A client has not had a bowel movement in 2 days and reports this information to the nurse. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
A.
... [Show More] Instruct the caregiver to offer a glass of warm prune juice at mealtimes.
B. Notify the HCP and request a prescription for a stool softener
C. Assess the client's medical record to determine his normal bowel pattern.
D. Instruct the caregiver to increase the client's fluids to five 8 ounce glasses per day.
C. Assess the client's medical record to determine his normal bowel pattern.
Bowel movements vary per person. Some people go multiple times a day and others go a few times a week. The answer is an assessment, not an intervention.
A client who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is resting in a semi-Fowler's position with oxygen at 2 L/min per nasal cannula. The client develops dyspnea. Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Call the HCP
B. Obtain a bedside pulse oximeter
C. Raise the head of the bed higher
D. Assess the clients vital signs
C. Raise the head of the bed higher
For COPD you want an SpO2 >90%. Fowler's position can help to open up the chest wall and aid in breathing. B and D are normally done in the same assessment so you can check those off.
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A client who has hyperparathyroidism is scheduled to receive a prescribed dose of oral phosphate. The nurse notes that the client's serum calcium is 12.5 mg/dL. What action should the nurse take?
A. Hold the phosphate and notify the HCP
B. Review the client's serum parathyroid hormone level
C. Give a PRN dose of IV calcium per protocol
D. Administer the dose of oral phosphate
D. Administer the dose of oral phosphate
A normal calcium level is 5.5-10.5 mg/dL so this value is high. Calcium and phosphate have an inverse reaction so in order to lower the calcium, there needs to be more phosphate. Giving the oral phosphate will be beneficial to lowering the serum calcium level.
In completing a client's perioperative routine, the nurse finds that the consent form has not been signed. The client begins to ask more questions about the surgical procedure. Which action should the nurse take?
A. Witness the client's signature on the consent form
B. Answer the client's questions about the surgery
C. Inform the HCP that the client has questions about the surgery
D. Reassure the client that the surgeon will answer any questions before the anesthetic is administered
C. Inform the HCP that the client has questions about the surgery
The nurse has to witness the surgery in person but because the client has questions, informed consent is not given. The nurse cannot answer questions about the surgery because that is the HCP's responsibility. If the HCP does not know about questions, they may not answer them before the surgery.
The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) reports to the staff nurse that a client who had surgery 4 hours ago has a decrease in blood pressure (BP), from 150/80 to 110/70, in the past hour. The nurse advises the UAP to check the client's dressings for excess drainage and report the findings to the nurse. Which factor is most important to consider when assessing the legal ramifications of this situation?
A. The parameters of the state's or province's nurse practice act
B. The need to complete an adverse occurrence report
C. Hospital protocol regarding the frequency of vital sign assessment every hour postoperatively
D. The healthcare provider's prescription for changing the postoperative dressing
A. The parameters of the state's or provinces nurse practice act
The nurse asked the UAP to perform a task that is outside of their scope of practice. This is states in the Nurse Practice Act for the state or province.
The newly licensed nurse overhears two nurses talking in the elevator about a client who will lose her leg because of negligence of the staff. Which action by the newly licensed nurse should be implemented first?
A. Monitor the nurses closely for further occurrences
B. Advise them to cease their communication
C. Inform the nurse manager of the conversation
D. Submit an occurrence or variance report
B. Advise them to cease their communication
This is a HIPPA violation and needs to be addressed presently. The new nurse should tell them to talk privately or not at all about the case. If they continue the conversation the nurse should inform the nurse manager of the conversation. There is no event taken place with a patient or to a patient so a report is not necessary.
An awake, alert client with impending pulmonary edema is brought to the emergency department. The client provides the nurse with a copy of a living will that states that "no invasive" medical procedures should be used to "keep her alive". The healthcare team is questioning whether the client should be intubated. WHich information should guid the team's decision?
A. The living will removes the obligation to the client in any medical decision making.
B. The client is awake and alter, which makes the living will irrelevant and nonbinding
C. Lifesaving measures do not have to be explained to the client because of the signed living will.
D. The family shoul dbe contacted to determine who has durable power of attorney for health care for the client.
B. The client is awake and alter, which makes the living will irrelevant and nonbinding
Because they are awake and alert they are bale to make medical decisions and the living will is not active. If they were not awake and alert then the healthcare team would use the living will to decide.
A family member of a client who is in a Posey vest restraint (safety reminder device) asks why the restraint was applied. Which response should the nurse make?
A. The restraint was prescribed by the healthcare provider.
B. There is not enough staff to keep the client safe all the time.
C. The other clients are upset when the client wanders at night.
D. The client's actions place the client at high risk for self harm.
D. The client's actions place the client at high risk for self harm.
Restraints are only used to prevent injury to self or others. They are not used when a client is being inconvenient to the staff or other clients.
What nursing action has the highest priority when admitting a client to a psychiatric unit on an involuntary basis?
A. Reassure the client that this admission is only for a limited amount of time.
B. Offer the client and family the opportunity to share their feelings about the admission.
C. Determine the behaviors that resulted in the need for admission.
D. Advise the client about the legal rights of all hospitalized clients.
D. Advise the client about the legal rights of all hospitalized clients.
Because they are involuntarily admitted, the nurse should give the client some power back by helping them understand that they still have rights in the facility.
The nurse enters the room of a preoperative client to obtain the client's signature on the surgical consent form. Which question is the most important for the nurse to ask the client?
A. "When did the surgeon explain the procedure to you?"
B. "Is there any member of your family going to be here during your surgery?"
C. "Have you been instructed in postoperative activities and restrictions?"
D. "Have you received any preoperative pain medication?"
D. "Have you received any preoperative pain medication?"
Because pain medications can have a sedative effect, if a patient has already had their pain medications they do not possess the needed mental clarity to provide informed consent for the surgery.
Which assignment should the nurse delegate to a UAP in an acute care setting?
A. Checking blood glucose hourly for a client with a continuous insulin drip.
B. Giving PO medications left at the bedside for the client to take after eating
C. Taking vital signs for an older client with left humerus and left tibial fractures
D. Replacing a client's pressure ulcer dressing that has been soiled by incontinence
C. Taking vital signs for an older client with left humerus and left tibial fractures
UAPs can only be delegated to tasks that do not require and assessment or an evaluation. A is wrong because it implies the UAP knows the parameters of blood glucose and how they can change with an insulin drip. UAPs cannot give medications or replace dressings.
The charge nurse confronts a staff nurse whose behavior has been resentful and negative since a change in unit policy was announced. The staff nurse states, "don't blame me; nobody likes this idea." Which is the charge nurse's priority action?
A. Confront the other staff members involved in the change of unit policy.
B. Call a unit meeting to review the reasons the change was made.
C. Develop a written unit policy for the expression of complaints.
D. Encourage the nurse to be accountable for her own behavior.
D. Encourage the nurse to be accountable for her own behavior.
Addressing the behavior is the first step. Because she is the only one that appears to have a problem it would not be appropriate to approach other staff or the unit together. [Show Less]