A nurse is reinforcing discharge instructions with a parent of a 6-year-old child who has just had a tonsillectomy. Which of the following statements by the parent indicates an understanding of postoperative care?
"It's okay for my child to have plenty of ice cream."
“I’ll help my child gargle with salt water a few times a day."
"I'll call the doctor if my child is swallowing continuously."
"It's okay for my child to ride his bike in a few days.”
The Correct Answer is C
A. "It's okay for my child to have plenty of ice cream.": Cold, soft foods like ice cream are typically allowed, but dairy products like ice cream may increase mucus production, which could irritate the throat.
B. “I’ll help my child gargle with salt water a few times a day.": Gargling is contraindicated after a tonsillectomy as it can irritate the surgical site and potentially cause bleeding.
C. "I'll call the doctor if my child is swallowing continuously." Continuous swallowing can be a sign of bleeding after a tonsillectomy, which is a medical emergency. It is important for parents to recognize this as an early sign of hemorrhage.
D. "It's okay for my child to ride his bike in a few days.": Strenuous activities, including riding a bike, should be avoided for at least 1-2 weeks to reduce the risk of bleeding.
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Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Decreasing respiratory rate: This is not expected; respiratory rate may increase as the body attempts to compensate for reduced oxygenation.
B. Facial flushing: This is not a common symptom of atelectasis and may indicate other issues such as anxiety or fever.
C. Dry cough: While a cough may be present, it is more likely to be productive due to retained secretions.
D. Increasing dyspnea: Atelectasis often leads to decreased lung volume, which can cause increasing dyspnea as the lung tissue collapses.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Encourage the client to cough and deep breathe. Encouraging the client to cough and deep breathe promotes the clearance of secretions and improves lung expansion, which is critical in treating pneumonia.
B. Encourage the client to increase oral fluids: This helps to thin secretions, but encouraging deep breathing and coughing is more immediate and effective for clearing secretions.
C. Provide chest percussion on the client: Chest percussion helps mobilize secretions but is not the priority before ensuring the client is actively coughing and deep breathing.
D. Obtain the client’s temperature: While monitoring vital signs is important, clearing secretions is the priority for improving respiratory status in pneumonia.