Author Question: A nurse is helping a nursing student who is administering a medication to a patient with myasthenia ... (Read 163 times)

ec501234 · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

A nurse is helping a nursing student who is administering a medication to a patient with myasthenia gravis. Which statement by the student indicates the need for further teaching?

a. I will ask the patient to sip some water before giving the medication.
b. I will let the patient sleep after giving the medication, because rest is important.
c. I will record muscle strength assessments before and after I give the medication.
d. I will report excessive salivation to the patient's prescriber.

Question 2

A nurse is caring for a patient who has myasthenia gravis. The prescriber has ordered neostigmine (Prostigmin). An important initial nursing action before administration of the medication includes assessing:

a. the ability to raise the eyelids.
b. level of fatigue.
c. skeletal muscle strength.
d. swallowing ability.

JCABRERA33 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
An important assessment indicating the medication's effectiveness is evaluating a patient's ability to raise the eyelids. Letting the patient sleep, even though rest is important, would prevent the nurse from making this assessment. To make sure the patient can safely swallow a pill, the nurse must evaluate swallowing ability by asking the patient to take a sip of water. Muscle strength assessments before and after medication administration help the nurse evaluate the medication's effectiveness. Excessive salivation may be a sign of drug toxicity and should be reported.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
Many patients hospitalized for myasthenia gravis do not have the muscle strength to swallow well and need a parenteral form of the medication; therefore, assessing the patient's ability to swallow is an important initial safety measure. Evaluating the patient's ability to raise the eyelids, level of fatigue, and skeletal muscle strength are all important assessments both before drug administration and during drug treatment, because they indicate the effectiveness of the drug and help determine subsequent doses.