Nursing Elites

1. When planning task assignments for five clients on the skilled nursing unit in a long-term care facility, which task should a licensed practical nurse (LPN) assign to another LPN?

• A. Bathing a client who is confused and requires assistance with a shower
• B. Administering regular insulin in accordance with a sliding-dosage scale every 4 hours to a client with diabetes mellitus
• C. Assisting a client requiring a bed bath and frequent ambulation with a cane
• D. Transporting a client who must be accompanied to physical therapy twice during the shift

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When assigning tasks, the nurse must consider the skills and educational level of the nursing staff. The nursing assistant may be assigned tasks like caring for a confused client, assisting with a shower or a bed bath, ambulating a client with a cane, and accompanying a client to physical therapy. The LPN is educated to administer medications like regular insulin in accordance with a sliding scale. This task requires a higher level of training and knowledge than the tasks that can be delegated to a nursing assistant. Administering insulin involves assessing blood glucose levels, calculating dosages, and understanding the effects of insulin therapy on the client's condition. Therefore, the correct answer is administering regular insulin to a client with diabetes mellitus. Choices A, C, and D involve tasks that are within the scope of practice of a nursing assistant, not an LPN.

2. The LPN is auscultating for bowel sounds and hears between 3 and 4 bowel sounds per minute. This is a somewhat expected finding for which of these clients?

• A. a 63-year-old female undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer
• B. a 56-year-old female with dementia undergoing a swallow study
• C. a 34-year-old male with a PEG tube newly admitted for diabetic ketoacidosis
• D. a 45-year-old male recovering from a knee replacement under general anesthesia

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When recovering from general anesthesia, hypoactive bowel sounds can be expected due to the effects of the anesthesia on gut motility. For the other clients, hearing less than 5 bowel sounds per minute would indicate an abnormal finding. In the context of the given situation, the client recovering from knee replacement surgery aligns with the expected range of bowel sounds post-general anesthesia. Therefore, choice D is the correct answer. Choices A, B, and C present scenarios where hearing less than 5 bowel sounds per minute would be abnormal, indicating potential issues that need further evaluation.

3. When preparing a client for a neck x-ray, what is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take if the client expresses concern about removing a religious medal worn around the neck?

• A. Telling the client that the medal and chain will be kept at the nurse's station for safekeeping while the client is undergoing the x-ray
• B. Asking the client to remove the medal until the x-ray has been completed
• C. Assisting the client in pinning the medal and chain to the waistband of the client's pajama bottoms
• D. Asking the client to place the medal in the top drawer of the bedside stand just before leaving for the radiology department

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When a client undergoing a neck x-ray expresses concern about removing a religious medal worn around the neck, the nurse should assist the client in pinning the medal and chain to the hospital gown or in another area where it will not appear on the x-ray image. This action allows the client to keep the medal close without interfering with the x-ray procedure. It is important to ensure that the radiology department staff is informed about this arrangement. Asking the client to remove the medal, keeping it at the nurse's station, or placing it in the bedside stand is not appropriate. These actions may lead to the loss of the medal and chain and do not address the client's concerns about the religious significance of the item.

4. A client is refusing to stay in the hospital because he does not agree with his healthcare treatment plan. The nurse stops the client from leaving due to concern for his health. Which of these legal charges could the nurse face?

• A. False imprisonment, as the nurse is not allowing the client to leave as he has decided to.
• B. Malpractice, as the nurse is intentionally keeping the patient from making his own decisions, thus violating that nursing duty.
• C. Invasion of privacy, as the nurse is getting involved in the patient's private decisions regarding healthcare.
• D. Negligence, as the nurse ignored the client's right to choose regarding his healthcare.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Refusing to let a client leave against medical advice (AMA) is a form of false imprisonment. In this scenario, the nurse is restricting the client's freedom of movement by preventing him from leaving the hospital, even though he has expressed his wish to leave. False imprisonment is a legal charge the nurse could face in this situation. The other options are incorrect: - Malpractice refers to professional negligence or failure to provide adequate care, not allowing a patient to make their own decisions. - Invasion of privacy involves disclosing confidential information without consent, not preventing a patient from leaving. - Negligence is the failure to take reasonable care, but it does not specifically address the act of restricting a patient from leaving against their wishes.

5. A nurse sees another nurse changing an intravenous (IV) solution because the wrong solution is infusing into the client. The nurse who changed the IV solution does not report the error. What should the nurse who observed the error do first?

• A. Report the nurse who changed the IV solution
• B. Document the error in the client's chart
• C. Call the client's health care provider
• D. Ask the nurse whether she intends to report the error

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The first thing the nurse who observed the error should do is ask the nurse whether she intends to report the error. Ensuring client safety is paramount, and all errors must be reported to the health care provider, but this is not the initial action. The client should also be assessed immediately. The nurse who discovered the error should complete an incident report and make appropriate documentation in the client's record. If the nurse who observed the error finds out that it will not be reported, it may be necessary to involve the supervisor. Therefore, the best course of action initially is to communicate with the nurse who made the error to understand her intentions regarding reporting.

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