Nursing Elites

1. To improve overall health, the nurse should place the highest priority on assisting a client to make lifestyle changes for which of the following habits?

• A. drinking a six-pack of beer each day
• B. eating an occasional chocolate bar
• C. exercising twice a week
• D. using relaxation exercises to deal with stress

Correct answer: A

Rationale: To improve overall health, the nurse should prioritize assisting the client in making lifestyle changes that have the most significant impact on health. Drinking a six-pack of beer each day can have serious negative effects on health, including liver damage, increased risk of chronic diseases, and addiction. By addressing this habit first, the nurse can make a substantial positive difference in the client's health. Eating an occasional chocolate bar, exercising twice a week, and using relaxation exercises to deal with stress are beneficial habits, but they are not as detrimental to health as excessive alcohol consumption. Therefore, they are not the highest priority for immediate lifestyle changes to improve health.

2. A nurse is determining the fetal heart rate (FHR) and places the fetoscope on the mother's abdomen to count the FHR. The nurse simultaneously palpates the mother's radial pulse and notes that it is synchronized with the sounds heard through the fetoscope. Which action should the nurse take?

• A. Count the FHR for 60 seconds, ensuring that it is synchronized consistently with the mother's radial pulse.
• B. Move the fetoscope to another area on the mother's abdomen to locate the fetal heart.
• C. Ask the mother to lie still while both the FHR and the radial pulse rate are counted.
• D. Count the FHR for 30 seconds and then count the radial pulse rate of the mother for 30 seconds.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When auscultating the fetal heart rate, the nurse would place the fetoscope on the maternal abdomen, over the fetal back. The nurse would then palpate the mother's radial pulse. If her pulse is synchronized with the sounds from the fetoscope, the nurse would move the fetoscope to another area on the mother's abdomen to locate the FHR. The nurse needs to be sure that the FHR is what is actually being heard. Other sounds that may be heard are the funic sound (blood flowing through the umbilical cord) and the uterine sound (blood flowing through the uterine vessels). The funic sound is synchronized with the FHR; the uterine sound is synchronized with the mother's pulse. Therefore, moving the fetoscope to a different area will help in accurately locating and counting the fetal heart rate. Choice A is incorrect because counting for 60 seconds without changing the position may not address the issue of accurately locating the FHR. Choice C is incorrect as it does not address the need to reposition the fetoscope to locate the fetal heart. Choice D is incorrect because counting the FHR and the radial pulse rate separately may not help in differentiating the two sounds.

3. During an interview, what action should a nurse conducting an interview with a client take to collect subjective data?

• A. Takes minimal notes to avoid impeding observation of the client's nonverbal behaviors
• B. Takes a great deal of notes to allow the client to continue at his or her own pace as the nurse records what he or she is saying
• C. Takes notes because this allows the nurse to break eye contact with the client, which may increase the client's level of comfort
• D. Takes notes to allow the nurse to shift attention away from the client, which may make the nurse more comfortable

Correct answer: A

Rationale: During an interview, a nurse should minimize note-taking to focus on the client and not impede the conversation. Taking minimal notes allows the nurse to effectively observe the client's nonverbal behaviors, which provide valuable subjective data. Option B, taking many notes, is incorrect as it can distract the nurse from the client's cues and hinder interaction. Option C, taking notes to break eye contact, is incorrect as it may decrease the client's comfort level and disrupt communication. Option D, taking notes to shift attention away from the client, is incorrect as it diminishes the client's importance and may make them uncomfortable during sensitive discussions. Therefore, the correct approach is for the nurse to take minimal notes, ensuring effective observation of the client's nonverbal behaviors while collecting subjective data.

4. The nurse is caring for a client who has dysphagia related to a stroke. The nurse works with the client to explain what food and beverages might minimize aspiration. What is this an example of?

• A. Health promotion
• B. Secondary prevention
• C. Tertiary prevention
• D. Primary prevention

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The nurse working with the client to explain what food and beverages might minimize aspiration is an example of secondary prevention. Secondary prevention involves early detection and intervention to prevent complications or worsening of a condition. In this case, the nurse is helping to prevent aspiration pneumonia by providing education and guidance on safe eating and drinking practices after the client has already experienced dysphagia due to a stroke. Choice A, health promotion, focuses on empowering individuals to adopt healthy behaviors to improve overall well-being and prevent illness. It is more about promoting general health rather than specific interventions related to a particular condition like dysphagia. Choice C, tertiary prevention, involves managing and rehabilitating a condition to prevent further complications or disabilities. In this scenario, the nurse is not yet addressing complications but rather actively preventing them. Choice D, primary prevention, aims to prevent the onset of a disease or condition before it occurs. The client in this case already has dysphagia, so the focus is on preventing further complications, making it a secondary prevention intervention.

5. Which of the following statements, if made by the parents of a newborn, does not indicate a need for further teaching about cord care?

• A. "I should not put alcohol on my baby's cord 3-4 times a day."?
• B. "I should not put the baby's diaper on so that it covers the cord."?
• C. "I should call the physician if the cord becomes dark."?
• D. "I should wash my hands before and after I take care of the cord."?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Parents should be taught not to cover the cord with a diaper to allow for air exposure and drying, preventing infection. The statement 'I should put alcohol on my baby's cord 3-4 times a day' indicates a need for further teaching as current recommendations do not include using alcohol on the cord, which can interfere with natural healing. While it is normal for the cord to turn dark as it dries, so the statement 'I should call the physician if the cord becomes dark' is accurate, it is not the best answer for this question. Washing hands before and after caring for the cord is important to prevent the transfer of pathogens, so this statement does not require further teaching.

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