The perinatal nurse reads the diagnosis of ptyalism in a ...

[oliviahorn72]

The perinatal nurse reads the diagnosis of ptyalism in a patient's chart. What teaching does the nurse plan for this patient?
 
  A.
  Chew food thoroughly before swallowing.
  B.
  Drink plenty of decaffeinated beverages.
  C.
  Eat something before getting up in the morning.
  D.
  Lozenges and chewing gum can help.

Question 2

A woman in her second trimester of pregnancy is in the clinic for a checkup. She complains of feeling short of breath at times. Her lungs are clear and her oxygen saturation is 98. Her vital signs are all normal. What action by the nurse is best?
 
  A.
  Alert the provider to the symptoms.
  B.
  Encourage slow, deep breathing.
  C.
  Document the findings.
  D.
  Facilitate a chest x-ray.

[Chocorrol77]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
Ptyalism is excessive production of saliva. The etiology is uncertain, but chewing gum and using lozenges can offer limited relief. The other measures are not helpful for this condition.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Many pregnant women verbalize an increased awareness of the need to breathe and can perceive this as dyspnea. Because there are no other abnormalities, the nurse should reassure the woman that this is normal and encourage slow, deep breathing while resting with the head elevated.