ATI RN
RN ATI Capstone Proctored Comprehensive Assessment A
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a high dose of morphine to a patient with terminal cancer. What is the nurse's primary consideration before administration?
- A. Ensure the family is aware of the dosage to be administered.
- B. Monitor the patient for respiratory depression.
- C. Administer the morphine in divided doses.
- D. Delay administration until the next assessment.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Monitor the patient for respiratory depression. When administering a high dose of morphine, the nurse's primary consideration should be to monitor the patient for respiratory depression, as morphine can slow down breathing, especially in higher doses. Option A is incorrect because the primary focus should be on the patient's well-being and safety rather than family awareness at this point. Option C is not the best approach as the immediate concern is monitoring the patient closely for any adverse effects. Option D is not advisable as delaying administration without a valid reason can compromise pain management in a terminal cancer patient.
2. A nurse is preparing to administer medication to a client by nasogastric tube. What should the nurse do first?
- A. Administer the medication without further assessment.
- B. Check the tube placement before administering any medication.
- C. Administer the medication in liquid form only.
- D. Administer half the dosage as a precaution.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Check the tube placement before administering any medication. Before administering medication through a nasogastric tube, the nurse must first verify the tube's correct placement to ensure the medication reaches the stomach and to prevent complications such as aspiration. Options A, C, and D are incorrect because administering medication without confirming proper tube placement can lead to serious consequences for the client.
3. A health care provider asks the nurse to administer a medication with a dosage significantly higher than usual. What is the nurse's first action?
- A. Administer the medication as ordered.
- B. Question the provider and verify the dose.
- C. Administer half the dosage as a precaution.
- D. Refuse to administer the medication without clarification.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: When a health care provider orders a medication with a dosage significantly higher than usual, the nurse's initial action should be to question the provider and verify the dose. This is crucial to ensure patient safety and prevent medication errors. Administering the medication as ordered (Choice A) without clarification could potentially harm the patient if there was an error in the prescription. Administering half the dosage as a precaution (Choice C) is not a safe practice as it deviates from the prescribed order. Refusing to administer the medication without clarification (Choice D) is important, but the first step should be to seek clarification from the provider to prevent any unnecessary delays in patient care.
4. A patient reports nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy. What is the nurse's priority action?
- A. Administer an antiemetic as prescribed.
- B. Encourage the patient to eat small, frequent meals.
- C. Provide the patient with anti-nausea wristbands.
- D. Encourage the patient to rest after eating.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is to administer an antiemetic as prescribed. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting can be distressing for patients. Administering an antiemetic helps alleviate these symptoms effectively. Choice B, encouraging the patient to eat small, frequent meals, may be helpful for other gastrointestinal issues but is not the priority when the patient is experiencing nausea and vomiting. Choice C, providing anti-nausea wristbands, may offer some relief but is not as direct and immediate as administering an antiemetic. Choice D, encouraging the patient to rest after eating, is not the priority in this situation where the focus should be on managing the nausea and vomiting.
5. What is the most important action for the nurse to take before administering digoxin to a patient?
- A. Check the patient's heart rate before administration.
- B. Assess the patient's blood pressure before administration.
- C. Ensure the patient has eaten before administration.
- D. Monitor the patient's weight before administration.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is to check the patient's heart rate before administering digoxin. Digoxin is a medication that primarily affects cardiac function. Monitoring the heart rate is crucial because digoxin can cause arrhythmias or worsen existing heart rhythm abnormalities. Assessing blood pressure may also be important but is secondary to evaluating the heart rate when administering digoxin. Ensuring the patient has eaten before administration is not directly related to the safe administration of digoxin. Monitoring the patient's weight is not a priority action before administering digoxin.
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