A home care client who has been identified as drinking a six-pack ...

[karateprodigy]

A home care client who has been identified as drinking a six-pack of beer daily tells the community
  mental health nurse
 
  that his arthritis has been acting up recently and he is taking acetaminophen
  arthritis formula four times daily for pain. The priority interventions the nurse should take include
  (more than one option may be correct)
  A. determining the safety of the dose the client is ingesting daily.
  B. advising the client of the harmful effect of alcohol and acetaminophen on the liver.
  C. suggesting increasing the acetaminophen dose because alcohol causes faster excretion.
  D. inquiring about sleep disturbance caused by mixing alcohol and analgesics.
  E. assessing for declining functional status associated with medication-induced dementia.

Question 2

An appropriate outcome to select for the initial treatment phase for a client who has abused cocaine
  is
 
  a. psychosocial adjustment: life change.
  b. abusive behavior: self-restraint.
  c. risk control: drug use.
  d. compliance behavior.

[miss.ashley]

Answer to Question 1

A, B
Rationale: The nurse should be concerned with the client's use of alcohol and acetaminophen
because the toxicity of acetaminophen is enhanced by alcohol and by the age-related decrease in
clearance. The nurse must determine whether the acetaminophen dose is within safe limits or is
excessive and provide this information to the client. Next, the nurse must provide health education
regarding the danger of combined use of acetaminophen and alcohol. The client will likely need to
discontinue alcohol or consult the physician about another analgesic that is less hepatotoxic. Option
C: This would cause greater liver damage. Option D: This is not a current priority. Option E: This is
not a priority.

Answer to Question 2

C
Risk control: drug use is defined as actions to prevent, eliminate, or reduce drug use that poses a
threat to health. This outcome is most pertinent to treatment for cocaine abuse. Option A refers to
adaptive psychosocial response of an individual to a significant life change. It is less specific than
option C. Option B refers to self-restraint of abusive behaviors toward others. Option D refers to
personal actions to promote wellness, recovery, and rehabilitation based on professional advice. It is
less specific than option C.