A nurse is providing teaching for a client who is withdrawing from alcohol and has a
prescription for propranolol . Which of the following information should the nurse to
include in the teaching?
increases the risk for seizure activity
provides a form of aversion therapy
decreases cravings
results in minor hypertension - answer decreases cravings
A charge nurse is planning a staff education session to discuss medications used during
the care of a client experiencing alcohol withdrawal. Which of the following medications
should the charge nurse include in the discussion? (select all that apply)
Lorazepam
Diazepam
Disulfiram
Naltrexone
Acamprosate - answer Lorazepam
Diazepam
A nurse is teaching a client who has Graves' disease about her prescribed medications.
Which of the following statements by the client indicted an understanding of the use of
propranolol in the treatment of Graves' disease.
"propranolol helps increase blood flow to my thyroid gland"
"propranolol is used to prevent excess glucose in my blood"
"propranolol will decrease my tremors and fast heart rate"
"propranolol promotes a decrease of thyroid hormone in my body" - answer
"propranolol will decrease my tremors and fast heart rate"
A nurse working in an emergency dept. is caring for a client who has benzodiazepine
toxicity due to an overdose. Which of the following actions is the nurse's priority?
Administer flumazenil
Identify the client's level of orientation
Infuse IV fluids
Prepare the client for gastric lavage - answer Identify the client's level of orientation
A nurse is caring for a client who takes paroxetine to treat PTSD and reports that he
grinds his teeth during the night. The nurse should identify which of the following
interventions to manage bruxism? (select all that apply)
,Concurrent administration of buspirone
Administration of a different SSRI
Use of a mouth guard
Changing to a different class of antidepressant medication
Increasing the dose of paroxetine - answer Concurrent administration of buspirone
Use of a mouth guard
Changing to a different class of antidepressant medication
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a new prescription for amitriptyline for
treatment of depression. Which of the following should the nurse include her teaching?
(select all that apply)
Expect therapeutic effects in 24-48 hours
Discontinue the medication after a week of improved mood
Change positions slowly to minimize dizziness
Decrease dietary fiber intake to control diarrhea
Chew sugarless gum to prevent dry mouth - answer Change positions slowly to
minimize dizziness
Chew sugarless gum to prevent dry mouth
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has a new prescription for
fluoxetine for PTSD. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in her
teaching?
"You may have a decreased desire for intimacy while taking this medication"
"You should take this medication at bedtime to help promote sleep"
"You will have fewer urinary adverse effects if you urinate just before taking the
medication"
"You'll need to wear sunglasses when outdoors due to the light sensitivity caused by
this medication" - answer "You may have a decreased desire for intimacy while
taking this medication"
A nurse is caring for a client who has depression and a new prescription for venlafaxine.
For which of the following adverse effects should the nurse monitor this client? (select
all that apply)
Cough
Dizziness
Decreased libido
Alopecia
Hypotension - answer Dizziness
Decreased libido
A nurse is caring for a client who has been taking sertraline for the past 2 days. Which
of the following assessment findings should alert the nurse to the possibility that the
client is developing serotonin syndrome?
,Bruising
Fever
Abdominal pain
Rash - answer Fever
For best results when treating severe pain associated with pathologic spinal fractures
related to metastatic bone cancer, the nurse should remember that the best type of
dosage schedule is to administer the pain medication is which of these?
a. As needed
b. Around the clock
c. On schedule during waking hours only
d. Around the clock, with additional doses as needed for breakthrough pain - answer
d. Around the clock, with additional doses as needed for breakthrough pain
A patient is receiving an opioid via a PCA pump as part of his postoperative pain
management program. During rounds, the nurse finds him unresponsive, with
respirations of 8 breaths/min and blood pressure of 102/58 mm Hg. After stopping the
opioid infusion, what should the nurse do next?
a. Notify the charge nurse.
b. Draw arterial blood gases.
c. Administer an opiate antagonist per standing orders.
d. Perform a thorough assessment, including mental status examination. - answer c.
Administer an opiate antagonist per standing orders.
A patient with bone pain caused by metastatic cancer will be receiving transdermal
fentanyl patches. The patient asks the nurse what benefits these patches have. The
nurse's best response includes which of these features?
a. More constant drug levels for analgesia
b. Less constipation and minimal dry mouth
c. Less drowsiness than with oral opioids
d. Lower dependency potential and no major adverse effects - answer a. More
constant drug levels for analgesia
Intravenous morphine is prescribed for a patient who has had surgery. The nurse
informs the patient that which common adverse effects can occur with this medication?
(Select all that apply.)
a. Diarrhea
b. Constipation
c. Pruritus
d. Urinary frequency
e. Nausea - answer b. Constipation
c. Pruritus
e. Nausea
, Several patients have standard orders for acetaminophen as needed for pain. While
reviewing their histories and assess-ments, the nurse discovers that one of the patients
has a contraindication to acetaminophen therapy. Which patient should receive an
alternate medication?
a. A patient with a fever of 103.4°F (39.7°C)
b. A patient admitted with deep vein thrombosis
c. A patient admitted with severe hepatitis
d. A patient who had abdominal surgery 1 week earlier - answer c. A patient
admitted with severe hepatitis
An opioid analgesic is prescribed for a patient. The nurse checks the patient's medical
history knowing this medication is contraindicated in which disorder? (Select all that
apply.)
a. Renal insufficiency
b. Severe asthma
c. Sleep apnea
d. Severe head injury
e. Liver disease - answer b. Severe asthma
c. Sleep apnea
d. Severe head injury
A patient with renal cancer needs an opiate for pain control. Which opioid medication
would be the safest choice for this patient?
a. fentanyl
b. hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
c. morphine sulfate
d. methadone (Dolophine) - answer d. methadone (Dolophine)
The surgical nurse is reviewing operative cases scheduled for the day. Which of these
patients is more prone to complications from general anesthesia? (Select all that apply.)
a. A 79-year-old woman who is about to have hip replacement surgery
b. A 49-year-old male athlete who quit heavy smoking 12 years ago
c. A 19-year-old male who has a history of substance and alcohol abuse
d. A 30-year-old woman who is in perfect health but has never had anesthesia
e. A 50-year-old woman scheduled for outpatient laser surgery for vision correction -
answer a. A 79-year-old woman who is about to have hip replacement surgery
c. A 19-year-old male who has a history of substance and alcohol abuse
The physician has requested "lidocaine with epinephrine." The nurse recognizes that
the most important reason for adding epinephrine is which of these factors?
a. It helps to calm the patient before the procedure.
b. It minimizes the risk for an allergic reaction.
c. It enhances the effect of the local lidocaine.
d. It reduces bleeding in the surgical area - answer d. It reduces bleeding in the
surgical area