A home care nurse visits a new patient. The family asks how the ...

[magmichele12]

A home care nurse visits a new patient. The family asks how the home can be made safer. The nurse's best advice includes which of the following?
 
  a. Using throw rugs to prevent tripping
  b. Installing extra incandescent lighting
  c. Painting the floor black and white to add perception
  d. Installing handrails painted the same color as the walls

Question 2

A 36-year-old patient diagnosed with meningitis has a fever of 102.3 F. A family member verbalizes a concern that the patient is breathing fast.
 
   Upon assessment, the nurse notes a respiratory rate of 20 breaths/min, pulse oximetry is 92 on 2L/O2, and lungs clear to auscultation. What is the best explanation for the rapid respiratory rate that the nurse can give the family member? a. He is most likely anxious because he is in the hospital.
  b. His fever has increased his metabolic rate and is causing him to breathe faster.
  c. He is hyperventilating because he needs more oxygen.
  d. He has an acid-base imbalance, which is causing him to hyperventilate.

[HandsomeMarc]

Answer to Question 1

B
Good lighting at front and back entrances and light switches at the top and bottom of stairwells and long hallways add an additional safety element. Throw rugs, footstools, and electrical cords present tripping hazards. Handrails painted the same color as the walls may pose a problem for the visually impaired. Using color contrasts such as tape, paint, or nail enamel can highlight items.

Answer to Question 2

B
An increase of 1 F in body temperature causes a 7 increase in the metabolic rate, thereby increasing carbon dioxide production. The clinical response is increased rate and depth of respiration. Anxiety is not the reason for increased respirations in this scenario. The fever (102.3 F) is the cause of the increased respirations. The patient may have increased breathing but the patient is not hyperventilating. Hyperventilation occurs when the respiratory rate is greater than 20 breaths per minute in an adult, causing an increase in carbon dioxide elimination.