The physician prescribes an oral medication for the patient. What is the primary nursing assessment of the patient prior to receiving this medication?

The patient's understanding of the medication

The patient's ability to swallow

The patient's allergies

The eyesight

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

A. The patient's understanding of the medication:

While it's important for the patient to understand their medication, assessing their understanding is typically done through patient education and counseling. This assessment is vital for promoting adherence and safe medication practices but is not the primary consideration immediately before administration.

B. The patient's ability to swallow:

This is the correct answer. Assessing the patient's ability to swallow is crucial before administering oral medications to ensure that the patient can safely and effectively take the prescribed medication without the risk of aspiration or choking.

C. The patient's allergies:

Assessing the patient's allergies is an essential step in medication administration, but it is generally part of the overall medication safety process. It may not be the primary assessment immediately before administering an oral medication, but it is a crucial consideration.

D. The eyesight:

The patient's eyesight is not typically a primary assessment before administering oral medications. While visual impairments can affect a patient's ability to read medication labels or instructions, it is not the immediate concern when assessing readiness for oral medication administration.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A. Aspirin and warfarin

The combination of aspirin and warfarin poses a potential risk of increased bleeding and bruising. Both aspirin and warfarin are anticoagulants, and when used together, they can potentiate each other's effects, leading to a higher risk of bleeding events, including easy bruising.

B. Sulfasalazine and acetaminophen

Sulfasalazine is often used in the treatment of arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, while acetaminophen is a commonly used pain reliever. There is no significant interaction between these two medications leading to increased bleeding or bruising.

C. Tolmetin and propranolol

Tolmetin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for pain relief, and propranolol is a beta-blocker used for conditions such as hypertension. While both medications have their own potential side effects, there is no specific interaction between them that significantly increases the risk of bleeding or bruising.

D. Meloxicam and amlodipine

Meloxicam is an NSAID, and amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker used for hypertension. Similar to option C, there is no known significant interaction between these two medications that would lead to increased bleeding or bruising.

A. Decreased ascites B. Decreased ammonia level C. Decreased jaundice D. Decreased blood pressure,

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A. Decreased ascites

Ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity) is more directly related to portal hypertension and liver cirrhosis. While lactulose may contribute to fluid balance, its primary therapeutic effect in hepatic encephalopathy is the reduction of ammonia levels.

B. Decreased ammonia level

Lactulose is a medication commonly used in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy, a condition associated with liver disease. The therapeutic effect of lactulose in this context is to reduce blood ammonia levels. Lactulose works by promoting the excretion of ammonia in the form of ammonium ions in the colon, thereby lowering ammonia concentrations in the blood.

C. Decreased jaundice

Jaundice is often associated with liver dysfunction, but lactulose is not primarily used to address jaundice. Its primary role in liver disease is in the management of hepatic encephalopathy.

D. Decreased blood pressure

Blood pressure is not a direct therapeutic target of lactulose in the context of liver disease. Lactulose's primary therapeutic effect is related to reducing ammonia levels and managing hepatic encephalopathy.

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The physician prescribes an oral medication for the patient. What is the primary nursing assessment of the patient prior to receiving this medication?

Nursing Test Bank

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Explanation

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Correct Answer is B

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