NCLEX study from Mark Klimek

Hyperthyroidism is also called
Grave’s disease or hypermetabolism

Tip to remember Grave’s disease s/s’s
“Run yourself into the Grave” – everything is up … diarrhea, thin, hot, high BP, high HR, cold tolerance, hot intolerance

Treatment for Grave’s disease
Radioactive Iodine, PTU (put thyroid under), surgically remove

Total thyroidectomy … totals get
tetany, need lifelong hormone replacement

After thyroidectomy patients are at risk for
hypocalcemia, remember hypocalcemia is opposite of the prefix and anything to BP so tetany, parasthesia

parathesia
numbness and tingling, first sign of electrolyte imbalance

Subtotal thyroidectomy … subs get
storm

S/S of thyroid storm
Extremely high vital signs, hyperpyrexia, psychotic delerium

How to treat thyroid storm
give o2, lower temp to spare brain

Risks post op for total thyroidectomy
airway, hemorrhage for 1st 12 hours then for 12-48 hours hypocalcemia leading to tetany

Risks post op for sub total thyroidectomy
airway, hemorrage for 1st 12 hours then for 12-48 hours thyroid storm

Hypothyroidism is also called
Myxedema or hypometabolism

S/S of mydexema
everything is down, constipation, heat tolerance, cold intolerance

Treatment for mydexema
give thyroid medications

Where to put the 5 ice packs to cool a thyroid storm patient
neck pits groin

If you cool a patient too fast what might happen?
Heart arrythmias

Never hold the hormone for what patient?
patient who is NPO with mydexema

Addison’s disease easy way to remember
Add a Sone (sone = steroid)

Adrenal Cortex diseases easy way to remember
A in Adrenal stands for Addison’s
C in Cortex stands for Cushing’s

Addison’s disease is
undersecretion of adrenal cortex, not enough hormone, BRONZE/tan, go into shock very easily. STRESS can trigger.

Addison’s disease treatment
give a steroid, chronic steroid therapy

Cushing’s syndrome
Over secretion of adrenal cortex, too much hormone, too much steroid.

S/S of Cushing’s syndrome
same as steroid use … moon face, think cushman “I’m mad I have an infection”, high blood sugar, losing Potassium,

Treatment for Cushing’s syndrome
Surgery, bi or uni lateral adrenalectomy (bilateral is worse)

Donning PPE’s order
Gown, Mask, Goggles, Gloves

Removing PPE’s order
alphabetically inside the room

For airborne precautions the mask is removed where?
outside of the room

Avoid answers with what words for children 9 mths and younger?
build, sort, stack, construct, make

Toddlers (1-3) work on
their gross motor skills (jump, hop, throw), NO fine motor, parallel play

Preschoolers (3-6) work on
fine motor, balance (tumbling, dance, tricycle), cooperative play, pretend

School age (7-11) work on
creative, collect, competitive

Best default order for click and drag order questions?
Hold ….. med
Assess ….. what med does
Prepare …… the correction
Call ….. or notify

Rarely if ever answer …
call Doctor, NCLEX wants you to think critically

Creatinine lab values
same as lithium 0.6-1.2 Not a huge worry, not a dangerous lab to worry about

INR lab values
2-3, critical value if off, potential for patient to bleed. Use default order for order ?’s (hold all coumadin, assess for bleeding, prepare Vit K (antidote for Coumadin), Call or notify

Potassium lab values
3.5-5.3 If low it is a critical lab to worry about assess the heart and then prepare to give K
if high, hold all K, assess heart (EKG), give D5W and reg insulin, call
if really high, hold, assess, prepare, call STAT Get someone else involved! Dangerous!!

pH lab values
7.35-7.45 if pH is in the 6;s VERY dangerous remember as the patient’s pH goes so goes the patient
If bad vitals, call rapid response team

BUN lab values
8-30 check for dehydration if elevated not a big deal, just be concerned

If a deadly or dangerous lab value is discovered AND they have symptoms call the
rapid response team!

HgB lab values
12-18 check for bleeding if low or high, if low prepare for tranfussion

HCO3 lab values
22-26 if it is abnormal so what!

CO2 lab values
35-45 if in the 50’s assess respiratory status and have patient do pursed lip breathing, if in 60’s considered deadly and respiratory failure, need intubated

Hct lab values
36-54 thickness of blood if abnormal not too big of a deal, assess for dehydration

PO2 lab values
78-100 this is only obtained from an ABG if low give O2 but if really low it is respiratory failure give O2, prepare for intubation, call resp therapy and call Dr

O2 sat lab values
93-100 pulse ox, if under 93 assess resp status and give O2

BNP lab value
less than 100 is normal, good indicator of CHF, edema, if elevated assess s/s of CHF

NA lab values
135-145, if a change in LOC then evaluate for fall/safety risk

WBC lab values
5000-11000 if low assess for infection

CD4 count less than 200 equals
AIDS

Neutropenic precautions (low WBC)
strict handwashing, avoid crowds, private room, low bacteria diet (no raw or undercooked), no water that has been standing longer than 15 min, vital signs Q4H

Platelets lab value
150000-400000 if lower than 90000 bad if lower than 40000 REALLY bad, if they sneeze they could die. Called thrombocytopenia

Bleeding precautions
no venipuncture, injection or IV, if necessary use small guage, handle patient gently, use drawsheet, no razor, no toothbrush, blow nose gently, no aspriin, no rectal temp, no hard foods

RBC lab values
4-6 million abnormal doesn’t really matter

Reason for laminectomy
treat nerve root compression

S/S of nerve root compression
Pain
Parasthesia (numbness & tingling)
Paresis (muscle weakness)

Cervical
Diaphram and Arms affected, breathing, respiratory pattern

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