1. A nurse is the only one in the ICU who has not achieved certification in critical care nursing.
She often will ask her fellow nurses what to do in
... [Show More] caring for a patient because she doubts
the accuracy of her knowledge and her intuition. She loves her work but wishes she could
do it with a greater level of competence. What is the most important effect that obtaining
certification would likely have on the nurse's practice?
A) Recognition by peers
B) Increase in salary and rank
C) More flexibility in seeking employment
D) Increased confidence in making decisions
2. A hospital interviews two different candidates for a position in the ICU. Both candidates have
around 10 years of experience working in the ICU. Both have excellent interpersonal skills
and highly positive references. One, however, has certification in critical care nursing.
Which of the following is the most compelling and accurate reason for the hospital to hire
the candidate with certification?
A) The certified nurse will have more knowledge and expertise.
B) The certified nurse will behave more ethically.
C) The certified nurse will be more caring toward patients.
D) The certified nurse will work more collaboratively with other nurses.
3. A nurse is caring for an elderly man recently admitted to the ICU following a stroke. She
assesses his cognitive function using a new cognitive assessment test she learned about in a
recent article in a nursing journal. She then brings a cup of water and a straw to the patient
because she observes that his lips are dry. Later, she has the patient sit in a wheelchair and
takes him to have some blood tests performed. He objects at first, saying that he can walk
on his own, but the nurse explains that it is hospital policy to use the wheelchair. That
evening, she recognizes signs of an imminent stroke in the patient and immediately pages
the physician. Which action taken by the nurse is the best example of evidence-based
practice?
A) Giving the patient a cup of water
B) Transferring the patient in a wheelchair
C) Using the cognitive assessment test
D) Recognizing signs of imminent stroke and paging the physician
4. A nurse is on a committee that is trying to reduce the occurrence of hospital-acquired
infections in the ICU. Her role is to conduct research to find which interventions have been
shown to be most effective in reducing these infections. She consults many different
sources and finds conflicting information. Which of the following sources should she
consider the most authoritative?
A) AACN expert panel report
B) A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in the American Journal of Nursing
C) A systematic review of qualitative studies in the Journal of Advanced Nursing
D) A single randomized controlled trial in the American Journal of Critical Care [Show Less]