Deck 7: Substance Use and Health Assessment

Question 1

As the nurse is preparing the patient for surgery, he states that he usually has three glasses of wine a night to relax and help him sleep.What else will the nurse need to assess the patient postoperatively in addition to the regular postoperative assessments?

A)Mental status
B)Withdrawal symptoms
C)No addictions
D)Depression

Answer 1

Withdrawal symptoms

Question 2

A patient visits the clinic to ask about smoking cessation.He has smoked heavily for 30 years and wants to stop "cold turkey." He asks the nurse, "What symptoms can I expect if I do this?" Which of these symptoms should the nurse share with the patient as possible symptoms of nicotine withdrawal? (Select all that apply.)

A)Headaches
B)Hunger
C)Sleepiness
D)Restlessness
E)Nervousness
F)Sweating

Answer 2

Headaches
Hunger
Restlessness
Nervousness

Question 3

After history taking and physical assessment of a patient with a known history of illicit substance use, what information will the nurse chart? (Select all that apply.)

A)The patient is a known drug user.
B)The patient states using cocaine daily via injection and snorting.
C)The patient is using cocaine, and the police have been informed.
D)The patient states using safe injections sites for cocaine injection.
E)The patient is a druggie and addicted to cocaine.

Answer 3

The patient states using cocaine daily via injection and snorting.
The patient states using safe injections sites for cocaine injection.

Question 4

To advocate for a harm reduction approach to substance use the nurse suggests:

A)Safe injection sites
B)Abstinence
C)Providing clean needles
D)Developing safe housing
E)Public access to naloxone kits
F)Complete cessation of substance use

Question 5

During the first meeting with the patient, the nurse takes a respectful, least invasive approach to assessing substance use by asking:

A)"How much do you drink?"
B)"What types of drugs do you use?"
C)"What drugs are you injecting?"
D)"Do you drink alcohol at all?"

Question 6

The nurse has completed an assessment on a patient who came to the clinic for a leg injury.As a result of the assessment, the patient states desire to quit drinking.Which action by the nurse is most appropriate at this time?

A)Record the results of the assessment, and notify the physician on call.
B)State, "I can help you and will arrange for someone from the addictions team to come speak with you about quitting drinking."
C)State, "It appears that you may have a drinking problem.Here is the telephone number of our local Alcoholics Anonymous chapter."
D)Give the patient information about a local rehabilitation clinic.

Question 7

A patient has been admitted to the hospital after a weekend of binge drinking.What are some signs the nurse will observe indicating withdrawal from alcohol?

A)Bradycardia and vasodilation
B)Euphoria and elation
C)Anxiety, agitation, and diaphoresis
D)Depression and hunger

Question 8

Having affirmed alcohol use, the nurse is asking an adolescent about illicit substance use.The adolescent answers, "Yes, I've tried cocaine at parties with my friends." What is the next question the nurse should ask?

A)"Who are these friends?"
B)"Do your parents know about this?"
C)"How much did you use?"
D)"Is this a regular habit?"

Question 9

The nurse is admitting a patient with a history of cocaine use.The nurse will document:

A)Patient is an addict and lives on the street.
B)Patient is seeking drugs and wants any drug he can have.
C)Patient is a cocaine addict.
D)Patient states injecting cocaine daily over the past week.

Question 10

The nurse is arranging a health promotion information session for the community's older adults.What is a common concern for the older adult population regarding substance use should the nurse include?

A)Binge drinking to conform
B)Risks of taking many different medications
C)Facing judgment for using marijuana
D)Medicating for behaviour problems

Question 11

The nurse is reviewing aspects of substance use in preparation for a seminar.Which of these statements illustrates the concept of tolerance to an illicit substance? The person:

A)Has a physiological dependence on a substance.
B)Requires an increased amount of the substance to produce the same effect.
C)Requires daily use of the substance to function and is unable to stop using it.
D)Experiences a syndrome of physiologic symptoms if the substance is not used.

Question 12

A woman has come to the clinic to seek help for a substance abuse problem.She admits to using cocaine just before arriving.Which of these assessment findings would the nurse expect to find when examining this woman?

A)Dilated pupils, pacing, and psychomotor agitation
B)Dilated pupils, unsteady gait, and aggressiveness
C)Pupil constriction, lethargy, apathy, and dysphoria
D)Constricted pupils, euphoria, and decreased temperature

Question 13

A woman who has just discovered that she is pregnant is in the clinic for her first obstetric visit.She asks the nurse, "How many drinks a day is safe for my baby?" The nurse's best response is:

A)"You should limit your drinking to once or twice a week."
B)"It's okay to have up to two glasses of wine a day."
C)"As long as you avoid getting drunk, you should be safe."
D)"No amount of alcohol has been determined to be safe during pregnancy."

Question 14

While admitting a patient with liver failure resulting from consumption of harmful amounts of alcohol, the nurse should include assessment of:

A)Pregnancy
B)Cultural practices
C)Mental health
D)Spiritual beliefs

Question 15

A patient is brought to the emergency department.He is restless, has dilated pupils, is sweating, has a runny nose and tearing eyes, and complains of muscle and joint pains.His girlfriend thinks he has influenza, but she became concerned when his temperature went up to 39.4°C.She admits that he has been a heavy drug user, but he has been trying to stop on his own.The nurse suspects that the patient is experiencing withdrawal symptoms from which substance?

A)Alcohol
B)Heroin
C)Crack cocaine
D)Sedatives

Question 16

While working with a group of university students, the nurse undertakes a harm reduction approach to alcohol consumption by introducing:

A)Narcotics Anonymous
B)Canada's Low-risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines
C)Alcoholics Anonymous
D)Tobacco Cessation

Question 17

A patient with a known history of heavy alcohol use has been admitted to the intensive care unit after he was found unconscious outside a bar.The nurse closely monitors him for symptoms of withdrawal.Which of these symptoms may occur during this time? (Select all that apply.

A)Bradycardia
B)Increased hand tremors
C)Nausea
D)Somnolence
E)Sweating

Question 18

The nurse is caring for a mother after the delivery of her infant.The mother had reported using an antidepressant through her pregnancy and is worried about her baby.The nurse should reassure the mother and:

A)Inform her that she should not have been taking antidepressants while pregnant.
B)Promote skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding to support mother and baby.
C)Inform her that the baby will need medication to treat the withdrawal.
D)Remove the baby from her care.