A patient will be discharged with a 1-week supply of an opioid analgesic for pain management after abdominal surgery. The nurse will include which information in the teaching plan?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: How to prevent constipation. Opioid analgesics commonly cause constipation as a side effect. Teaching the patient how to prevent constipation, such as increasing fiber intake and staying hydrated, is crucial for their overall well-being. This information will help the patient manage a common side effect of the medication and improve their quality of life post-surgery. Choice A is incorrect because dehydration due to diarrhea is not a common side effect of opioid analgesics. Choice B is incorrect because waiting for pain to become severe before taking the medication can lead to uncontrolled pain and poor pain management. Choice D is incorrect because taking the drug on an empty stomach is not typically necessary for opioid analgesics and may actually increase the risk of gastrointestinal side effects.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: The dosage will be reduced by 50%. In this case, the patient has late-stage liver failure, which can impair the metabolism and clearance of lidocaine. Since lidocaine is metabolized in the liver, reducing the dosage by 50% will prevent potential toxicity due to impaired liver function. Incorrect Choices: B: Adding a diuretic to lidocaine is not indicated in this scenario as it does not address the issue of impaired liver function affecting lidocaine metabolism. C: Changing lidocaine to an oral dosage form does not address the issue of impaired liver function and may still lead to toxicity due to altered metabolism. D: Increasing the dosage of lidocaine would only increase the risk of toxicity in a patient with impaired liver function. It is important to reduce the dosage to prevent adverse effects.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Increased ease of breathing. Aminophylline is a bronchodilator used to improve breathing in COPD exacerbations. A therapeutic response would be improved ease of breathing due to bronchodilation. Increased sputum production (A) is not a desired effect. Increased heart rate (B) is a potential side effect of aminophylline, not a therapeutic response. Increased respiratory rate (C) may occur due to improved breathing but is not the primary therapeutic goal.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because inhalation actually provides rapid access to the general circulation due to the large surface area and rich blood supply in the lungs. A is correct as intravenous administration is the fastest route. B is correct as intramuscular administration necessitates a sterile technique to prevent infection. D is correct as subcutaneous administration can cause local irritation due to the injection site. Thus, C is the incorrect statement as inhalation does not provide slow access to the general circulation.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Tolerance develops due to the body adapting to a drug's presence, requiring higher doses for the same effect. Diminished absorption means less drug enters the body, leading to tolerance. Rapid excretion removes the drug quickly, causing the body to adjust, also leading to tolerance. Therefore, both factors contribute to tolerance development. Choice C is correct. Choices A and B alone do not fully explain tolerance development as they are only partial explanations, making them incorrect.