A student nurse is caring for a client who will be receiving ...

[sdfghj]

A student nurse is caring for a client who will be receiving sodium nitroprusside (Nipride) via IV infusion. What action by the student causes the registered nurse to intervene?
 
  a. Assessing the IV site before giving the drug
  b. Obtaining a programmable (smart) IV pump
  c. Removing the IV bag from the brown plastic cover
  d. Taking and recording a baseline set of vital signs

Question 2

A client is receiving norepinephrine (Levophed) for shock. What assessment finding best indicates a therapeutic effect from this drug?
 
  a. Alert and oriented, answering questions
  b. Client denial of chest pain or chest pressure
  c. IV site without redness or swelling
  d. Urine output of 30 mL/hr for 2 hours

[mfedorka]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Nitroprusside degrades in the presence of light, so it must be protected by leaving it in the original brown plastic bag when infusing. The other actions are correct, although a smart pump is not necessarily required if the facility does not have them available. The drug must be administered via an IV pump, although the programmable pump is preferred for safety.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
Normal cognitive function is a good indicator that the client is receiving the benefits of norepinephrine. The brain is very sensitive to changes in oxygenation and perfusion. Norepinephrine can cause chest pain as an adverse reaction, so the absence of chest pain does not indicate therapeutic effect. The IV site is normal. The urine output is normal, but only minimally so.

[sdfghj]

Excellent

[jordangronback]

TYSM