Key points to consider when educating patients on medication

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Question 1:

A nurse is teaching a client who has been prescribed warfarin for atrial fibrillation. Which of the following statements by the client indicates a need for further education?

Explanation

A) Incorrect. The client should not avoid eating foods that are high in vitamin K, such as leafy greens, broccoli, and soybeans. These foods can interfere with the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and increase the risk of clotting. The client should eat a consistent amount of vitamin K-rich foods and avoid sudden changes in their intake.

B) Correct. The client should use a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent bleeding from the gums. Warfarin can impair the blood's ability to clot and increase the risk of bleeding from minor injuries.

C) Correct. The client should monitor their blood pressure regularly at home and report any abnormal readings to their provider. Warfarin can affect blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke or bleeding.

D) Correct. The client should report any signs of bruising or bleeding to their provider, such as nosebleeds, blood in urine or stool, heavy menstrual bleeding, or prolonged bleeding from cuts. These signs may indicate that the warfarin dose is too high and needs adjustment.


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Question 2:

A nurse is teaching a client who has hypertension about the importance of adhering to their prescribed medication regimen. Which of the following statements by the client indicates a need for further teaching?

Explanation

C) Incorrect. The client should avoid taking their medication with grapefruit juice as it can interfere with the metabolism of some antihypertensive drugs and increase the risk of adverse effects.

A) Correct. The client should not stop taking their medication even if they feel better as this can cause a rebound increase in blood pressure and worsen their condition.

B) Correct. The client should check their blood pressure regularly and record the readings to monitor their response to treatment and identify any changes that may require adjustment of their medication dose.

D) Correct. The client should inform their doctor if they experience any side effects from their medication such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, or cough, as these may indicate a need for a different drug or a lower dose.


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Question 3:

A nurse is reviewing the medication list of a client who has diabetes mellitus and is scheduled for surgery. The client takes metformin orally twice a day. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Explanation

B) Correct. The nurse should instruct the client to hold their metformin for 48 hours before and after surgery as this drug can increase the risk of lactic acidosis in clients who are undergoing procedures that involve contrast media or who have impaired renal function due to dehydration or hypotension.

A) Incorrect. The nurse should not instruct the client to take their morning dose of metformin with a sip of water on the day of surgery as this can cause hypoglycemia during anesthesia or interfere with contrast media if used during surgery.

C) Incorrect. The nurse should not instruct the client to resume their metformin as soon as they can tolerate oral intake after surgery as this can cause lactic acidosis if the client's renal function is not fully restored or if they receive contrast media during surgery or postoperatively.

D) Incorrect. The nurse should not instruct the client to switch to insulin injections until they recover from surgery as this can cause hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia depending on the type and dose of insulin used and the client's nutritional status and blood glucose levels.


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Question 4:

A nurse is preparing to administer a new prescription for digoxin 0.125 mg orally once daily to a client who has heart failure. Which of the following actions should the nurse take before giving the medication?

Explanation

A) Correct. The nurse should check the client's apical pulse for one full minute before giving digoxin as this drug can cause bradycardia and heart block. The nurse should withhold the medication and notify the provider if the pulse is less than 60 beats/min or irregular.

B) Incorrect. The nurse should check the client's serum potassium level periodically while taking digoxin as this drug can cause hypokalemia or hyperkalemia, which can affect its therapeutic effect and toxicity. However, this is not a priority action before giving each dose of digoxin.

C) Incorrect. The nurse should check the client's blood pressure in both arms periodically while taking digoxin as this drug can cause hypotension or hypertension, which can affect its efficacy and safety. However, this is not a priority action before giving each dose of digoxin.

D) Incorrect. The nurse should check the client's serum digoxin level periodically while taking digoxin as this drug has a narrow therapeutic range and can cause toxicity if the level is above 2 ng/mL. However, this is not a priority action before giving each dose of digoxin.


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Question 5:

A nurse is providing discharge instructions to a client who has a new prescription for warfarin. Which of the following foods should the nurse advise the client to limit in their diet?

Explanation

A) Correct. The nurse should advise the client to limit spinach in their diet as this food is high in vitamin K, which can antagonize the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and increase the risk of thrombosis.

B) Incorrect. The nurse should not advise the client to limit bananas in their diet as this food is high in potassium, which can help prevent hypokalemia that can occur with some anticoagulants such as heparin. Bananas do not affect the action of warfarin.

C) Incorrect. The nurse should not advise the client to limit cheese in their diet as this food is high in calcium, which can help prevent osteoporosis that can occur with long-term use of warfarin. Cheese does not affect the action of warfarin.

D) Incorrect. The nurse should not advise the client to limit eggs in their diet as this food is high in protein, which can help maintain muscle mass and wound healing that can be impaired by warfarin. Eggs do not affect the action of warfarin.


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Question 6:

A nurse is caring for a client who has schizophrenia and is taking clozapine. The nurse notices that the client has a fever, sore throat, and malaise. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Explanation

B) Correct. The nurse should obtain a blood sample from the client for a complete blood count as these symptoms can indicate agranulocytosis, a potentially fatal adverse effect of clozapine that causes a severe decrease in white blood cells and increases the risk of infection.

A) Incorrect. The nurse should not administer acetaminophen to the client as this drug can mask the signs of infection and delay diagnosis and treatment of agranulocytosis.

C) Incorrect. The nurse should encourage the client to drink plenty of fluids and rest, but this action alone would not address the potential serious adverse effect of agranulocytosis associated with clozapine. Obtaining a blood sample for a complete blood count is necessary to assess the client's white blood cell count and determine if agranulocytosis is present.

D) Incorrect. Discontinuing clozapine and notifying the provider is important, but it should be done after obtaining a blood sample for a complete blood count to confirm the presence of agranulocytosis. This allows for appropriate medical management and alternative treatment options to be initiated.


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Question 7:

A nurse is preparing to administer insulin to a client who has type 1 diabetes mellitus. Which of the following actions by the nurse demonstrates proper technique for mixing regular and NPH insulin in the same syringe?

Explanation

A) Incorrect. The nurse should inject air into the regular vial first, then into the NPH vial. This can prevent contamination of the regular insulin with NPH insulin and ensure accurate dosing.

B) Correct. The nurse should draw up regular insulin first, then NPH insulin. This can prevent contamination of the regular insulin with NPH insulin and ensure accurate dosing. Regular insulin is clear and NPH insulin is cloudy.

C) Correct. The nurse should roll the NPH vial between their palms before drawing up insulin. This can resuspend the insulin particles that may have settled at the bottom of the vial and ensure uniform concentration.

D) Correct. The nurse should wipe the rubber stoppers of both vials with alcohol swabs before inserting needles. This can reduce the risk of infection and contamination.


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