Nursing Elites

1. When a 17-year-old client arrives at the clinic suspecting a sexually transmitted infection, what information does the nurse provide concerning informed consent?

• A. She will need to sign an informed consent form.
• B. Her mother or father will need to be contacted for permission to treat her.
• C. A consent form is not needed if the problem is a sexually transmitted infection.
• D. Anyone over the age of 18 years may sign a consent form for her treatment.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Informed consent is a person's agreement to allow something, such as a treatment, to be performed. A consent form is required even if the problem is a sexually transmitted infection. If the client is a minor, the minor may sign the informed consent form in specific situations, including seeking treatment for a sexually transmitted infection. In this case, the 17-year-old client is seeking examination and treatment for a sexually transmitted infection, so she will need to sign the informed consent form. Contacting her parents for permission is not required in this situation. Choice C is incorrect because a consent form is necessary regardless of the medical issue. Choice D is incorrect because the individual's age is not the determining factor; rather, it is the nature of the medical service being sought that dictates the need for informed consent.

2. While observing a client using crutches for a leg injury, which action would indicate a need for more education by the LPN?

• A. The client places the top padding 1-2 inches below the axilla with a firm grip on the handles.
• B. The client rests the axilla on the top padding and loosely grips the handles with hands.
• C. The client has a slight bend in the elbow when using the handles.
• D. When going down the stairs, the client leads with the injured leg.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. Resting the axilla on the top padding can cause nerve damage; instead, the client should place the top padding 1-2 inches below the axilla with a firm grip on the handles for proper support and stability while using crutches. Having a slight bend in the elbow when using the handles (choice C) is a correct technique to ensure proper weight distribution. Leading with the uninjured leg when going down the stairs (choice D) is the correct way to maintain balance and prevent further injury to the injured leg. Therefore, choice B indicates a need for more education to prevent potential nerve damage and ensure safe crutch use.

3. The client with a diagnosis of hepatitis is experiencing pruritus. Which would be the most appropriate nursing intervention?

• A. Suggest that the client take warm showers once a day.
• B. Add baby oil to the client's bath water.
• C. Apply powder to the client's skin.
• D. Suggest a cool-water rinse after bathing.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Pruritus, or itching, in clients with hepatitis can be alleviated by adding moisturizing agents to bath water. Baby oil helps soothe and moisturize the skin, reducing dryness and itching. Warm showers, as in choice A, can be drying to the skin if taken too frequently, making it less suitable than adding oil to the bath water. Applying powder, as mentioned in choice C, can exacerbate dryness rather than alleviate it. Choice D suggests a cool-water rinse after bathing, which can help in retaining moisture and is less drying compared to hot water rinses.

4. A nurse is planning to administer an oral antibiotic to a client with a communicable disease. The client refuses the medication and tells the nurse that the medication causes abdominal cramping. The nurse responds, 'The medication is needed to prevent the spread of infection, and if you don't take it orally I will have to give it to you in an intramuscular injection.' Which statement accurately describes the nurse's response to the client?

• A. The nurse is justified in administering the medication by way of the intramuscular route because the client has a communicable disease.
• B. The nurse could be charged with assault.
• C. Assault is an intentional threat to bring about harmful or offensive contact. If a nurse threatens to give a client a medication that the client refuses or threatens to give a client an injection without the client's consent, the nurse may be charged with assault. Therefore, the nurse is not justified in administering the medication. Battery is any intentional touching without the client's consent.
• D. The nurse will be justified in administering the medication by the intramuscular route once a prescription has been obtained from the health care provider.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer explains the concept of assault, which is an intentional threat to bring about harmful or offensive contact. In the scenario provided, the nurse's statement about administering the medication via an intramuscular injection without the client's consent constitutes a threat, potentially falling under the definition of assault. Choice A is incorrect because the nurse's action is not automatically justified solely by the client having a communicable disease. Choice D is also incorrect because even with a prescription, the nurse cannot administer the medication without the client's consent. Choice C provides a detailed explanation distinguishing assault from battery, which helps in understanding the legal implications of the nurse's response in this situation.

5. What action should the emergency triage nurse take upon receiving the history that a client has a severe cough, fever, night sweats, and body wasting?

• A. Place the client in isolation until further assessment is completed.
• B. Seclude the client from other clients and visitors.
• C. Perform no intervention until test results confirm a diagnosis.
• D. Don personal protective equipment immediately.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct action for the emergency triage nurse to take upon receiving the history that a client has a severe cough, fever, night sweats, and body wasting is to seclude the client from other clients and visitors. These symptoms are suggestive of tuberculosis, a highly infectious disease. By secluding the client, the nurse can prevent the potential spread of the infection to others. Donning personal protective equipment, including gown, gloves, and a mask, is crucial when providing care to the client, but the immediate priority is to prevent the spread of infection by isolating the client. Placing the client in isolation until further assessment is completed ensures that the client is kept away from others until a proper diagnosis and treatment plan can be established, reducing the risk of transmission. Performing no intervention until test results confirm a diagnosis is inappropriate as immediate isolation is necessary in suspected cases of highly infectious diseases like tuberculosis.

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