NCLEX-PN
NCLEX PN Test Bank
1. Why is monitoring Serum Vancomycin levels important?
- A. to assess renal function
- B. to determine therapeutic range
- C. to measure trough levels
- D. to evaluate antibiotic resistance
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Monitoring Serum Vancomycin levels is essential to determine the drug's therapeutic range, ensuring optimal effectiveness while avoiding toxicity. Peak levels indicate the drug's highest concentration, while trough levels represent the lowest concentration before the next dose. Assessing renal function is typically done using creatinine, BUN, or creatinine clearance tests, not Serum Vancomycin levels. Evaluating antibiotic resistance involves sensitivity testing, not monitoring Vancomycin levels. Therefore, the correct answer is to determine the therapeutic range.
2. A graduate nurse hired to work in a medical unit of a hospital is attending an orientation session. The nurse educator, discussing care maps, asks the graduate nurse whether she understands how a care map is used. Which response indicates understanding?
- A. The care map outlines the day-to-day expected outcomes of care and the outcomes anticipated at discharge
- B. The care map is a plan that is used only by the nurse to provide client care
- C. The care map is a standard plan, rather than an individualized one, that is developed strictly by a nurse and used for a client with a particular diagnosis
- D. The care map is developed by a nurse and identifies nursing diagnoses
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. A care map, also known as a critical pathway, outlines the day-to-day expected outcomes of care and the outcomes anticipated at discharge or the end of a treatment phase. It includes clinical assessments, treatments, dietary interventions, activity therapies, client education, and discharge planning. While it may identify nursing diagnoses, a care map is developed by all disciplines caring for the client type and is used by the interdisciplinary team, not just the nurse alone. Choice B is incorrect because a care map is not solely for the nurse but for the entire interdisciplinary team. Choice C is incorrect as care maps are individualized plans developed by the interdisciplinary team, not just by a nurse. Choice D is incorrect as a care map is not solely about nursing diagnoses but encompasses a comprehensive plan of care.
3. A nurse is preparing for the admission of a client with pulmonary tuberculosis. Which action reflects the use of evidence-based practice in the care of the client?
- A. Keeping the door to the client's room closed
- B. Fitting the client for an N95 or HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) mask to be worn at all times
- C. Placing the client in a semiprivate room with a cohort client
- D. Using a surgical mask when entering the client's room
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Evidence-based practice is an approach to client care that integrates the client's preferences, clinical expertise, and the best research evidence to deliver quality care. In the case of pulmonary tuberculosis, which is transmitted through the airborne route, keeping the door to the client's room closed is crucial to prevent the spread of infection. Placing the client in a semiprivate room with a cohort client is not recommended for airborne precautions; a private room is required to prevent transmission. Fitting the client for an N95 or HEPA mask is essential for the nurse's protection when entering the room, not for the client to wear at all times. Using a surgical mask when entering the client's room is not sufficient for airborne precautions; an N95 or HEPA mask is necessary.
4. A nursing assistant who has been employed in the long-term care center for 8 weeks is consistently taking extended lunch breaks. The nursing assistant's behavior has caused problems with client care during lunch hours. What is the appropriate way for the nurse to deal with this situation?
- A. Ignoring the situation
- B. Documenting the problem in the nursing assistant's personnel file
- C. Asking other staff members to cover for the nursing assistant
- D. Meeting with the nursing assistant to discuss the behavior and initiate problem-solving measures
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Taking extended lunch breaks is an unacceptable behavior, especially when it affects client care. The appropriate way for the nurse to deal with this situation is to meet with the nursing assistant to discuss the behavior and initiate problem-solving measures. This direct approach allows for open communication and the opportunity to address the issue effectively. Ignoring the situation (Choice A), asking other staff members to cover (Choice C), or documenting the problem in the nursing assistant's personnel file (Choice B) are not effective solutions. Ignoring the behavior does not address the issue, asking others to cover may not solve the problem at its root, and documenting the problem should come after attempting to resolve the issue through communication and problem-solving first.
5. A nurse is planning task assignments for the day. Which task should the nurse assign to the nursing assistant?
- A. Suctioning a client who requires periodic suctioning
- B. Assessing a client who has undergone an arteriogram and requires close monitoring
- C. Performing colostomy irrigation on a client with an ostomy
- D. Assisting a client who needs frequent ambulation with a walker
Correct answer: D
Rationale: When delegating tasks, a nurse must consider the staff member's education and competency level. Noninvasive tasks like helping a client ambulate with a walker are usually suitable for nursing assistants. Suctioning a client and colostomy irrigation are invasive procedures that require a licensed nurse's skills. Assessing a client post-arteriogram for any complications or changes in condition also necessitates the expertise of a licensed nurse. Therefore, the most appropriate task to assign to a nursing assistant is assisting a client who needs frequent ambulation with a walker.
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