The nurse is preparing to transfuse a patient with a unit of packed red blood cells (PRBCs). Which patient would be best treated with this transfusion?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Packed red blood cells (PRBCs) are typically transfused to patients with severe anemia, where the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is significantly reduced. PRBCs are concentrated units of red blood cells that can quickly increase the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. Patients with severe anemia may experience symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and pale skin. Transfusion of PRBCs helps to improve oxygen delivery to tissues and organs, alleviating these symptoms and improving the patient's overall well-being.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: A patient arriving in the emergency department with severe chest pain and a history of episodic chest pain over the past week may be experiencing a myocardial infarction or other serious cardiac event. Nitrates and nitrites are commonly used to manage chest pain in such situations because they help dilate blood vessels, improve blood flow to the heart, and reduce the workload on the heart.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Atropine sulfate is an anticholinergic drug that antagonizes the action of acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors. By blocking the parasympathetic nervous system, atropine produces various effects including decreased salivation, increased heart rate, bronchodilation, and mydriasis (pupillary dilation). These properties make atropine useful in treating conditions such as bradycardia, poisoning with certain toxins, and for dilation of the pupil during eye exams.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: When administering the anticoagulant drug Warfarin, one of the two lab tests you should monitor to distinguish the effectiveness of the drug is the International Normalized Ratio (INR). INR measures the time it takes for blood to clot and is used to monitor the effects of Warfarin therapy. The target INR range for patients on Warfarin therapy varies depending on the indication for treatment, but in general, a higher INR indicates that the blood is taking longer to clot, which means the Warfarin is working effectively to prevent blood clots. Regular monitoring of the INR levels is essential to ensure that patients are receiving an appropriate dose of Warfarin to prevent both clotting and bleeding complications.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Clearance (CL = rate of elimination / plasma concentration) is the amount of drug removed per unit time relative to concentration, a true statement defining its calculation. It's constant for first-order kinetics drugs at therapeutic levels, true. Lithium's clearance is moderate, not very high, handled by kidneys, so that's false. Phenytoin's clearance decreases with concentration (zero-order at high doses), not independent, making that false. Clearance isn't inversely proportional to Vd but related via half-life. This definition is essential for dosing regimens, ensuring steady-state maintenance.