NSG 210 Caring for Clients With Central and Periphera Study Questions & Answers with Rationales

1.The nurse is caring for a client with trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux). The care plan for this client reflects the client's problem eating due to jaw pain. To assist the client in meeting the adequate nutritional needs, what should the nurse suggest? A) Take small meals of nutrient and calorie-dense food. B) Increase the intake of calcium and proteins. C) Include additional servings of fruits and raw vegetables. D) Include fish, liver, and chicken in diet. Ans: A Feedback: To help a client with trigeminal neuralgia who suffers pain in the jaws meet his or her nutritional needs, the nurse should offer small meals of soft consistency. Foods may be pureed to minimize jaw movements when eating. There is no need for the client to increase the intake of fruits and raw vegetables, calcium, or proteins during trigeminal neuralgia. In addition, an increased intake of fruits and raw vegetables requires excessive chewing, potentially increasing the incidence of jaw pain. The nurse should avoid offering meat and fish in the diet because they also require excessive chewing by the client. 2.An older client complains of a constant headache. A physical examination shows papilledema. What may the symptoms indicate in this client? A) Epilepsy B) Trigeminal neuralgia C) Hypostatic pneumonia D) Brain tumor Ans: D Feedback: Headache and papilledema are symptoms of a brain tumor, although these symptoms do appear less often in the older adult. Symptoms of epilepsy include seizure activity, whereas symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia would be pain in the jaws or facial muscles. Hypostatic pneumonia develops due to immobility or prolonged bed rest in older clients. Choices A, B, and C are not associated with papilledema or constant headache. 3.A client you are caring for experiences a seizure. What would be a priority nursing action? A) Restrain the client during the seizure. B) Insert a tongue blade between the teeth. C) Protect the client from injury. D) Suction the mouth during the convulsion. Ans: C Feedback: The nursing action for a client experiencing a seizure should be to protect the client from being injured. To ensure this, the nurse should turn the client to one side and not restrain client's movements. Inserting a tongue blade between the teeth is not as important as protecting the client from injury. The mouth and the pharynx of the client should be