Nursing Elites

1. A nurse in a long-term care center notes that an employee is constantly calling in sick. Which action should the nurse take initially to handle this problem?

• A. Documenting the employee's absences in the personnel file
• B. Discussing the situation with the employee and reminding them of the agency's employment standards
• C. Reporting the employee to administration
• D. Issuing a written warning to the employee

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When an employee demonstrates excessive absenteeism, the initial action a nurse should take is to discuss the situation with the employee and remind them of the agency's employment standards. It is important to communicate openly with the employee to understand the reasons for their frequent absences and remind them of the expectations regarding attendance. This approach allows for a constructive dialogue and provides the employee with an opportunity to rectify their behavior. Documenting the employee's absences in the personnel file may be necessary if the issue persists despite the discussion. Reporting the employee to administration should be considered only if the employee fails to improve after the initial discussion. Issuing a written warning should be a subsequent step if the employee continues to violate the attendance policies even after reminders and discussions.

2. A client with cirrhosis of the liver presents with ascites. The physician is to perform a paracentesis. For safety, the nurse should ask the client to:

• A. drink 1000 cc of fluid prior to the procedure to aid in fluid loss.
• B. eat foods low in fat.
• C. empty his bladder prior to the procedure.
• D. assume the prone position.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When performing a paracentesis, the client must be sitting up to allow the fluid to settle in the lower abdomen. To prevent trauma to the bladder while inserting a needle to aspirate the fluid, the bladder must be empty. Choice A is incorrect as excessive fluid intake can make the procedure more difficult due to increased abdominal distension. Choice B is unrelated to the procedure of paracentesis. Choice D is incorrect as the client should be sitting up, not in the prone position, during the procedure.

3. Following abdominal surgery, a client has a nasogastric (NG) tube in place. What is the purpose of this tube immediately after surgery?

• A. simplify medication administration
• B. measure accurate input and output
• C. prevent accumulation of fluids and gas
• D. facilitate collection of specimens

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to prevent accumulation of fluids and gas. Immediately after abdominal surgery, the NG tube is used to keep the stomach decompressed, preventing the accumulation of fluids and gas. This helps in maintaining decompression to prevent surgical-site disruption and fluid loss through vomiting. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the primary purpose of the NG tube following abdominal surgery is to prevent complications related to fluid and gas build-up rather than simplifying medication administration, measuring input and output, or collecting specimens.

4. When evaluating the lab work of a client in hepatic coma, which of the following lab tests is most important?

• A. blood urea nitrogen
• B. serum calcium
• C. serum ammonia
• D. serum creatinine

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When a client is in hepatic coma due to liver failure, the liver cannot metabolize amino acids completely, leading to elevated ammonia levels. Increased ammonia can cause brain-tissue irritation, worsening the coma. Therefore, monitoring serum ammonia levels is crucial in assessing the severity of hepatic coma. Choices A, B, and D are less relevant in the context of hepatic coma. Blood urea nitrogen primarily assesses kidney function, serum calcium levels are not directly related to hepatic coma, and serum creatinine is more indicative of kidney function rather than liver function in this scenario.

5. An LPN on a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) team is tasked with implementing strategies to reduce medication errors. Which of the following strategies would be most beneficial for the LPN to implement?

• A. Track individuals who commit medication errors and report them to administration.
• B. Remind staff of the five rights of medication administration.
• C. Ensure that all staff members are proficient in completing incident reports if a medication error occurs.
• D. Double-check that staff document medication administration in the electronic medical record.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The most beneficial strategy for the LPN on a CQI team to implement is to ensure that all staff members are proficient in completing incident reports if a medication error occurs. Organized and accurate incident reports are crucial in tracking and understanding why errors occurred. CQI teams utilize incident reports to develop new policies or enhance existing ones to standardize medical processes and reduce errors. Tracking individuals with medication errors (Choice A) may create a culture of blame rather than focusing on system improvements. Reminding staff of the five rights of medication administration (Choice B) is important for knowledge reinforcement but does not directly address the process improvement aspect. Double-checking documentation in the electronic medical record (Choice D) is necessary for accuracy but does not provide the detailed insights obtained from incident reports for process improvement.

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