A Hospitalized 31-Year-Old Patient with a History of Cluster Headache

question 8

Multiple Choice

A hospitalized 31-year-old patient with a history of cluster headache awakens during the night with a severe stabbing headache.Which action should the nurse take first?

• A) Start the ordered PRN oxygen at 6 L/min.
• B) Put a moist hot pack on the patient's neck.
• C) Give the ordered PRN acetaminophen (Tylenol).
• D) Notify the patient's health care provider immediately.

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Definitions:

Epidural Space

The area between the dura mater and the vertebral wall, containing fat and small blood vessels, often targeted for epidural anaesthesia.

Dura Mater

The outermost and toughest layer of the three membranes (meninges) that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Anesthesia

Anesthesia refers to a range of procedures that are used to prevent pain during surgery, which can be either local, regional, or general.

Ventral Root

The part of a spinal nerve that emerges from the anterior portion of the spinal cord, carrying motor neurons to the body's muscles.