Nursing Elites

1. A client with a history of atrial fibrillation is admitted with a new onset of confusion. Which laboratory value should the nurse monitor closely?

• A. International Normalized Ratio (INR)
• B. Serum glucose level
• C. White blood cell count
• D. Prothrombin time (PT)

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: International Normalized Ratio (INR). The INR should be closely monitored in a client with atrial fibrillation to assess the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulation therapy with warfarin. Monitoring the INR helps to ensure that the client is within the therapeutic range to prevent complications such as thrombosis or bleeding. Choices B, C, and D are less relevant in this scenario. While serum glucose levels are important in assessing metabolic status, and white blood cell count and prothrombin time are important indicators for other conditions, they are not the primary focus when a client with atrial fibrillation presents with confusion.

2. The nurse is assessing a client with left-sided heart failure. Which finding requires immediate intervention?

• A. Shortness of breath
• B. Jugular venous distention
• C. Crackles in the lungs
• D. Peripheral edema

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Crackles in the lungs indicate pulmonary congestion in a client with left-sided heart failure and require immediate intervention to prevent respiratory failure. Crackles suggest fluid accumulation in the lungs, leading to impaired gas exchange and potentially respiratory distress. Shortness of breath, jugular venous distention, and peripheral edema are common manifestations of heart failure but do not directly indicate acute respiratory compromise like crackles in the lungs do.

3. A client with a spinal cord injury is admitted to the ICU. Which nursing intervention is most important to include in this client's plan of care?

• A. Monitor for signs of autonomic dysreflexia.
• B. Implement measures to prevent pressure ulcers.
• C. Perform passive range of motion exercises.
• D. Ensure that the client is turned every two hours.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Monitor for signs of autonomic dysreflexia. Autonomic dysreflexia is a life-threatening condition that can occur in clients with spinal cord injuries, especially those with injuries above the T6 level. It is characterized by a sudden onset of excessively high blood pressure, pounding headache, profuse sweating, and flushing above the level of injury. Failure to recognize and treat autonomic dysreflexia promptly can lead to seizures, stroke, or even death. Therefore, monitoring for signs of autonomic dysreflexia is crucial in clients with spinal cord injuries. Choices B, C, and D are important interventions too, but in the context of a spinal cord injury, monitoring for autonomic dysreflexia takes priority due to its potentially life-threatening nature.

4. The nurse observes an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) positioning a newly admitted client who has a seizure disorder. The client is supine, and the UAP is placing soft pillows along the side rails. What action should the nurse take?

• A. Ensure that the UAP has positioned the pillows effectively to protect the client.
• B. Instruct the UAP to obtain soft blankets to secure to the side rails instead of pillows.
• C. Assume responsibility for placing the pillows while the UAP completes another task.
• D. Ask the UAP to use some of the pillows to prop the client in a side-lying position.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The nurse should instruct the UAP to pad the side rails with soft blankets instead of pillows. Placing pillows along the side rails could lead to suffocation during a seizure and would need to be removed promptly. Instructing the UAP to use soft blankets is safer as they can help prevent injury without posing a risk of suffocation. Ensuring effective placement of the pillows (Choice A) is not appropriate as pillows should not be used in this situation. Assuming responsibility for placing the pillows (Choice C) or propping the client in a side-lying position with pillows (Choice D) are both unsafe actions and could potentially harm the client.

5. A client is receiving continuous bladder irrigation via a triple-lumen suprapubic catheter that was placed during a prostatectomy. Which report by the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) requires intervention by the nurse?

• A. Leakage around the catheter insertion site.
• B. Pink-tinged urine in the drainage bag.
• C. Client reports discomfort at the catheter site.
• D. Decreased urine output in the last hour.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. Leakage around the catheter insertion site may indicate a problem with the catheter placement or function, requiring immediate intervention. Pink-tinged urine in the drainage bag is expected due to the continuous bladder irrigation. Discomfort at the catheter site is common after the procedure. Decreased urine output in the last hour may be due to the continuous bladder irrigation and doesn't require immediate intervention.

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