Exam 65: Nursing Management: Arthritis and Connective Tissue Diseases

When teaching a patient who has rheumatoid arthritis (RA) about how to manage activities of daily living, the nurse instructs the patient to

When teaching range-of-motion exercises to a patient who is having an acute exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with joint pain and swelling in both hands, the nurse teaches the patient that

A patient is hospitalized with an acute attack of primary gout, which is affecting the left great toe and ankle. The outcome that the nurse determines as most important is that the patient

Prednisone (Deltasone) is prescribed for a patient with an acute exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis. When the patient has a follow-up visit 1 month later, the nurse recognizes that the patient's response to the treatment may be best evaluated by

A 35-year-old patient with three school-age children who has recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) tells the nurse that the inability to be involved in many family activities is causing stress at home. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?"

When teaching a patient with osteoarthritis (OA) of the left hip and lower lumbar vertebrae about management of the condition, the nurse determines that additional instruction is needed when the patient says,

The health care provider prescribes methotrexate (Rheumatrex) for a 28-year-old woman with stage II moderate rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When obtaining a health history from the patient, the most important information for the nurse to communicate to the health care provider is that the patient has

A 58-year-old patient has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hands and feet. The patient tells the nurse, "I am afraid that I will be hopelessly crippled in just a few years!" The best response by the nurse is that

A patient hospitalized for IV corticosteroid therapy to treat polymyositis has joint pain, an erythematosus facial rash with eyelid edema, and a weak, hoarse voice. The priority nursing diagnosis for the patient is

The health care provider plans to prescribe methotrexate (Rheumatrex) to a patient with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patient tells the nurse, "That drug has too many side effects; I would rather wait until my joint problems are worse before beginning any drugs." The most appropriate response by the nurse is

A patient has systemic sclerosis manifested by the CREST syndrome. During assessment of the patient, the nurse would expect to find

When the nurse is reviewing laboratory results for a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which result is most important to communicate to the health care provider?

The nurse teaches a patient diagnosed with progressive systemic sclerosis about health maintenance activities. The nurse determines that additional instruction is needed when the patient says,

A 60-year-old patient has osteoarthritis (OA) of the left knee. A finding that the nurse would expect to be present on examination of the patient's knee is

A concerned parent who lives in an area endemic for Lyme disease asks the nurse what precautions should be taken for the disease. The nurse will teach the parent that

A patient with an acute exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is hospitalized with incapacitating fatigue, acute hand and wrist pain, and proteinuria. The health care provider prescribes prednisone (Deltasone) 40 mg twice daily. Which nursing action should be included in the plan of care?

A patient with hip pain is diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA). The nurse may need to teach the patient about the use of

Following instruction for a patient with newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the nurse determines that teaching about the disease has been effective when the patient says,

A patient who had arthroscopic surgery of the left knee 5 days previously is admitted with a red, swollen, and hot-to-touch knee. Which of these assessment data obtained by the nurse should be reported to the health care provider immediately?

When the nurse is reviewing laboratory data for a patient who is taking methotrexate (Rheumatrex), which information is most important to communicate to the health care provider?