Nursing Elites

1. In an emergency department, a nurse is assessing a client who reports right lower quadrant pain, nausea, and vomiting for the past 48 hours. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

• A. Auscultate bowel sounds.
• B. Administer an antiemetic.
• C. Offer pain medication.
• D. Palpate the abdomen.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct action the nurse should take first is to auscultate bowel sounds. This step is crucial to assess bowel activity before proceeding with palpation or administering medications. Assessing bowel sounds can provide valuable information about bowel motility and potential obstructions. Administering an antiemetic or offering pain medication may be necessary but should come after assessing bowel sounds to ensure appropriate treatment. Palpating the abdomen should be avoided initially to prevent potential discomfort or complications, especially if there is suspected abdominal pathology.

2. The nurse is preparing to assist a newly admitted client with personal hygiene measures. The nurse wants to assess the client's gag reflex. Which action should the nurse include?

• A. Offer small sips of water through a straw
• B. Place tongue blade on back half of tongue
• C. Use a penlight to observe back of the oral cavity
• D. Auscultate breath sounds after the client swallows

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to include when assessing the client's gag reflex is to place a tongue blade on the back half of the tongue. This method effectively tests the gag reflex without causing discomfort. Choice A is incorrect because offering small sips of water through a straw does not assess the gag reflex. Choice C is incorrect as using a penlight to observe the back of the oral cavity does not directly assess the gag reflex. Choice D is incorrect since auscultating breath sounds after the client swallows does not evaluate the gag reflex.

3. The nurse manager has been using a decentralized block scheduling plan to staff the nursing unit. However, staff have asked for many changes and exceptions to the schedule over the past few months. The manager considers self-scheduling knowing that this method will

• A. Improve the quality of care
• B. Decrease staff turnover
• C. Minimize the amount of overtime payouts
• D. Improve team morale

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: 'Improve team morale.' Self-scheduling allows staff more control over their work hours, which can lead to increased job satisfaction, autonomy, and a sense of ownership over their schedules. This, in turn, fosters a positive work environment, enhances collaboration among team members, and boosts morale. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because while self-scheduling may indirectly contribute to improved quality of care, decreased staff turnover, and minimized overtime payouts, the primary benefit in this context is the positive impact on team morale.

4. A healthcare professional is caring for a client who has pharyngeal diphtheria. Which of the following types of transmission precautions should the healthcare professional initiate?

• A. Contact
• B. Droplet
• C. Airborne
• D. Protective

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Droplet. Droplet precautions are required for infections that spread via droplets larger than 5 microns in diameter, such as pharyngeal diphtheria. Contact precautions are used for diseases that spread by direct or indirect contact. Airborne precautions are for diseases that spread through small particles in the air. Protective precautions are not a standard precautionary measure for specific infections like pharyngeal diphtheria.

5. The nurse is caring for a client with a central venous catheter. What is the most important action for the nurse to take to prevent infection?

• A. Change the catheter dressing every 72 hours.
• B. Flush the catheter with heparin solution daily.
• C. Ensure the catheter is clamped when not in use.
• D. Maintain sterile technique when handling the catheter.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Maintaining sterile technique when handling a central venous catheter is crucial in preventing infections. Changing the catheter dressing every 72 hours, while important for overall catheter care, does not directly address infection prevention. Flushing the catheter with heparin solution daily is essential for maintaining patency but does not primarily prevent infections. Ensuring the catheter is clamped when not in use is important for preventing air embolism but is not the most critical action to prevent infection. The most effective way to prevent infections is by strictly adhering to sterile techniques during catheter handling, which minimizes the risk of introducing pathogens into the catheter site.

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