Question

The physician has ordered a thyroid scan to confirm the diagnosis of a goiter. Before the procedure, the nurse should:

Assess the client for allergies to iodine
Bolus the client with IV fluid
Administer an anxiolytic
Insert a urinary catheter

Answer 1

Before conducting a thyroid scan, the nurse should assess for allergies to iodine, as the procedure involves the administration of radioactive iodine isotopes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before a thyroid scan to confirm the diagnosis of a goiter, the nurse should assess the client for allergies to iodine. This is a crucial step because the diagnostic procedure commonly involves the administration of radioactive iodine isotopes (such as I-131 or NaI-123), and a patient with an iodine allergy could have a severe reaction. Since radioactive iodine is used in the imaging process and is concentrated in the thyroid gland, it's essential to ensure that the patient does not have an allergy to iodine before proceeding with the scan.