Nursing Elites

1. A nurse discharge planner is preparing a client for discharge from an acute care setting. The nurse assesses that skilled home care services are clinically indicated. This assessment is based on all of the following indicators except:

• A. the client has been admitted to the hospital three times in the last 2 months.
• B. the client has a Foley catheter.
• C. the client's family is available to care for him 24 hours a day.
• D. the client is ordered to continue IV antibiotics 5 days post discharge.

Correct answer: V

Rationale: Family availability to provide care and assistance is not an indicator for skilled home care services. In fact, the nurse might see an opportunity for family education to meet the client's needs so that less community support is needed. This should be discussed and negotiated with the family. Frequent hospital readmissions indicate that the client has not been able to manage either due to condition instability or lack of care needs being met, which is a red flag for home care services to monitor and meet those needs appropriately. A Foley catheter requires home health care due to infection potential and care requirements. IV antibiotics also necessitate home care for maintaining line patency and assessing the site.

2. The LPN is checking for residual before administering enteral feeding through a PEG tube. Which of these steps is incorrect?

• A. The LPN elevates the head of the bed by at least 30 degrees.
• B. If the residual is greater than 200mL, the LPN should not administer the enteral feeding.
• C. The LPN should discard the residual before administering the tube feeding.
• D. The residual pH level is tested to ensure appropriate placement.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The incorrect step is choice C. The residual should be discarded before administering the tube feeding. Discarding the residual is essential to prevent contamination and ensure accurate measurement of the enteral feeding. Elevating the head of the bed by at least 30 degrees (choice A) is correct as it helps prevent aspiration during feeding. Testing the pH level of the residual (choice D) ensures proper placement of the tube. Withholding feeding if the residual is greater than 200mL (choice B) is crucial to prevent overfeeding, making this statement correct.

3. Which of the following indicates a hazard for a client on oxygen therapy?

• A. A 'No Smoking' sign is on the door.
• B. The client is wearing a synthetic gown.
• C. Electrical equipment is grounded.
• D. Matches are removed.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is that the client is wearing a synthetic gown. A synthetic gown might generate sparks of static electricity, which can be a fire hazard, especially in the presence of oxygen. Clients on oxygen therapy should wear cotton gowns to minimize the risk of fire. The other options are not hazards for a client on oxygen therapy: having a 'No Smoking' sign on the door promotes safety by preventing smoking, ensuring electrical equipment is grounded reduces the risk of electrical hazards, and removing matches decreases the risk of fire hazards.

4. A nurse is planning client assignments for the day. Which task should the nurse assign to the nursing assistant (unlicensed assistive personnel)?

• A. Recording the urinary output for a client with renal calculi whose urine must be strained
• B. Dressing change instructions for a client who had a mastectomy 2 days ago
• C. Reporting abnormal lab values to the health care provider for a client scheduled for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy
• D. Preprocedural teaching for a client scheduled for a cardiac stress test

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The nurse is legally responsible for client assignments and must assign tasks based on state nursing practice act guidelines and job descriptions provided by the employing agency. The nursing assistant is trained to measure, collect, and strain urine, making recording urinary output for a client with renal calculi a suitable task for the nursing assistant. This task falls within the nursing assistant's role description. Dressing change instructions for a client who had a mastectomy involve a higher level of skill and knowledge, beyond the scope of a nursing assistant. Reporting abnormal lab values to the health care provider for a client scheduled for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy requires interpretation and clinical judgment, which is typically not within the nursing assistant's role. Preprocedural teaching for a client scheduled for a cardiac stress test involves providing detailed information and education, which is usually the responsibility of a licensed nurse or other qualified healthcare provider.

5. A primigravida begins labor when her family is unavailable and she is alone. She is very upset that her family is not with her. Which approach can the nurse take to meet the client's needs at this time?

• A. asking whether another individual wants to be her support person
• B. assuring her that a nursing staff member will be with her at all times
• C. telling her you will try to locate her family
• D. reinforcing the woman's confidence in her own abilities to cope and maintain a sense of control

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In this situation, the best approach for the nurse is to ask whether another individual wants to be the client's support person. This empowers the client to choose someone to be with her until her family can join her, providing the needed support and comfort. Assuring her that a nursing staff member will be with her at all times (Choice B) may not fully address her emotional needs for familiar support. Telling her you will try to locate her family (Choice C) may not be feasible in the immediate situation and may not provide immediate emotional support. While reinforcing the woman's confidence in her own abilities (Choice D) is important, it may not fully address her current need for emotional support and presence of a companion.

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