A client with an extensive history of alcoholism is having coronary bypass surgery.While administering anesthesia,the certified nurse anesthetist notes that the client requires greater than usual amounts of the drug.The nurse correctly evaluates this response as which phenomenon?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The client's extensive history of alcoholism suggests that the client may have developed cross-tolerance to the anesthesia, which means that the client will require greater amounts of the drug to achieve the desired effect. This is most likely why the client required greater than usual amounts of anesthesia during the surgery. Option A is incorrect because resistance would mean that the anesthesia would not work at all, not just that it would not work very well. Option B is incorrect because a paradoxical reaction involves an opposite effect than expected, not just requiring a different drug. Option C is unlikely given that certified nurse anesthetists are highly trained professionals who are skilled at calculating the correct amount of anesthesia for each individual client.

A Client with an Extensive History of Alcoholism Is Having