IMMUNE: Cancer medications - Antineoplastics Flashcards
What should the nurse do if a client that is taking doxorubicin and reports concerns about having red urine?
a. Inform the client to stop taking medication
b. Report to provider
c. Educate this is an expected harmless effect of taking doxorubicin
d. Inform this is a possible sign of toxicity
c. Educate this is an expected harmless effect of taking doxorubicin
A nurse is preparing to administer cisplatin IV to a client who has lung cancer. The nurse should identify that which of the following findings is an adverse effect of this medication?
a. Hallucinations
b. Pruritus
c. Hand and food syndrome
d. Tinnitus
d. Tinnitus - an adverse effect of cisplatin is ototoxicity, which can cause tinnitus
A nurse is monitoring the laboratory values of a male client who has leukemia and is receiving weekly chemotherapy with methotrexate via IV infusion. Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse report to the provider?
a. BUN 18 mg/dL
b. Platelets 78,000/mm3
c. Hemoglobin 14.2 g/dL
d. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 35 units/L
b. Platelets 78,000/mm3 - this medication can cause bone marrow suppression and thrombocytopenia
BUN, hemoglobin, and AST are needed to be monitored as well in a client taking methotrexate due to possible kidney injury, bone marrow suppression, and possible liver damage but they are all within the expected reference range in this question
A nurse is teaching a client who has been taking an NSAID to treat rheumatoid arthritis. During the client’s first month checkup, the provider prescribed methotrexate to be added to the medication regimen. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the teaching about the purpose of this change in the client’s medication?
a. “Your current medication was not strong enough to manage this condition.”
b. “Once your blood levels of methotrexate are within the therapeutic range, the NSAID will be discontinued.”
c. “This medication was added to delay the disease progression.”
d. “Treating this disease with 2 medications will help protect you from becoming treatment-resistant.”
c. “This medication was added to delay the disease progression.”
- the patho behind methotrexate is that it *stops cell reproduction needed for the synthesis of DNA by inhibiting folic acid conversion, delaying the disease process
A nurse is caring for a client who was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The nurse should expect the provider to prescribe methotrexate at which of the following times?
a. Within 3 months of the initial diagnosis
b. When NSAIDS have not provided pain relief
c. During an exacerbation of symptoms
d. Once bone degeneration progresses
a. Within 3 months of the initial diagnosis - to prevent or delay joint degeneration
A nurse is assessing a child who has acute lymphocytic leukemia and is receiving vincristine sulfate. Which of the following findings is the nurse’s priority?
a. Paresthesia
b. Alopecia
c. Stomatitis
d. Constipation
a. Paresthesia
- numbing of the peripheral extremities which can be an early sign of neurotoxicity in clients taking vincristine
A nurse is teaching a client who is receiving methotrexate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
a. “Drink 2-3L of fluid per day.”
b. “Avoid grapefruit juice which taking this medication.”
c. “Expect bruising while taking this medication.”
d. “Weigh yourself 2x per week.”
a. “Drink 2-3L of fluid per day.” to promote excretion and reduce the risk of acute renal failure
The nurse is planning to administer medication to a patient who has cancer. The nurse should recognize that she needs to make sure the client is on a cardiac monitor. Which medication is she administering?
a. fluorouracil
b. vincristine
c. doxycycline
d. paclitaxel
d. paclitaxel
The nurse should recognize which medication is the only cancer chemo agent that does not cause bone marrow suppression?
a. methotrexate
b. vincristine
c. cisplatin
d. doxorubicin
b. vincristine
A client is going through chemotherapy and is experiencing immunosuppression. What education should the nurse provide to the client to prevent infection? Select all that apply.
a. avoid spending time with individuals who were recently sick or who are sick
b. avoid getting the yearly flu vaccine
c. do not allow fresh flowers in your room
d. avoid crowds
e. avoid fresh fruits and fresh vegetables
f. increase fluid intake
a, c, d, e
a. avoid spending time with individuals who were recently sick or who are sick
c. do not allow fresh flowers in your room
d. avoid crowds
e. avoid fresh fruits and fresh vegetables
The client should avoid getting live vaccines, but inactivated vaccines like the flu are ok
Why is administering ondansetron beneficial to a client going through chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy causes N/V and ondansetron (Zofran) is an antiemetic that will prevent nausea during treatment.
