A type 2 diabetic patient is admitted to the hospital with a ...

[skymedlock]

A type 2 diabetic patient is admitted to the hospital with a gastrointestinal illness and a blood glucose of 480 mg/dL. After stabilizing the patient, what action by the nurse is best?
 
  a. Educate the patient on safe food handling.
  b. Ask if the patient took the diabetic medi-cation.
  c. Teach the patient ways to avoid dehydra-tion
  d. Delegate frequent blood sugars to the aide.

Question 2

A 69-year-old was prescribed a benzodiazepine 3 years ago. This medication regimen increases the patient's risk for injury related to drug abuse and requires frequent patient assessment for which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
 
  a. Daytime sleepiness
  b. Unsteady gait
  c. Shortness of breath
  d. Easy bleeding
  e. Forgetfulness

[BUTTHOL369]

Answer to Question 1

B
A frequent cause of hyperglycemia requiring hospitalization in diabetics is poor sick day man-agement. The type 2 diabetic still makes insulin and so needs antihyperglycemic drugs even when ill. The nurse assesses the diabetic's knowledge of sick day management. The other options are appropriate but not the priority. Better sick day management can possibly keep the patient from further, similar, hospitalizations.

Answer to Question 2

A, B, E
Benzodiazepines can cause excessive sedation, impaired memory, decreased psychomotor per-formance, and balance disturbances and may lead to drug dependence and should not be pre-scribed for extended periods of time. Shortness of breath and bleeding are not signs of side ef-fects.