A psychotic patient is admitted through the emergency department. ...

[casperchen82]

A psychotic patient is admitted through the emergency department. The physician has ordered chlorpromazine (Thorazine) 25 mg intramuscularly. After administration of the medication, what is the nurse's priority to evaluate?
 
  A) The patient's ability to ambulate
  B) Return of the patient's appetite
  C) A decrease in psychotic symptoms
  D) Blood pressure and pulse

Question 2

The nursing students are learning about the half-life of drugs. A student asks the instructor to explain half-life. What is the instructor's best response?
 
  A) Half-life of a drug is the time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to decrease to half of the peak level it previously achieved.
  B) Half-life is the amount of time it takes for the drug to be metabolized by the body.
  C) Half-life is the amount of time it takes for half of the drug to reach peak level in the body.
  D) Half-life of a drug is the time it takes for the drug to reach half its potential peak level in the body.

[chinwesucks]

Answer to Question 1

C
Feedback:
The nurse will evaluate the effectiveness of the drug in diminishing psychotic symptoms because this is the purpose of administering the drug. Monitoring blood pressure, pulse, and appetite is part of all patient care but is not the priority evaluation criterion for this patient. The ability to ambulate and maintain adequate nutrition would be assessed but is not the priority evaluation for this patient.

Answer to Question 2

A
Feedback:
The half-life of a drug is the time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to decrease to half the peak level it previously achieved. Therefore Options B, C, and D are not correct.