, psychological, or environmental demand that exceeds one's coping resources. The nurse should assess the client's sources of stress and conflict and help him manage them.

Choice C reason: Deficient knowledge of MI lifestyle changes is not a primary problem for a client who had an MI 24 hours ago and wants to go home despite his condition. Deficient knowledge is a state of lacking information or understanding about something, such as disease process, treatment options, or self-care measures. Lifestyle changes are modifications in one's habits or behaviors that promote health and well-being, such as diet, exercise, smoking cessation, or stress management. The nurse should assess the client's learning needs and readiness and provide appropriate education.

Choice D reason: Anxiety related to treatment plan is not an evident problem for a client who had an MI 24 hours ago and wants to go home despite his condition. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension, worry, or fear that interferes with one's normal functioning or well-being. Treatment plan is a set of goals, interventions, and outcomes that guide the care of a client with a specific health problem, such as MI. The nurse should assess the client's level of anxiety and provide information and reassurance about his treatment plan.

A. Blood alcohol level of 0.09% (90 mmol/L) B. Six hours of sleep in the past three days. C. Serum lithium level of 1.6 mEq/L (1.6 mmol/L) D. Weight loss of 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in past month.

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A: Blood alcohol level of 0.09% (90 mmol/L) is not the most important finding for the nurse to report, as this is within the reference range and does not indicate alcohol intoxication or withdrawal, which can affect the client's mental status and mood stability. This is a distractor choice.

Choice B: Six hours of sleep in the past three days is not the most important finding for the nurse to report, as this is a common symptom of bipolar disorder during manic episodes and does not require immediate intervention by the health care provider. This is another distractor choice.

Choice C: Serum lithium level of 1.6 mEq/L (1.6 mmol/L) is the most important finding for the nurse to report, as this indicates lithium toxicity, which can cause neurological and renal impairment and potentially fatal complications such as seizures, coma, and cardiac dysrhythmias. Therefore, this is the correct choice.

Choice D: Weight loss of 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in past month is not the most important finding for the nurse to report, as this may be related to decreased appetite or increased activity during manic episodes and does not pose an immediate threat to the client's health or safety. This is another distractor choice.

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A 46-year-old male client who had a myocardial infarction (MI) 24 hours ago comes to the nurse's station fully dressed and wanting to go home. He tells the nurse that he is feeling much better at this time. Based on this behavior, which client problem should the nurse include in the plan of care?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A client who is hypotensive is receiving dopamine, an adrenergic agonist, IV at the rate of 8 mcg/kg/min. Which intervention should the nurse implement while administering this medication?

When assessing a multigravida on the first postpartum day, the nurse finds a moderate amount of lochia rubra, with the uterus firm, and three fingerbreadths above the umbilicus. What action should the nurse implement first?

A preschool-aged child who is being tested for Streptococcal pharyngitis returns to the clinic for signs of scarlet fever. Which assessment finding provides the clearest indication to the nurse that the child is experiencing a reaction to toxins that are created by Streptococcal bacteria.

The nurse is educating a client about essential hypertension prevention. Which information should the nurse provide? (Select all that apply)

A male client reports to the on-call clinic nurse that he took two tablets of 10 mg lisinopril by mouth two hours ago and his skin now feels flushed. He reports a history of stable angina, but denies experiencing any chest pain at the moment or recently. Which action should the nurse take?