Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

Category: Critical Care Nursing 
Patients with calcium channel blocker overdose may present with bradycardia, atrioventricular nodal block, hypotension or a combination of these effects. Hyperglycemia is common due to blockade of insulin release.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

Category: Critical Care Nursing  
In therapeutic doses, nifedipine, nicardipine, amlodipine, felodipine, isradipine, nisoldipine and nimodipine act mainly on blood vessels, while verapamil and diltiazem act mainly on cardiac contractility and conduction.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

Category: Critical Care Nursing 

There are a wide variety of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs. The most toxic beta-blocker is propranolol, which not only blocks beta₁ and beta₂ adrenoceptors but also has direct membrane-depressant and central nervous system effects.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

Category: Critical Care Nursing 
Antihistamines are available with or without prescription. Diphenhydramine commonly causes delirium, tachycardia and seizures. Massive diphenhydramine overdose may mimic tricyclic antidepressant cardiotoxic poisoning.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

Category: Critical Care Nursing 
Arsenic is found in some pesticides and industrial chemicals and is used as a chemotherapeutic agent. Symptoms of acute poisoning usually appear within 1 hour after ingestion but may be delayed as long as 12 hours.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Warfarin and related compounds (including many commercial rodenticides, the so-called “superwarfarins” such as brodifacoum or difenacoum) inhibit the clotting mechanism by blocking hepatic synthesis of vitamin K dependent clotting factors.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 

Hypothermia commonly accompanies coma due to opioids, ethanol, hypoglycemic agents, phenothiazines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines and other sedative-hypnotics and central nervous system depressants.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
As altitude increases, hypobaric hypoxia results due to a decrease in both barometric pressure and oxygen partial pressure. High-altitude medical problems are due to hypobaric hypoxia at high altitudes (usually > 2000 meters or 6560 feet).

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Decompression sickness occurs when the ascent is too rapid and gas bubbles form and cause damage depending on their location (coronary, pulmonary, spinal or cerebral blood vessels, joints, soft tissue).

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Heat syncope may result in unconsciousness from volume depletion and cutaneous vasodilation with consequent systemic and cerebral hypotension. Exercise-associated postural hypotension is usually the cause of heat syncope.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Heat cramping results from dilutional hyponatremia as sweat losses are replaced with water alone. Heat exhaustion results from prolonged strenuous activity in a hot environment without adequate water or salt intake.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
The human body maintains a steady temperature through the balance of internal heat production and environmental heat loss. Heat exchange between the body and environment occurs via radiation, evaporation, conduction and convection.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Epiglottitis is characterized by an abrupt onset of high fever, drooling and inability to handle secretions. An important clue to the diagnosis is the complaint of a severe sore throat despite an unimpressive examination of the pharynx.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Pertussis is an acute infection of the respiratory tract caused by B pertussis that is transmitted by respiratory droplets. The incubation period is 7-17 days. Half of all cases occur before age 2 years.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Endocarditis is a bacterial or fungal infection of the valvular or endocardial surface of the heart. The clinical presentation depends on the infecting organism and the valve or valves that are infected.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly spreading infection involving the fascia of deep muscle. Surgical exploration is mandatory when the diagnosis is suspected. Early and extensive debridement is essential for survival.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
“Strep throat” is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, sore throat, pain on swallowing, tender cervical adenopathy, malaise and nausea. The pharynx, soft palate and tonsils are red and edematous.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Most cases of acute gastroenteritis are self-limited and do not require therapy other than supportive measures. Treatment usually consists of replacement of fluids and electrolytes and very rarely, management of hypovolemic shock.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
The term food poisoning is caused by toxins present in consumed foods. When the incubation period is short (1-6 hours after consumption), the toxin is usually preformed. Vomiting is usually a major complaint and fever is usually absent.