Oregon Certified Nursing Assistant State Practice Exam

What should a nursing assistant do if a resident is experiencing a severe allergic reaction?

1. Monitor the resident's symptoms and wait for them to stabilize

2. Provide the resident with food or drink

3. Call for help and inform the nurse immediately

4. Encourage the resident to remain active

The correct answer is: Call for help and inform the nurse immediately

In the event that a resident is experiencing a severe allergic reaction, the priority is to ensure that they receive immediate medical assistance, making it essential for a nursing assistant to call for help and inform the nurse right away. Severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, can progress rapidly and may result in symptoms like difficulty breathing, swelling, and a drop in blood pressure. Timely intervention from medical professionals is crucial to manage these symptoms effectively and to potentially provide life-saving treatment, such as epinephrine. While monitoring the resident may be part of the overall care, waiting for symptoms to stabilize without calling for help could delay critical treatment. Providing the resident with food or drink could worsen the situation, especially if the allergic reaction is related to a food allergy. Encouraging them to remain active is not advisable during a severe reaction since it may worsen their condition. Thus, the correct action is to swiftly involve trained medical staff by calling for help, ensuring that the resident receives the necessary care without unnecessary delay.