Nursing Elites

1. A 38-year-old female client is admitted with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. When her tray is brought to her, she refuses to eat and tells the nurse, 'I know you are trying to poison me with that food.' Which response would be most appropriate for the nurse to make?

• A. 'I'll leave your tray here. I am available if you need anything else.'
• B. 'You're not being poisoned. Why do you think someone is trying to poison you?'
• C. 'No one on this unit has ever died from poisoning. You're safe here.'
• D. 'I will talk to your healthcare provider about the possibility of changing your diet.'

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Choice (A) offers support without confrontation, allowing the client to feel safe and respected. Choices (B) and (C) directly challenge the client's delusion, which can increase anxiety and distrust. Choice (D) focuses on a non-essential issue and does not address the client's immediate emotional needs.

2. A male client is admitted to the psychiatric unit with a medical diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. During the admission procedure, the client looks up and states, 'No, it's not MY fault. You can't blame me. I didn't kill him, you did.' What action is best for the nurse to take?

• A. Reassure the client by telling him that his fear of the admission procedure is to be expected.
• B. Tell the client that no one is accusing him of murder and remind him that the hospital is a safe place.
• C. Assess the content of the hallucinations by asking the client what he is hearing.
• D. Ignore the behavior and make no response at all to his delusional statements.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take in this situation is to assess the content of the hallucinations by asking the client what he is hearing (C). Further assessment is needed to understand the nature of the client's delusions and hallucinations. Choice A is incorrect as it focuses on reassuring the client about his fear, which is not addressing the underlying issue of the delusional statement. Choice B is incorrect as it argues with the client's delusion and offers false reassurance, which is not therapeutic. Choice D is incorrect as ignoring the behavior and making no response disregards the client's needs for assessment and support.

3. A female client is brought to the emergency department after police officers found her disoriented, disorganized, and confused. The RN also determines that the client is homeless and is exhibiting suspiciousness. The client's plan of care should include what priority problem?

• A. Acute confusion.
• B. Ineffective community coping.
• C. Disturbed sensory perception.
• D. Self-care deficit.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Acute confusion is the priority problem as it directly affects the client's ability to process information and make safe decisions. In this scenario, the client's disorientation, disorganization, and confusion indicate an immediate cognitive issue that requires attention to ensure her safety and stability. Choices B, C, and D are not the priority problems in this case. Ineffective community coping, disturbed sensory perception, and self-care deficit, while important, are secondary to the client's acute confusion, which poses an immediate risk to her well-being.

4. The nurse suspects child abuse when assessing a 3-year-old boy and noticing several small, round burns on his legs and trunk that might be the result of cigarette burns. Which parental behavior provides the greatest validation for such suspicions?

• A. The parents' explanation of how the burns occurred is different from the child's explanation of how they occurred.
• B. The parents seem to dismiss the severity of the child's burns, saying they are very small and have not posed any problem.
• C. The parents become very anxious when the nurse suggests that the child may need to be admitted for further evaluation.
• D. The parents tell the nurse that the child was burned in a house fire which is incompatible with the nurse's observation of the type of burn.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: (D) provides the most validation for suspecting child abuse. The parent's explanation (subjective data) that the child was burned in a house fire is incompatible with the objective data observed by the nurse (small, round burns on the legs and trunk). (A) relies on subjective data, and the child's explanation might not accurately reflect the situation due to various factors like age or fear. The apparent lack of concern from the parents (B) is inconclusive as the nurse's interpretation of their reaction could be subjective. While parental anxiety (C) could hint at potential child abuse, it's important to note that most parents would naturally be anxious about their child's hospitalization, making it a less definitive indicator compared to the inconsistency in the explanation provided by the parents in option (D).

5. A client with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reports having frequent nightmares. What is the nurse's best response?

• A. Nightmares are common with PTSD and should decrease over time.
• B. Try to avoid thinking about the trauma before going to bed.
• C. Let's discuss some relaxation techniques you can use before bedtime.
• D. I will ask the healthcare provider to prescribe a sleep aid.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The best response for the nurse is to discuss relaxation techniques with the client that can help reduce anxiety and stress before bedtime. This approach may potentially decrease the frequency of nightmares by promoting a more calming and peaceful pre-sleep routine. Choice A is incorrect because while nightmares can be common with PTSD, it is not guaranteed that they will decrease over time. Choice B is incorrect as avoiding thinking about the trauma may not address the underlying issue causing the nightmares. Choice D is incorrect as prescribing a sleep aid should be considered as a last resort after trying non-pharmacological interventions.

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