Nursing Elites

1. A licensed practical nurse arrives at work at the long-term care center and is immediately faced with several activities that require attention. Which activity will the nurse attend to first?

• A. Task assignments for the day
• B. Stocking the medication closet
• C. A phone message from employee health services
• D. A phone message from a client's wife

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The nurse's priority should be attending to task assignments for the day. This ensures that client care can begin promptly and efficiently. Stocking the medication closet is important but can be done after ensuring task assignments are clear. Phone messages from employee health services and a client's wife, although important, can be addressed after organizing the staff for client care.

2. Regardless of their practice area, nurses should be concerned with:

• A. all drug-resistant bacteria.
• B. microorganisms that are critical.
• C. transmission of microorganisms.
• D. overprescription of bacteriostatic drugs.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: All nurses should be concerned with preventing the transmission of microorganisms to themselves and others. A primary way to achieve this is through asepsis. Nursing practice emphasizes providing a safe environment to shield clients, family, and healthcare providers from infections. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. While drug-resistant bacteria, critical microorganisms, and overprescription of bacteriostatic drugs are important, nurses' primary focus should be on preventing microorganism transmission to ensure safety and well-being.

3. When assessing a client with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the nurse should expect which of the following findings?

• A. mental confusion
• B. muscular weakness
• C. sensory loss
• D. emotional liability

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Clients with ALS typically present with progressive muscular weakness and wasting as a hallmark feature of the disease. This weakness affects voluntary muscles, leading to challenges in mobility and daily activities. Sensory loss is not a characteristic feature of ALS, and individuals usually maintain their mental clarity without experiencing mental confusion. Emotional liability, characterized by sudden, uncontrolled changes in emotions, is not a common finding in ALS. While individuals may experience periods of grief due to the progressive nature of the disease, emotional liability is not a usual manifestation. Therefore, the correct finding to expect when assessing a client with ALS is muscular weakness.

4. A client has signed the informed consent for mastectomy of the left breast. On the morning of the surgical procedure, the client asks the nurse several questions about the procedure that make it obvious that she does not have an adequate comprehension of the procedure. What is the most appropriate response by the nurse?

• A. Telling the client that she needed to ask these questions before signing the informed consent for surgery
• B. Contacting the surgeon and requesting that she visit the client to answer her questions
• C. Informing the client that she has the right to cancel the surgical procedure if she wishes
• D. Telling the client that it is her surgeon's responsibility to explain the procedure

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Informed consent is the authorization by a client or a client's legal representative to do something to the client. The surgeon is primarily responsible for explaining the surgical procedure and obtaining informed consent. If the client asks questions that alert the nurse to an inadequacy of comprehension on the client's part, the nurse has the obligation to contact the surgeon. Choice A is incorrect as the client should be allowed to ask questions even after signing the consent for surgery. Choice C is not the most appropriate response, as the primary concern is to address the client's lack of comprehension. Choice D is inaccurate, as while it is the surgeon's responsibility to explain the procedure, in this scenario, the nurse should take immediate action to ensure the client's understanding. Requesting the surgeon to visit and answer the client's questions is the most appropriate response in this situation, as it directly addresses the client's concerns and ensures proper informed consent is obtained.

5. Which of the following behaviors is least appropriate when dealing with fellow staff members?

• A. Provide positive feedback and constructive criticism
• B. Serve as a resource
• C. Only report conflicts that interfere with client care
• D. Provide input for performance evaluations

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The least appropriate behavior when dealing with fellow staff members is to only report conflicts that interfere with client care. This choice implies ignoring or neglecting other conflicts that may affect team dynamics and the work environment. It is crucial to address and report all conflicts, whether they impact client care directly or not, to maintain a harmonious and effective working relationship within the healthcare setting. Providing positive feedback, constructive criticism, serving as a resource, and offering input for performance evaluations are all important and appropriate behaviors that contribute to a supportive and professional work environment. By focusing solely on conflicts that interfere with client care, essential issues that influence teamwork and overall staff morale may be overlooked, potentially leading to a negative impact on the work environment.

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