NEUROLOGY
SURGERY
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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A patient 3 days postoperative from a craniotomy informs the nurse, “I feel something trickling down the back of my throat and I taste something salty.” Which priority action does the nurse initiate?
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Give the patient some mouthwash to gargle with.
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Request an antihistamine for the postnasal drip.
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Ask the patient to cough to observe the sputum color and consistency.
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Notify the health care provider of a possible cerebrospinal fluid leak.
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Explanation:
Detailed explanation-1: -Interventions to lower or stabilize ICP include elevating the head of the bed to thirty degrees, keeping the neck in a neutral position, maintaining a normal body temperature, and preventing volume overload. The patient must be stabilized before transport to radiology for brain imaging.
Detailed explanation-2: -Activities that can increase ICP should be avoided. These activities include suctioning, coughing, vomiting, and compression of jugular veins. Patient care should not be clustered, as this may also cause an increase in ICP. A ventriculostomy can be used to continuously monitor a patient’s intracranial pressure.
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