Answer to Question 1
ANS: D
Succinylcholine is used for muscle relaxation during short procedures, such as esophageal dilation, because of its short duration. The effects wear off minutes after the drug is withdrawn, because plasma pseudocholinesteras e quickly degrades it. Patients who have prolonged effects may have low plasma pseudocholinesteras e levels and should be evaluated if this is suspected. Mechanical ventilation may be necessary if the drug is given, but the prudent nurse would rather avoid this by taking preventive measures instead of treating the adverse reaction after the fact. Dantrolene should always be available when succinylcholine is used because of the risk of malignant hyperthermia; however, nothing indicates that this particular patient is at greater risk than others. Prolonged neuromuscular blockade is not a normal reaction.
Answer to Question 2
ANS: D
Physostigmine is the drug of choice for treating poisoning from atropine and other drugs that cause muscarinic blockade. Donepezil is used to treat Alzheimer's disease. Edrophonium is used to distinguish between a myasthenic crisis and a cholinesterase inhibitor overdose. Neostigmine does not cross the blood-brain barrier and would not effectively treat this patient's CNS symptoms.
A, A nurse is adding a medication to an IV line as a piggyback
Lung cancer. Photograph of part of a lung removed after death. The yellow area is a large tumor and
Patient learns to not be afraid
A patient centered care approach
Patient Teaching Methods Cont.
Preparing a Urine Specimen for Microscopic Examination (for Classroom Evaluation Only)