APPLES
The nurse administers a medication to the wrong patient. Which is the appropriate nursing action following this error?
Notify the health care provider and document a medication error incident report.
When doing an admission drug history, the nurse notes that the patient has a prescription for lithium. The nurse suspects that this patient has been diagnosed with which condition?
Bipolar disorder
Which instructions would the nurse include in teaching a patient to reduce the gastrointestinal (GI) adverse effects of orlistat (Xenical)?
Limit dietary intake of fat.
What advantage does loratadine have compared with traditional antihistamines such as diphenhydramine?
Less sedative effect
The nurse would question a health care provider’s prescription for vitamin D in a patient with what condition?
Hyperparathyroidism
While admitting a patient for treatment of an acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose, the nurse prepares to administer which medication to prevent toxicity?
Acetylcysteine (Mucomyst)
While completing preoperative patient teaching, which information would the nurse include for a surgery with a general anesthetic?
It produces muscle relaxation and loss of consciousness.
Ergot alkaloids exert their therapeutic effect by which action?
Vasoconstriction
The nurse would question a prescription for pseudoephedrine in a patient with a history of what condition?
Hypertension
The nurse understands a patient who is treated for hypertension may be switched to an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) because of which angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor adverse effect?
Dry, nonproductive cough
The nurse is preparing to administer an intravenous injection of morphine to a patient. The nurse assesses a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min. What is the appropriate action of the nurse?
Withhold the medication and notify the health care provider.
An intubated, mechanically ventilated patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) is becoming increasingly restless and anxious. The nurse expects to administer which intravenous (IV) anesthetic drug?
Propofol (Diprivan)
A nurse working in behavioral medicine is aware of long-term consequences from alcohol abuse. What potential vitamin deficiency can occur and potentially lead to Wernicke’s encephalopathy?
Vitamin B1
The nurse receives laboratory values for a patient with a theophylline level of 14 mcg/mL. How does the nurse interpret this theophylline level?
Therapeutic
The nurse is conducting a community education program. When explaining different medication regimens to treat hypertension, it would be accurate to state that African Americans often respond better to which combination of medications?
Diuretics and calcium channel blockers
A patient who is prescribed duloxetine (Cymbalta) comes to the medical clinic complaining of restlessness, sweating, and tremors. The nurse suspects serotonin syndrome and questions the patient regarding concurrent use of which herbal product or dietary supplement?
St. John’s wort
A patient is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of benzodiazepine overdose. The nurse anticipates the health care provider will prescribe which antidote for benzodiazepine overdose?
Flumazenil (Romazicon)
The nurse is admitting a patient in the emergency department for suspected overdose. The health care provider prescribes flumazenil for the patient. What type of overdose does the nurse suspect?
Benzodiazepines
A nurse is providing education to a patient taking two different bronchodilator medications. The nurse identifies which characteristic as the advantage of salmeterol over other beta2 agonists such as albuterol?
Longer duration of action
ACE inhibitors and ARBs both work to decrease blood pressure by which action?
Prevent aldosterone secretion
What atypical antipsychotic medication would the nurse anticipate the health care provider prescribing for treatment of refractory schizophrenia?
Risperidone (Risperdal)
The health care provider prescribes dantrolene (Dantrium) to a patient immediately after surgery. The nurse is aware this medication is used to treat what condition?
Malignant hyperthermia
A female patient of childbearing age is prescribed isotretinoin for the treatment of severe recalcitrant cystic acne. What information is required for the nurse to include in the education of the patient ?
Use at least two forms of contraception while taking this medication
When administering intravenous magnesium sulfate, the nurse will monitor for what signs and symptoms of hypermagnesemia?
Decrease in deep tendon reflexes
Which medication would the nurse question if prescribed together with ACE inhibitors?
Potassium chloride