Question

A nurse is caring for a patient who is experiencing withdrawal symptoms from alcohol. The patient is anxious, agitated, and has tremors. The nurse should:

A) Encourage the patient to drink fluids and eat nutritious foods.
B) Administer a sedative to help the patient relax.
C.) Administer Librium for withdrawal symptoms.
D) Refer the patient to a substance abuse treatment program.

Answer 1

The nurse should encourage the patient to drink fluids and eat nutritious foods, administer Librium for withdrawal symptoms, and refer the patient to a substance abuse treatment program for long-term support.

Step-by-step explanation:

Addressing Withdrawal Symptoms in Alcohol Dependency

A nurse caring for a patient experiencing withdrawal symptoms from alcohol should be aware that such symptoms may include anxiety, agitation, and tremors. The nurse should consider multiple approaches to manage these symptoms safely and effectively. First, it is crucial to encourage the patient to drink fluids and eat nutritious foods to support overall health and recovery. Additionally, medical interventions are often necessary. Administering Librium (Chlordiazepoxide), which is a benzodiazepine used to treat withdrawal symptoms, can alleviate anxiety and lessen the severity of tremors and agitation. However, it is important to do so under careful medical supervision due to the risk of dependency on benzodiazepines themselves. Lastly, while referring the patient to a substance abuse treatment program is a long-term recovery strategy, it is not an immediate treatment for acute withdrawal symptoms.

Therefore, the nurse should:

1. Encourage the patient to drink fluids and eat nutritious foods.
2. Administer Librium for withdrawal symptoms.
3. Additionally, plan for long-term support by referring the patient to a substance abuse treatment program.