One of the adverse effects of a chemotherapy drug being ...

[geodog55]

One of the adverse effects of a chemotherapy drug being administered to a client is depression of pluripotent stem cells. Which change in this client's lab values would the nurse expect after treatment is initiated?
 
  1. Decrease in red blood cells only
  2. Abrupt decrease in hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels
  3. Abrupt decrease in red blood cells, white cells, and platelets
  4. Gradual decrease in red blood cells with a gradual increase in white blood cells

Question 2

Exogenous erythropoietin in the form of epoetin alfa (Epogen) is administered to a chronic dialysis client. How can the nurse best describe the action of this drug to the client?
 
  1. Epogen will change the shape of your red blood cells to increase their flexibility.
  2. Epogen changes the molecular structure of your hemoglobin, making it carry more oxygen.
  3. Epogen helps to increase the concentration of the oxygen carrier in your blood.
  4. Epogen makes your red blood cells bigger around.

[wilsonbho]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: All cells derived from the stem cells would decrease in number.
Rationale 2: Hemoglobin would decrease, but there would be no effect on the level of circulating iron.
Rationale 3: Depression of pluripotent stem cells decreases the blood level of RBCs, WBCs, and platelets.
Rationale 4: Both red and white blood cell levels would decrease rapidly.
Global Rationale: Depression of pluripotent stem cells decreases the blood level of RBCs, WBCs, and platelets. Hemoglobin would decrease, but there would be no effect on the level of circulating iron.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: Epogen does not change the shape of the RBCs.
Rationale 2: Epogen does not change the molecular structure of hemoglobin.
Rationale 3: Epogen helps to increase hemoglobin concentration as well as the number of red blood cells.
Rationale 4: The red blood cell diameter does not change.
Global Rationale: Epogen helps to increase hemoglobin concentration as well as the number of red blood cells. Epogen does not change the shape, molecular structure, or size of the RBCs.

[geodog55]

Excellent

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