Health Promotion and Maintenance Q 58
A patient has been hospitalized with pneumonia and is about to be discharged. A nurse provides discharge instructions to a patient and his family. Which misunderstanding by the family indicates the need for more detailed information?
A. The patient may resume normal home activities as tolerated but should avoid physical exertion and get adequate rest.
B. The patient should resume a normal diet with emphasis on nutritious, healthy foods.
C. The patient may discontinue the prescribed course of oral antibiotics once the symptoms have completely resolved.
D. The patient should continue use of the incentive spirometer to keep airways open and free of secretions.
Correct Answer: C. The patient may discontinue the prescribed course of oral antibiotics once the symptoms have completely resolved.
It is always critical that patients being discharged from the hospital take prescribed medications as instructed. In the case of antibiotics, a full course must be completed even after symptoms have resolved to prevent incomplete eradication of the organism and recurrence of infection. Take antibiotics exactly as directed. Do not stop taking the medicine just because you are feeling better. The client needs to take the full course of antibiotics.
Option A: The patient should resume normal activities as tolerated, as well as a nutritious diet. Get plenty of rest and sleep. The client may feel weak and tired for a while, but the energy level will improve with time.
Option B: Healthy and nutritious food, especially those high in vitamin C, should be included in the patient’s diet to speed up recovery and prevent reinfection. To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids, enough so that the urine is light yellow or clear like water. Choose water and other caffeine-free clear liquids until feeling better. If the client has kidney, heart, or liver disease and has to limit fluids, he should talk with his doctor before he increases the amount of fluids he drinks.
Option D: Continued use of the incentive spirometer after discharge will speed recovery and improve lung function. If given a spirometer to measure how well the lungs are working, use it as instructed. This can help the doctor tell how the recovery is going.