OK I know this sounds stupid but I have a friend that gets really freaked out before big tests like finals, HESI, NCLEX, and usually we get together and a few days before I start throwing out random facts at her. On 2 different tests she said the only way she got several questions was from the random facts that I threw at her that she never would have thought of!
SOOOOO..... I thought that if yall wanted to do this we could get a thread going and try to throw out 5 random facts or "things to remember". NCLEX is coming and the more I try to review content the more I realize that I have forgotten so......here are my 5 random facts for ya:
OH and BTW these came from rationales in Kaplan or Saunders no made up stuff:
1️⃣ A kid with Hepatitis A can return to school 1 week within the onset of jaundice.
2️⃣ After a patient has dialysis they may have a slight fever...this is normal due to the fact that the dialysis solution is warmed by the machine.
3️⃣ Hyperkalemia presents on an EKG as tall peaked T-waves
4️⃣ The antidote for Mag Sulfate toxicity is ---Calcium Gluconate
5️⃣ Impetigo is a CONTAGEOUS skin disorder and the person needs to wash ALL linens and dishes seperate from the family. They also need to wash their hands frequently and avoid contact.
Oh, ohh, one more...
? Vasopressin is also known as antidiuretic hormone
Anyone with quick reviews on peripheral artery disease, esp. Burgers and Raynauds?
PAD is most common in the arteries of the pelvis and legs. It's a condition similar to coronary artery disease (CAD) and carotid artery disease. CAD refers to atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle with blood. Carotid artery disease refers to atherosclerosis in the arteries that supply blood to the brain
Symptoms of severe PAD include:
Leg pain that doesn't go away when client stops exercising
Foot or toe wounds that won't heal or heal very slowly
Gangrene
A marked decrease in the temperature of lower leg or foot, particularly compared to the other leg or to the rest of the body.
Diagnosing PAD:
PAD diagnosis begins with a physical examination - most importantly, checking for weak pulses in the legs. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) test is also usually done (compares the blood pressure in feet to the blood pressure in arms to determine how well blood is flowing). Normally, the ankle pressure is at least 90 percent of the arm pressure, but with severe narrowing it may be less than 50 percent. If an ABI reveals an abnormal ratio between the blood pressure of the ankle and arm, more testing would be indicated, such as doppler ultrasound, MRI, CAT Scan, and angiography.
Treatment:
Treatment for PAD focuses on reducing symptoms and preventing further progression of the disease. In most cases, lifestyle changes, exercise and claudication medications are enough to slow the progression or even reverse the symptoms of PAD.
Buerger's disease, (a/k/a thromboangiitis obliterans), is a rare disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs. Buerger's disease is characterized by a combination of inflammation and clots in the blood vessels, which impairs blood flow. This eventually damages or destroys tissues and may lead to infection and gangrene. Buerger's disease usually begins in the hands and feet and may progress to affect larger areas of the limbs.
*****Buerger's disease is rare in the United States, but is more common in the Middle East and Far East. Buerger's disease most commonly affects men between ages 20 and 40, though it's becoming more common in women. Virtually everyone diagnosed with Buerger's disease smokes cigarettes or uses other forms of tobacco, such as chewing tobacco. Quitting all forms of tobacco is the only way to stop Buerger's disease. For those who don't quit, amputation of all or part of a limb may ultimately be necessary*****
Signs and symptoms of Buerger's disease include:
Pain and weakness in legs and feet or arms and hands
Swelling in feet and hands
Fingers and toes that turn pale when exposed to cold (Raynaud's phenomenon**)
Open sores on fingers and toes
Tests to confirm diagnosis include Allen's test, arteriogram, and blood tests to r/o other possible causes, such as lupus, scleroderma, blood clotting disorders, and diabetes mellitus
No treatment can cure Buerger's disease. Instead, various treatment approaches may be attempted to reduce S/S, including:
---Medications to improve blood flow or to dissolve blood clots
---Surgery to cut the nerves in the affected area (surgical sympathectomy) to control pain
Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a condition resulting in a particular series of discolorations of the fingers and/or the toes after exposure to changes in temperature (cold or hot) or emotional events. Skin discoloration occurs because an abnormal spasm of the blood vessels causes a diminished blood supply to the local tissues. Initially, the digit(s) involved turn white because of the diminished blood supply. The digit(s) then turn blue because of prolonged lack of oxygen. Finally, the blood vessels reopen, causing a local "flushing" phenomenon, which turns the digit(s) red. This three-phase color sequence (white to blue to red), most often upon exposure to cold temperature, is characteristic of RP.
Raynaud's phenomenon most frequently affects women, especially in the second, third, or fourth decades of life. People can have Raynaud's phenomenon alone or as a part of other rheumatic diseases. When it occurs alone, it is referred to as "Raynaud's disease" or primary Raynaud's phenomenon. When it accompanies other diseases, it is called secondary Raynaud's phenomenon.
Raynaud's phenomenon has been seen with a number of conditions, including rheumatic diseases (scleroderma, RH, SE, hormonal imbalance (hypothyroidism and carcinoid), trauma (frostbite, vibrating tools), medications (propranolol (Inderal), taking estrogens without progesterone, nicotine, bleonycin (Bleonxane - used in cancer Tx), and ergotamine (used for headaches); and in Buerger's Disease.
Persistent or bothersome symptoms may be helped by taking oral medications that open (dilate) blood vessels. These include calcium antagonists, such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Procardia), and other medicines used in blood pressure treatment, such as methyldopa (Aldomet) and prazocin (Minipress).
Severe RP can lead to gangrene and the loss of digits. In rare cases of severe disease, sympathectomy is sometimes considered (the nerves that stimulate the constriction of the vessels (sympathetic nerves) are surgically interrupted. Usually this is performed during an operation that is localized to the sides of the base of the fingers at the hand. Through small incisions the tiny nerves around the blood vessels are stripped away. This procedure is referred to as a digital sympathectomy
Piscesmama, thanks. I get 100% of the info from old class notes and memory. I do organize it better before posting & double check with my med-surg book. No Kaplan. I did order the Drexel DVDs and plan to start watching those the week before the test.:wink2:
Signs/symptoms: hyperglycemia that is very high usually over 500-600 mg/dl
hypotension, dehydration, tachycardia, LOC changes/mental status changes, seizures!
Treat with/by: similar tx to DKA, includes fluid replacement & coorect electrolyte imbalances, give insulin ( insulin does not play as significant a role in the tx of HHNK as it does with DKA )
The difference between HHNK & DKA is that ketosis & acidosis do NOT happen in HHNK. Onset is usually slow.
It should be abbreviated HHNS but I remember it better as Hank so I use HHNK.
12 to 13 months should be able to walk with their hand held and be able to take a few steps without falling.
14-15 months should be able to walk alone, crawl upstairs, explore or leave mom's side ( Yeah Funny )
I think the people that come up with this stuff don't have kids.
Preschoolers age 3-5 should be about 37 inches by 3 years and grow 2-3 inches a year. Have good posture, develop fine motor coordination, tie shoes, lots of why questions. Play should be cooperative, imagionary friends show up, likes to build & create. Magical thinking.
Insulin pumps infuse a continuous basal rate & on the basis of activity, food intake, and /or the blood glucose level the patient can give themselves a bolus dose as well. Most commonly it infuses Regular Insulin.
Anticoagulants, ASA, alcohol, beta-blockers, tetracycline, and MAOIs, oh... and hypoglycemics decrease blood glucose levels.
DKA= the main signs/symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis are hyperglycemia, dehydration, electrolyte losses, and acidosis. Tx with rehydration ( start IV infusion with 0.9% NS or LR till blood glucose drops down some then add dextrose as prescribed ), IV regular insulin, K+ may be elevated from the acidosis & dehydration, watch for fluid overload, monitor blood glucose closely, do not let blood glucose fall too fast as it can cause edema ( cerebral )or IICP.
NPH is an intermediate acting insulin with an onset of 3-4 hours, a peak of 4-12 hrs, and a duration of 16-20 hrs.
Piscesmama, earlier I forgot to say I use Lippincott NCLEX reveiw book. But not for posting.
This might sound stupid but to assess for a thrombis, the nurse would elict a homan's sign to see if there is pain on dorsiflexion...well in Saunder's 4th edition it says to "grasp the foot and dorsiflex it forward"....I thought you would grasp it and move it backwards, as in flexion, not plantar extension. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.
The following is a link to allnurses.com, regarding homans' sign and PE's.......what we learned in school was never to use it because it is both usless and may cause an existing clot to break off, possibly causing a PE (although it had to be taught)
Is a pulmonary artery catheter advanced thru the superior vena cava into the R atrium and venticle, and pulmonary artery. A sterile dry dressing should be changed every 24 hours; be sure to check site every shift for s/s of infection.
A delay between the P wave and QRS = heart block
Treatment of atrial flutter: correction of underlying disorder, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, digitalis, and amniodarone.
This has always been so confusing to me, but after having read and reread, and so on, and so on...in Saunders, I think i may finally kind of understand it....so i will attempt to explain what i (may) have learned:
ACID-BASE BALANCE
We begin with Hydrogen Ions (H+), which are vital to life, and expressed as pH. The pH of body fluid is normally alkaline (7.35-7.45). The number of hydrogen ions in body fluid determines whether acid, alkaline, or neutral.
Now, that having been said, we can move on to ACIDS, which:
---are produced as end-products of metabolism, and
---contain hydrogen ions
Acids give up H+ ions to neutralize or decrease the strength of an acid, or to form a weaker base (therefore, acids are hydrogen ion DONORS)
BASES:
---contain NO H+ ions
---are hydrogen ion ACCEPTORS
Bases accept H+ ions from acids to neutralize or decrease the strength of a base, or to form a weaker acid.
And I believe the purpose of all of this is to remain in a state of homeostasis, with the acids and bases doing their thing (give and take) to stay in balance, to keep bodily fluid pH in the range of 7.35-7.45
Please feel free to correct any and all that is wrong with this....it can only help me and others who are using this fine fine sticky to have accurate facts. Thank you.
OMG! This thread is absolutely fantastic! I wish I would have discovered it sooner. I take the NCLEX on Wednesday and I'm the most petrified I've been in my entire life!!! I've read through the entire thread and loved it.....it's reinforced so many things I've been studying. We'll see how it goes....
Thanks to all those that took the time to post facts Good luck to all!
Maybe I'm reading too much into it.
Good luck to all!
CrystalClear75, BSN, RN
624 Posts
I decided to do a search and after a while found these.....and what I see is what I always thought too, thank goodness, lol.
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/lower-leg-homan-sign/2991030278