The Client with an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
A nurse is completing the health history for a client who has been taking Echinacea for
a head cold. the client asks "why isn't this helping me feel better" which of the following
responses by the nurse would be the most accurate:
• there is limited information as to the effectiveness of herbal products
• antibiotics are the agents needed to treat a head cold
• the head cold should be gone within the month
• combining herbal products with prescription antiviral medications is sure to help you -
Answer there is limited information as to the effectiveness of herbal products
1. At this time, there is no strong research
evidence to warrant recommendations of herbal
products for management of colds; further study
is needed to show evidence of therapeutic effects and indications. Antibiotics are
effective against
bacteria; the head cold may have a viral cause. An
uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection subsides within 2 to 3 weeks. There may
be a drug-drug interaction with herbal products and prescriptions
A nurse is teaching a client about taking antihistamines. Which of the following
instructions should the nurse include in the teaching plan?
Select all that apply.
• 1. Operating machinery and driving may be dangerous while taking antihistamines.
• 2. Continue taking antihistamines even if nasal
infection develops.
• 3. The effect of antihistamines is not felt until a day later.
• 4. Do not use alcohol with antihistamines.
• 5. Increase fluid intake to 2,000 mL/day. - Answer 1, 4, 5. Antihistamines have an
anticholinergic action and a drying effect and reduce nasal,
salivary, and lacrimal gland hypersecretion (runny nose, tearing, and itching eyes). An
adverse effect is drowsiness, so operating machinery and driving are not
recommended. There is also an additive
depressant effect when alcohol is combined with
antihistamines, so alcohol should be avoided during
antihistamine use. The client should ensure adequate fluid intake of at least 8 glasses
per day due to the drying effect of the drug. Antihistamines have
A client with allergic rhinitis is instructed on the correct technique for using an intranasal
inhaler. Which of the following statements would demonstrate to the nurse that the client
understands the
instructions?
• 1. "I should limit the use of the inhaler to early morning and bedtime use."
• 2. "It is important to not shake the canister because that can damage the spray
device."
• 3. "I should hold one nostril closed while I insert the spray into the other nostril."
• 4. "The inhaler tip is inserted into the nostril and pointed toward the inside nostril wall."
- Answer 3. When using an intranasal inhaler, it is important to close off one nostril while
,Respiratory Lippincott
inhaling the spray into the other nostril to ensure the best inhalation of the spray. Use of
the inhaler is not limited to mornings and bedtime. The canister should be shaken
immediately before use. The inhaler tip should be inserted into the nostril and pointed
toward the outside nostril wall to maximize inhalation of the medication.
Which of the following would be an expected outcome for a client recovering from an
upper respiratory tract infection? The client will:
• 1. Maintain a fluid intake of 800 mL every 24 hours.
• 2. Experience chills only once a day.
• 3. Cough productively without chest discomfort.
• 4. Experience less nasal obstruction and discharge. - Answer 4. A client recovering
from an upper respiratory
tract infection should report decreasing or no nasal discharge and obstruction. Daily
fluid intake should be increased to more than 1 L every 24 hours to liquefy secretions.
The temperature should be below 100° F (37.8° C) with no chills or diaphoresis.
A productive cough with chest pain indicates a
pulmonary infection, not an upper respiratory tract
infection.
The nurse teaches the client how to instill nose drops. Which of the following techniques
is correct?
• 1. The client uses sterile technique when handling
the dropper.
• 2. The client blows the nose gently before instilling drops.
• 3. The client uses a new dropper for each instillation.
• 4. The client sits in a semi-Fowler's position with the head tilted forward after
administration of the drops. - Answer 2. The client should blow the nose before instilling
nose drops. Instilling nose drops is a clean technique. The dropper should be cleaned
after each
administration, but it does not need to be changed. The client should assume a position
that will allow the medication to reach the desired area; this is usually a supine position.
The nurse should include which of the following
instructions in the teaching plan for a client
with chronic sinusitis?
• 1. Avoid the use of caffeinated beverages.
• 2. Perform postural drainage every day.
• 3. Take hot showers twice daily.
• 4. Report a temperature of 102° F (38.9° C) or
higher. - Answer 3. The client with chronic sinusitis should be instructed to take hot
showers in the morning and evening to promote drainage of secretions. There is no
need to limit caffeine intake. Performing postural drainage will inhibit removal of
secretions, not
promote it. Clients should elevate the head of the bed to promote drainage. Clients
should report all temperatures higher than 100.4° F (38° C), because a temperature that
high can indicate infection.
,Respiratory Lippincott
A client with allergic rhinitis asks the nurse
what he should do to decrease his symptoms. Which
of the following instructions would be appropriate
for the nurse to give the client?
• 1. "Use your nasal decongestant spray regularly
to help clear your nasal passages."
• 2. "Ask the doctor for antibiotics. Antibiotics
will help decrease the secretion."
• 3. "It is important to increase your activity. A
daily brisk walk will help promote drainage."
• 4. "Keep a diary of when your symptoms occur.
This can help you identify what precipitates
your attacks." - Answer 4. It is important for clients with allergic rhinitis to determine the
precipitating factors so
that they can be avoided. Keeping a diary can help
identify these triggers. Nasal decongestant sprays
should not be used regularly because they can cause
a rebound effect. Antibiotics are not appropriate for
allergic rhinitis because an infection is not present. Increasing activity will not control the
client's symptoms; in fact, walking outdoors may increase them if the client is allergic to
pollen.
Guaifenesin (Robitussin) 300 mg four times a
day has been ordered as an expectorant. The dosage
strength of the liquid is 200 mg/5 mL. How many
milliliters should the nurse administer for each
dose?
_____________________ mL. - Answer 7.5 mL
300 mg/X = 200 mg/5 mL
X = 7.5 mL.
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) has been ordered as a nasal decongestant. Which of the
following is a possible adverse effect of this drug?
• 1. Constipation.
• 2. Bradycardia.
• 3. Diplopia.
• 4. Restlessness. - Answer 4. Adverse effects of pseudoephedrine
(Sudafed) are experienced primarily in the cardiovascular system and through
sympathetic effects on the central nervous system (CNS). The most common CNS
adverse effects include restlessness, dizziness, tension, anxiety, insomnia, and
weakness. Common cardiovascular adverse effects
include tachycardia, hypertension, palpitations,
and arrhythmias. Constipation and diplopia are not adverse effects of pseudoephedrine.
Tachycardia, not bradycardia, is a adverse effect of pseudoephedrine.
, Respiratory Lippincott
The Client Undergoing Nasal Surgery
A health care provider has just inserted nasal
packing for a client with epistaxis. The client is taking
ramipril (Altace) for hypertension. What should
the nurse instruct the client to do?
■ 1. Use 81 mg of aspirin daily for relief of discomfort.
■ 2. Omit the next dose of ramipril (Altace).
■ 3. Remove the packing if there is difficulty swallowing.
■ 4. Avoid rigorous aerobic exercise. - Answer 4. Epistaxis, or nosebleed, is a common,
sudden emergency. Commonly, no apparent explanation for the bleeding is known.
With significant blood
loss, systemic symptoms, such as vertigo, increased pulse, shortness of breath,
decreased blood pressure, and pallor, will occur. Because aerobic exercise may
increase blood pressure and increased blood
pressure can cause epistaxis, the client with hypertension should avoid it. Aspirin
inhibits platelet aggregation, reducing the ability of the blood to clot.
The client should continue to take his antihypertension
medication, ramipril (Altace). Posterior nasal packing should be left in place for 1 to 3
days.
A 27-year-old female has had elective nasal
surgery for a deviated septum. Which of the following
would indicate thaat bleeding was occurring
even if the nasal drip pad remained dry and intact?
■ 1. Nausea.
■ 2. Repeated swallowing.
■ 3. Increased respiratory rate.
■ 4. Increased pain. - Answer 2. Because of the dense nasal packing, bleeding
may not be apparent through the nasal drip pad. Instead, the blood may run down the
throat, causing the client to swallow frequently. The back
of the throat, where the blood will be apparent, can be assessed with a flashlight. An
accumulation of blood in the stomach can cause nausea and vomiting, but nausea
would not be the initial indicator of bleeding. An increased respiratory rate occurs in
shock but is not an early sign of bleeding in a client who has undergone nasal surgery.
Increased pain warrants further assessment but is not an indicator of bleeding.
A client who has undergone outpatient nasal
surgery is ready for discharge and has nasal packing
in place. Which of the following discharge instructions
would be appropriate for the client?
■ 1. Avoid activities that elicit the Valsalva
maneuver.
■ 2. Take aspirin to control nasal discomfort.
■ 3. Avoid brushing the teeth until the nasal packing
is removed.