Nursing Elites

1. While caring for a client who has just come from surgery and is in the recovery room with an endotracheal tube in place, the nurse deflates the cuff on the tube and removes it. The client sits up in bed, grasps his throat, and begins to make wheezing sounds. Which of the following conditions is the most likely cause of this situation?

• A. The client is choking on part of the tube
• B. The client has anxiety
• C. The client is having a laryngospasm
• D. The client is having a normal response from anesthesia

Correct answer: D

Rationale: After surgery, some clients may experience a laryngospasm during emergence from anesthesia. A laryngospasm can lead to the closure of the laryngeal opening due to spasm of the vocal cords. In this scenario, the client's symptoms of wheezing and throat grasping are indicative of a laryngospasm rather than choking on the tube, anxiety, or a normal response from anesthesia. The nurse should act promptly to open the airway to aid breathing and consider administering muscle relaxants as necessary.

2. Which method is most appropriate for managing moral distress in the workplace?

• A. Recognizing that life is unfair and nurses cannot meet every need of every client
• B. Declining to act when clients or visitors make requests that are not justifiable
• C. Developing a new policy that would address the problematic situation
• D. Both A and B

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Moral distress involves negative feelings or frustration toward situations that are deemed unfair, unethical, or that cause the nurse to feel helpless in their work. It can lead to nurse burnout when ongoing issues are not resolved. The most appropriate method for managing moral distress is to develop new policies that address the problematic situations. By creating policies, nurses can work towards changing current standards and reducing the number of situations that lead to moral distress. Choices A and B are incorrect because recognizing life's unfairness and not taking action on unjustifiable requests do not actively address the root causes of moral distress or work towards resolving the issues.

3. A woman has died as a result of a motor vehicle accident. She is listed as an organ donor, and her family is considering whether to comply with her wishes. Which of the following is true?

• A. The woman would have had to list herself as an organ donor and notify her family before her death that she has considered donating her organs.
• B. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act requires the physician caring for the patient to inform the family who receives the donor organs.
• C. Physicians can choose to go against the deceased's wishes if the family decides that organ donation is not an acceptable choice.
• D. Physicians have the legal responsibility to inform patients of the risks involved in donating organs.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In cases where a deceased person is listed as an organ donor, the family may have the final say on whether to proceed with organ donation, even if the individual had expressed their wish to donate. Physicians may prioritize the emotional well-being of the family over the wishes of the deceased, especially if organ donation could cause additional distress or trauma to the grieving family members. Therefore, it is possible for physicians to respect the family's decision not to proceed with organ donation, even if the deceased had previously expressed the desire to donate. This decision-making process underscores the importance of considering and respecting the perspectives and emotions of both the deceased individual and their surviving family members in organ donation scenarios.

4. You are taking care of Mary Eden, an elderly and frail 91-year-old resident. She gets confused during evening hours and at times she thinks that she hears her daughter calling her from the other side of the nursing home. Which physical problem places Mary Eden at risk for falls?

• A. Her confusion
• B. Her daughter
• C. Evening hours
• D. Her frailness

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Mary Eden's frail and weak muscles due to her age and physical condition place her at risk for falls. While her confusion can contribute to falls, it is considered an emotional or cognitive issue rather than a physical problem. Her daughter and the evening hours are not physical problems that directly increase her risk of falling.

5. A nurse is caring for a client who is post-op day #1 after a total hip replacement. Although the client was alert with a normal affect in the morning, by lunchtime, the nurse notes the client is confused, has slurred speech, and is having trouble with her balance. Her blood glucose level is 48 mg/dl. What is the next action of the nurse?

• A. Contact the physician immediately
• B. Administer a bolus of 50 cc of D20W through the IV
• C. Administer 10 units of regular insulin
• D. Give the client 6 oz. of orange juice

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A client with a blood glucose level of 48 mg/dl is experiencing significant hypoglycemia, as manifested by confusion, balance difficulties, and slurred speech. The nurse should work to correct this situation as rapidly as possible. The first measure that can be performed quickly and will have fast results is to give the client something to eat or drink that contains glucose, such as 6 oz. of orange juice. Administering a bolus of D20W through the IV (Choice B) would be too aggressive and could lead to complications in this scenario. Administering regular insulin (Choice C) would further lower the blood glucose level, worsening the client's symptoms. Contacting the physician (Choice A) is important, but immediate intervention to raise the blood glucose level is crucial to address the client's hypoglycemia.

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