Which factor can the nurse disregard as he or she plans teaching ...

[fnuegbu]

Which factor can the nurse disregard as he or she plans teaching for clients with bipolar disorder who will be discharged on lithium? Clients:
 
  1. Often prefer feeling high and energetic to feeling calm and slowed
  2. Should take lithium daily without skipping doses or taking make-up doses
  3. May experience auditory hallucinations telling them lithium is poison
  4. Should not change the amount of salt in their diets from day to day

Question 2

A client with bipolar disorder reveals to the clinic nurse that she may be 4 weeks' pregnant. What action should the nurse take?
 
  1. Confer with the physician about ordering a pregnancy test and discontinuing lith-ium.
  2. Instruct the client to continue taking lithium according to the treatment plan.
  3. Suggest to the physician that the lithium dose should be increased for better symptom control.
  4. Remind the client that barrier birth control methods should be used to prevent pregnancy during lithium therapy.

[bobsmith]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: 3
It is rare for clients with bipolar disorder to experience auditory hallucinations of a persecutory nature; thus this factor is irrelevant. The other factors listed in options 1, 2, and 4 have relevance to development of the teaching plan.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: 1
The first need is to learn whether the client is pregnant. Lithium ingestion by the mother can cause fetal damage. Lithium should be discontinued if pregnancy is confirmed. Thus options 2 and 3 are inappropriate and harmful. Option 4 is appropriate only if the pregnancy test is nega-tive.

[fnuegbu]

Thank you

[bobsmith]

Happy to help you