NR 304 / NR304 Chamberlain College Of Nursing -Health Assessment 2 (NR 304) Exam 2 Study
Guide Questions With Complete Solutions
What is that controversial treatment for spinal cord injury?
Potential Complications?
Must be initiated how soon?
Available in what forms? - (ANSWER)Methylprednisolone
Sepsis, GI bleeding, etc
Within 8 hours of injury
Methylprednisolone sodium succinate and methylprednisolone acetate. Only MPSS can be IV
Checklist for Infusion Preparation and Loading Dose administration of Methylprednisolone sodium
succinate - (ANSWER)Establish IV access. New gloves.
Withdraw enough fluid from the bag of normal saline to account for the volume of medication to be
added and the manufacturers overfill of the IV guild bag.
Mix solution per organizations practice
Label medications
Prime the tubing with the prepared mixture before starting the infusion. Always use an infusion pump.
Administer a loading dose of 30 mg/kg over 15 minutes.
Infuse the loading dose at appropriate rate for patients weight. Set the bolus VTBI or prepared bolus in a
separate mini bag to prevent inadvertent admin of more than intended amount
After loading dose has infused, turn off the methylprednisolone for 45 minutes.
Monitor patient: Allergic rxn, dyspnea, wheeezing, circ collapse
, NR 304 / NR304 Chamberlain College Of Nursing -Health Assessment 2 (NR 304) Exam 2 Study
Guide Questions With Complete Solutions
Assess, treat, reassess pain. Discard supplies. Hand hygiene and document.
Maintenance dose:
If treatment was initiated up to 3 hours after the injury, infused the previously prepared solution over
the next 23 hours at a rate of 5.4 mg/kg/hr.
If treatment was initiated 3 to 8 hours after injury, continued the infusion for 48 hours at a rate of 5.4
mg/kg/hr.
Monitor, Assess, Discard supplies, hand hygiene, document
A patient was treated with methylprednisolone for a spinal cord injury. The nurse knows that a potential
complication of steroid therapy is which of the following? - (ANSWER)Impaired wound healing
When beginning therapy with methylprednisolone, over what time period should the nurse administer
the loading dose? - (ANSWER)15 minutes, wait 45 minutes, then begin the maintenance infusion
A patient is brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle crash. The patient is awake and
complains of numbness in both legs while the primary survey is in progress. What should the emergency
nurse do next? - (ANSWER)Maintain spinal precautions.
(Spinal precautions should be observed during the primary survey. Cardiac monitoring and IV access are
important and are performed after spinal precautions have been initiated. Administration of
methylprednisolone will take place only after the practitioner has determined the appropriateness of
this therapy.)
When removing medication from an ampule, the nurse should take which action?
A. Tip the ampule to bring all the fluid within reach of the needle.
B. Break the neck of the ampule toward the hands.
C. Add a volume of air to the ampule to push the medication out into the syringe.
Guide Questions With Complete Solutions
What is that controversial treatment for spinal cord injury?
Potential Complications?
Must be initiated how soon?
Available in what forms? - (ANSWER)Methylprednisolone
Sepsis, GI bleeding, etc
Within 8 hours of injury
Methylprednisolone sodium succinate and methylprednisolone acetate. Only MPSS can be IV
Checklist for Infusion Preparation and Loading Dose administration of Methylprednisolone sodium
succinate - (ANSWER)Establish IV access. New gloves.
Withdraw enough fluid from the bag of normal saline to account for the volume of medication to be
added and the manufacturers overfill of the IV guild bag.
Mix solution per organizations practice
Label medications
Prime the tubing with the prepared mixture before starting the infusion. Always use an infusion pump.
Administer a loading dose of 30 mg/kg over 15 minutes.
Infuse the loading dose at appropriate rate for patients weight. Set the bolus VTBI or prepared bolus in a
separate mini bag to prevent inadvertent admin of more than intended amount
After loading dose has infused, turn off the methylprednisolone for 45 minutes.
Monitor patient: Allergic rxn, dyspnea, wheeezing, circ collapse
, NR 304 / NR304 Chamberlain College Of Nursing -Health Assessment 2 (NR 304) Exam 2 Study
Guide Questions With Complete Solutions
Assess, treat, reassess pain. Discard supplies. Hand hygiene and document.
Maintenance dose:
If treatment was initiated up to 3 hours after the injury, infused the previously prepared solution over
the next 23 hours at a rate of 5.4 mg/kg/hr.
If treatment was initiated 3 to 8 hours after injury, continued the infusion for 48 hours at a rate of 5.4
mg/kg/hr.
Monitor, Assess, Discard supplies, hand hygiene, document
A patient was treated with methylprednisolone for a spinal cord injury. The nurse knows that a potential
complication of steroid therapy is which of the following? - (ANSWER)Impaired wound healing
When beginning therapy with methylprednisolone, over what time period should the nurse administer
the loading dose? - (ANSWER)15 minutes, wait 45 minutes, then begin the maintenance infusion
A patient is brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle crash. The patient is awake and
complains of numbness in both legs while the primary survey is in progress. What should the emergency
nurse do next? - (ANSWER)Maintain spinal precautions.
(Spinal precautions should be observed during the primary survey. Cardiac monitoring and IV access are
important and are performed after spinal precautions have been initiated. Administration of
methylprednisolone will take place only after the practitioner has determined the appropriateness of
this therapy.)
When removing medication from an ampule, the nurse should take which action?
A. Tip the ampule to bring all the fluid within reach of the needle.
B. Break the neck of the ampule toward the hands.
C. Add a volume of air to the ampule to push the medication out into the syringe.
