To help the adolescent deal with diabetes, the nurse must ...

[mikaylakyoung]

To help the adolescent deal with diabetes, the nurse must consider which characteristic of adolescence?
 
  a. Desire to be unique
  b. Preoccupation with the future
  c. Need to be perfect and similar to peers
  d. Need to make peers aware of the seriousness of hypoglycemic reactions

Question 2

The nurse is implementing care for a school-age child admitted to the pediatric intensive care in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Which prescribed intervention should the nurse implement first?
 
  a. Begin 0.9 saline solution intravenously as prescribed.
  b. Administer regular insulin intravenously as prescribed.
  c. Place child on a cardiac monitor.
  d. Place child on a pulse oximetry monitor.

[briezy]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Adolescence is a time when the individual wants to be perfect and similar to peers. Having diabetes makes adolescents different from their peers. Adolescents do not wish to be unique; they desire to fit in with the peer group and are usually not future oriented. Forcing peer awareness of the seriousness of hypoglycemic reactions would further alienate the adolescent with diabetes. The peer group would focus on the differences.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
All patients with DKA experience dehydration (10 of total body weight in severe ketoacidosis) because of the osmotic diuresis, accompanied by depletion of electrolytes, sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphate, and magnesium. The initial hydrating solution is 0.9 saline solution. Insulin therapy should be started after the initial rehydration bolus because serum glucose levels fall rapidly after volume expansion. The child should be placed on the cardiac and pulse oximetry monitor after the rehydrating solution has been initiated.