A client comes to the family medicine clinic and reports joint ...

[yoroshambo]

A client comes to the family medicine clinic and reports joint pain and stiffness. The nurse is asked to assess the client for Heberden's nodules. What assessment technique is correct?
 
  a. Inspect the client's distal finger joints.
  b. Palpate the client's abdomen for tenderness.
  c. Palpate the client's upper body lymph nodes.
  d. Perform range of motion on the client's wrists.

Question 2

A client takes celecoxib (Celebrex) for chronic osteoarthritis in multiple joints. After a knee replacement, the health care provider has prescribed morphine sulfate for postoperative pain relief.
 
  The client also requests the celecoxib in addition to the morphine. What action by the nurse is best?
 
  a.
  Consult with the health care provider about administering both drugs to the client.
  b.
  Inform the client that the celecoxib will be started when he or she goes home.
  c.
  Teach the client that, since morphine is stronger, celecoxib is not needed.
  d.
  Tell the client he or she should not take both drugs at the same time.

[Briannahope]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
Herberden's nodules are seen in osteoarthritis and are bony nodules at the distal interphalangeal joints. To assess for this finding, the nurse inspects the client's distal fingertips. These nodules are not found in the abdomen, lymph nodes, or wrists.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
Despite getting an opioid analgesic for postoperative pain, the nurse should be aware that the client may be on other medications for arthritis in other joints. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib will also help with the postoperative pain. The nurse should consult the provider about continuing the celecoxib while the client is in the hospital. The other responses are not warranted, as the client should be restarted on this medication postoperatively.