Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is caring for a client who has coronary artery disease (CAD) and is receiving aspirin therapy. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider?

• A. History of gastrointestinal bleeding
• B. Prothrombin time of 12 seconds
• C. Platelet count of 180,000/mm³
• D. Creatinine level of 1.0 mg/dL

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: History of gastrointestinal bleeding. Aspirin therapy is contraindicated in clients with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding because aspirin can further increase the risk of bleeding. Option B, prothrombin time of 12 seconds, is within the normal range and does not indicate a concern related to aspirin therapy. Option C, platelet count of 180,000/mm³, is also within the normal range and does not suggest a need for reporting to the provider in the context of aspirin therapy. Option D, creatinine level of 1.0 mg/dL, is within the normal range and is not directly related to aspirin therapy in this scenario.

2. When assessing a client with signs of delirium, which factor should be the nurse's priority in determining the cause?

• A. Medication history
• B. Fluid and electrolyte imbalances
• C. Psychosocial stressors
• D. Environmental factors

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When a nurse assesses a client with signs of delirium, the priority in determining the cause should be focusing on fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Delirium can often be linked to imbalances in these essential elements, making it crucial to address them promptly. While medication history, psychosocial stressors, and environmental factors can also contribute to delirium, they should be assessed after addressing fluid and electrolyte imbalances due to their immediate impact on cognitive function.

3. How should a healthcare professional assess a patient with a tracheostomy?

• A. Monitor for infection and ensure airway patency
• B. Suction airway secretions and provide humidified oxygen
• C. Clean the stoma and change tracheostomy ties
• D. Educate the patient on tracheostomy care

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Corrected Question: To assess a patient with a tracheostomy, the healthcare professional should primarily focus on monitoring for infection and ensuring the airway remains patent. Choice A is the correct answer as these actions are crucial for tracheostomy management. Suctioning airway secretions and providing humidified oxygen (Choice B) are interventions that may be necessary based on the assessment findings but are not the initial assessment steps. Similarly, cleaning the stoma and changing tracheostomy ties (Choice C) are important aspects of tracheostomy care but do not specifically address the initial assessment. Educating the patient on tracheostomy care (Choice D) is important, but it is not the primary assessment action needed when assessing a patient with a tracheostomy.

4. How should a healthcare professional assess a patient with potential pneumonia?

• A. Assess lung sounds and monitor oxygen saturation
• B. Monitor for fever and sputum production
• C. Auscultate heart sounds and check for cyanosis
• D. Monitor for chest pain and administer oxygen

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Correctly assessing a patient with potential pneumonia involves listening to lung sounds and monitoring oxygen saturation. Lung sounds can reveal abnormal breath sounds associated with pneumonia, such as crackles or diminished breath sounds. Oxygen saturation monitoring helps in detecting respiratory distress, a common complication of pneumonia. Monitoring for fever and sputum production (Choice B) is important but not as specific as assessing lung sounds and oxygen saturation. Auscultating heart sounds and checking for cyanosis (Choice C) are not primary assessments for pneumonia. Monitoring for chest pain and administering oxygen (Choice D) are relevant interventions but do not address the initial assessment of pneumonia.

5. A nurse is caring for a client who has a chest tube following a thoracotomy. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider?

• A. Drainage of 75 mL in the first hour after surgery.
• B. Constant bubbling in the water seal chamber.
• C. Tidaling in the water seal chamber.
• D. Client report of pain at the chest tube insertion site.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Constant bubbling in the water seal chamber indicates an air leak, which should be reported to the provider. This finding suggests that the chest tube system is not functioning properly, leading to potential complications such as pneumothorax. Drainage of 75 mL in the first hour after surgery is within the expected range for a chest tube. Tidaling in the water seal chamber is a normal fluctuation and indicates proper functioning of the system. Client report of pain at the chest tube insertion site is expected after surgery and can be managed with appropriate pain management measures.

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