Exhibits
A nurse is preparing to care for an 84-year-old male client who is being admitted to a medical unit from a provider's office. The nurse reviews the client's medical records to prepare the client's plan of care.
Complete the diagram by dragging from the choices below to specify what condition the client is most likely experiencing, 2 actions the nurse should take to address that condition, and 2 parameters the nurse should monitor to assess the client's progress.
The Correct Answer is []
Condition Most Likely Experiencing: Heart failure.
The client presents with signs and symptoms consistent with heart failure, including cardiomegaly, bibasilar pleural congestion on chest x-ray, elevated BNP level, and vital signs indicating hypertension (BP 146/98 mm Hg), tachycardia (pulse rate 106/min), and tachypnea (respirations 24/min). Additionally, the client is prescribed medications commonly used to manage heart failure, such as digoxin and carvedilol, and is receiving a diuretic (furosemide) to address fluid overload associated with heart failure.
Action to Take:
Elevate the head of the bed: Elevating the head of the bed helps reduce venous return to the heart, decreasing preload and potentially alleviating symptoms of heart failure, such as dyspnea and orthopnea. It can also help prevent aspiration in clients with compromised cardiac function. Encourage intake of a low-sodium diet: A low-sodium diet is essential in managing heart failure as it helps reduce fluid retention and edema by decreasing fluid volume overload. Sodium restriction helps minimize fluid accumulation, which is crucial in preventing exacerbations of heart failure.
Parameter to Monitor:
Urinary output: Monitoring urinary output is important in assessing fluid balance and response to diuretic therapy in clients with heart failure. Decreased urinary output may indicate worsening heart failure or inadequate response to diuretic therapy, whereas increased output may suggest over-diuresis or improvement in heart failure symptoms.
Blood pressure: Monitoring blood pressure helps assess the effectiveness of treatment in managing heart failure and controlling hypertension, a common comorbidity. Hypertension can exacerbate heart failure, so monitoring blood pressure trends helps guide adjustments in medication therapy to achieve optimal blood pressure control and improve cardiac function.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Docusate Sodium (Colace) is a stool softener and is not contraindicated in chronic renal disease.
B. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is generally safe for use in chronic renal disease, but dosing adjustments may be necessary based on renal function.
C. Meperidine (Demerol) is contraindicated in clients with chronic renal disease because its metabolites can accumulate in renal impairment, leading to neurotoxicity and seizures. It is often replaced with alternative opioid analgesics like morphine or fentanyl in these patients.
D. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is a statin medication used to lower cholesterol levels and is generally safe in chronic renal disease, although dosing adjustments may be needed depending on the severity of renal impairment.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Instruct the client to avoid high-potassium foods: While important for long-term management, it is not the priority when the client is experiencing hyperkalemia, as immediate interventions are necessary to prevent complications.
B. Redraw the potassium to verify results: Redrawing the potassium may be necessary if there is concern about sample contamination or if the result is significantly different from what is expected. However, it is not the priority when the client is at risk of complications from hyperkalemia.
C. Check the client's blood pressure: This is the priority action because hyperkalemia can lead to cardiac dysrhythmias, including potentially life-threatening arrhythmias. Checking the blood pressure helps assess the client's cardiovascular status and any potential effects of hyperkalemia on cardiac function.
D. Obtain a serum sodium level: While monitoring electrolyte levels is important in ESRD, sodium levels are not the priority when the client is experiencing hyperkalemia. Monitoring potassium and managing its effects take precedence.
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