A nurse is providing education for a patient beginning thyroid ...

[imowrer]

A nurse is providing education for a patient beginning thyroid replacement therapy for hypothyroidism. Which information provided by the nurse to the patient is most important?
 
  a. Therapy should continue until all symptoms have resolved.
  b. Medication should be taken as directed for 3 to 6 months.
  c. Most patients require therapy for at least 1 year.
  d. In most cases, treatment is likely to be lifelong.

Question 2

The nurse is providing patient education after laboratory findings reveal a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test result of 0.2 microunits/mL. How would the nurse best explain the implications of the laboratory finding to the patient?
 
  a. Hypothyroidism causes a decrease in TSH.
  b. The test probably is erroneous, because you don't have a goiter.
  c. TSH is not a good screening test for thyroid disease.
  d. The low TSH is consistent with hyperthyroidism.

[Loise Hard]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
In most cases, treatment is lifelong. Symptoms never just go away; they must be managed for the rest of the patient's life. With hypothyroidism, the thyroid must be supplemented with T4 daily.
Symptoms never just go away; they must be managed for the rest of the patient's life.
Medication should be taken as directed for life, not just for 3 to 6 months or 1 year.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
The nurse should explain that a low TSH level indicates hyperthyroidism, because the thyroid hormones, T3 and T4, are high, and this causes the pituitary-hypothalamus-thyroid feedback system to reduce TSH in an attempt to avoid stimulating the thyroid to release further T3 and T4.
Hypothyroidism does not cause a decrease in the TSH level; hyperthyroidism does.
A goiter is not always present with hyperthyroidism.
TSH is an acceptable screening test for thyroid disease.

[imowrer]

Gracias!

[Joy Chen]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it