Nursing Elites

1. The nurse observes a UAP taking a client's blood pressure in the lower extremity. Which observation of this procedure requires the nurse's intervention?

• A. The cuff wraps around the girth of the leg.
• B. The UAP auscultates the popliteal pulse with the cuff on the lower leg.
• C. The client is placed in a prone position.
• D. The systolic reading is 20 mm Hg higher than the blood pressure in the client's arm.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When obtaining blood pressure in the lower extremities, the popliteal pulse should be auscultated when the blood pressure cuff is applied around the thigh. The nurse should intervene when the UAP is auscultating the popliteal pulse with the cuff on the lower leg because this is incorrect placement. Option A, wrapping the cuff around the girth of the leg, ensures an accurate assessment. Option C, placing the client in a prone position, provides the best access to the artery. The systolic pressure in the popliteal artery is typically 10 to 40 mm Hg higher than in the brachial artery, so a systolic reading 20 mm Hg higher than the blood pressure in the client's arm is within the expected range and does not require intervention.

2. While explaining an illness to a 10-year-old, what should the nurse keep in mind about cognitive development at this age?

• A. They are able to make simple associations of ideas.
• B. They are able to think logically in organizing facts.
• C. Interpretation of events originates from their own perspective.
• D. Conclusions are based on previous experiences.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is that 10-year-olds are able to think logically in organizing facts. At this age, children are in the concrete operational stage according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development. In this stage, they can understand and organize information logically and can manipulate objects mentally. Choice A is incorrect because simple associations of ideas are more characteristic of earlier developmental stages. Choice C is incorrect as it refers to egocentrism, which is more typical of the preoperational stage. Choice D is incorrect as basing conclusions on previous experiences is a broader concept that applies across different ages and stages of development, rather than being specific to 10-year-olds in the concrete operational stage.

3. When administering medications through a nasogastric tube connected to low intermittent suction, which action should the nurse do first?

• A. Clamp the nasogastric tube
• B. Confirm placement of the tube
• C. Use a syringe to instill the medications
• D. Turn off the intermittent suction device

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When administering medications through a nasogastric tube connected to low intermittent suction, the nurse should first turn off the intermittent suction device. This step is crucial to prevent the medications from being immediately suctioned out before they can be absorbed. Clamping the nasogastric tube is not the initial action because it may cause pressure buildup and lead to complications. Confirming the placement of the tube is important but should not be the first step in this scenario. Using a syringe to instill the medications comes after ensuring the suction is turned off to enable proper administration and absorption of the medications.

4. Urinary catheterization is prescribed for a postoperative female client who has been unable to void for 8 hours. The nurse inserts the catheter, but no urine is seen in the tubing. What should the nurse do next?

• A. Clamp the catheter and recheck it in 60 minutes.
• B. Pull the catheter back 3 inches and redirect upward.
• C. Leave the catheter in place and reattempt with another catheter.
• D. Notify the healthcare provider of a possible obstruction.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When no urine is seen in the tubing after inserting a catheter in a female client who has not voided for 8 hours, it is possible that the catheter is in the vagina rather than the bladder. Leaving the initial catheter in place can help locate the meatus for the second attempt. The client should have at least 240 mL of urine output after 8 hours, indicating the need for catheterization. Clamping the catheter (Option A) does not address the issue of incorrect catheter placement. Pulling the catheter back and redirecting it (Option B) is not effective unless the catheter is completely removed, requiring a new catheter. There is no indication of a urinary tract obstruction to notify the healthcare provider (Option D) as the catheter could be inserted easily.

5. The parents tell the nurse that their preschooler often awakes from sleep screaming in the middle of the night. The preschooler is not easily comforted and screams if the parents try to restrain the child. What should the nurse instruct the parents to do?

• A. Always read a story to the child before bedtime.
• B. Intervene only if necessary to protect the child from injury.
• C. Discuss counseling options with the primary health care provider.
• D. Try to wake the child and ask the child to describe the dream.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Waking up screaming from sleep at night indicates sleep terrors. The nurse would advise the parents to observe the child and intervene only if there is a risk for injury. Reading a story before bedtime helps calm the child before sleeping, but it does not ensure that the child will not have a sleep terror. There is no need for professional counseling because sleep terrors are a common phenomenon in preschool-age children. Trying to wake the child and asking the child to describe the dream is not appropriate as the child is not aware of anybody's presence during a sleep terror, and this may cause the child to scream and thrash more.

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