The nurse teaches a client who is starting weekly semaglutide injections. Which statement shows correct understanding?
1I will inject semaglutide every morning and skip the dose whenever I eat less than usual.
2I will wait for my next visit if I develop severe persistent abdominal pain that may radiate to my back.
3I will use it once weekly on the same day and promptly report severe abdominal pain or a neck mass.✓ Correct answer
4A family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma is not important if my current thyroid tests are normal.
Explanation
Injectable semaglutide is administered once weekly on the same day. Severe persistent abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back, can indicate acute pancreatitis and requires prompt evaluation. A neck mass, trouble swallowing, shortness of breath, or persistent hoarseness can indicate a thyroid tumor. Semaglutide is contraindicated with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2.
Clinical reasoning Semaglutide is a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist. High-priority teaching addresses pancreatitis symptoms and the boxed thyroid C-cell tumor warning.
Decision rule Keep a consistent weekly schedule, report persistent severe abdominal pain immediately, and screen for personal or family medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 before treatment.