Nursing Elites

1. A 60-year-old widower is hospitalized after complaining of difficulty sleeping, extreme apprehension, shortness of breath, and a sense of impending doom. What is the best response by the nurse?

• A. "You have nothing to worry about. You are in a safe place. Try to relax."?
• B. "Has anything happened recently or in the past that might have triggered these feelings?"?
• C. "We have given you a medication that helps to decrease feelings of anxiety."?
• D. "Take some deep breaths and try to calm down."?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Choice B is the best response as it shows empathy, acknowledges the patient's feelings, and opens the door for discussion about potential triggers for anxiety. This approach helps the patient explore the root cause of his anxiety and provides an opportunity for therapeutic communication. Choice A dismisses the patient's feelings and offers false reassurance, which may not address the underlying issue. Choices C and D do not encourage the patient to express his emotions or delve into the reasons behind his anxiety, hindering the therapeutic process.

2. What is an effective intervention for a client diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

• A. Discussing the repetitive actions.
• B. Insisting the client not perform the repetitive act.
• C. Informing the client that the act is not necessary.
• D. Encouraging daily exercise.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: An effective intervention for a client diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is encouraging daily exercise. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder, and exercise can help release emotional energy, limit the time available for maladaptive behaviors, and direct the client's attention outward. Discussing the repetitive actions (choice A) may reinforce the behavior by providing attention to it. Insisting the client not to perform the repetitive act (choice B) can increase anxiety and resistance, as abruptly stopping the behavior may be challenging. Informing the client that the act is not necessary (choice C) may not address the underlying anxiety and could invalidate the client's experiences, leading to increased distress. Encouraging daily exercise is a proactive intervention that can help manage symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by addressing core features of the disorder and promoting overall well-being.

3. Which laboratory test would be the least effective in diagnosing a myocardial infarction?

• A. AST
• B. Troponin
• C. CK-MB
• D. Myoglobin

Correct answer: A

Rationale: AST, choice A, would be the least effective in diagnosing a myocardial infarction as it is not specific for this condition. Troponin, CK-MB, and myoglobin (choices B, C, and D) are more specific markers for myocardial infarction. Troponin is considered the gold standard due to its cardiac specificity. CK-MB is also specific to the heart, and its isoenzyme levels elevate post-heart damage. Myoglobin, although elevated in myocardial infarction, is not as specific as troponin and CK-MB and can also increase in conditions like burns and muscle trauma. Therefore, AST is the least effective choice for diagnosing a myocardial infarction.

4. When supporting a family who has just experienced a sudden and unexpected death, the nurse needs to know:

• A. that survivors have greater emotional turmoil and shock than when death is expected.
• B. that survivors have less emotional turmoil and shock than when death is expected.
• C. that survivors have the same emotional turmoil and shock as when death is expected.
• D. that survivors have little emotional turmoil and shock because they were not there.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is that survivors have greater emotional turmoil and shock than when death is expected. Sudden death produces more emotional turmoil and shock in survivors compared to gradual, expected death. Survivors of sudden death do not have the opportunity to engage in anticipatory grief. The unexpectedness of sudden death is the most disturbing and unbalancing factor, leading to heightened emotional turmoil and shock. Choice B is incorrect as survivors of sudden death experience more emotional turmoil and shock. Choice C is incorrect because sudden death brings about a different level of emotional turmoil and shock. Choice D is incorrect as survivors of sudden and unexpected death still go through significant emotional distress.

5. Narrow therapeutic index medications:

• A. are drug formulations with limited pharmacokinetic variability.
• B. have limited value and require no monitoring of blood levels.
• C. have less than a twofold difference in minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood
• D. have limited potency and side effects.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The therapeutic index is the ratio between the median lethal dose and median effective dose of a drug, indicating the safety margin. Narrow therapeutic index medications have a small difference between minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood, making them high-risk drugs that require close monitoring to avoid toxicity. Choice A is incorrect because pharmacokinetics refer to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination, not the therapeutic index. Choice B is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs necessitate monitoring due to their narrow margin of safety. Choice D is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs do not necessarily have limited potency but are characterized by a small window between efficacy and toxicity.

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