Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is caring for a group of clients on a medical-surgical unit. In which of the following situations does the nurse demonstrate the ethical principle of veracity?

• A. A client unaware of her recent cancer diagnosis asks the nurse if she has cancer, and the nurse responds affirmatively.
• B. The nurse avoids discussing the client's diagnosis to prevent emotional distress.
• C. The nurse provides a vague answer about the client's condition.
• D. The nurse promises to provide information only if it is requested by the client.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Veracity involves telling the truth, a fundamental ethical principle in healthcare. In this scenario, the nurse demonstrates veracity by responding honestly when the client directly asks about her cancer diagnosis. Choice B is incorrect as avoiding discussing the diagnosis to prevent emotional distress does not align with veracity and transparency. Choice C is incorrect as providing a vague answer does not uphold the principle of truthfulness. Choice D is incorrect because promising to provide information only upon client request does not address the immediate question about the cancer diagnosis and lacks transparency.

2. A client with chronic kidney disease is being assessed. Which of the following laboratory values would be most concerning?

• A. Serum creatinine of 3.0 mg/dL
• B. Serum potassium of 6.5 mEq/L
• C. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of 45 mg/dL
• D. Hemoglobin of 10 g/dL

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In a client with chronic kidney disease, elevated serum potassium levels (hyperkalemia) are the most concerning finding. Hyperkalemia can lead to life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias. Monitoring and managing serum potassium levels are crucial in patients with kidney disease to prevent severe complications. While elevated creatinine (Choice A) and BUN (Choice C) are indicative of impaired kidney function, hyperkalemia poses a more immediate threat to the client's health. Hemoglobin levels (Choice D) can be affected by chronic kidney disease but are not as acutely dangerous as severe hyperkalemia.

3. A client with a history of falls is under the care of a nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prevent falls?

• A. Keep the client's bed in the lowest position.
• B. Encourage the client to wear non-slip socks.
• C. Place a fall risk sign on the client's door.
• D. Use a gait belt when ambulating the client.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Keeping the client's bed in the lowest position is an essential measure to prevent falls. Lowering the bed reduces the risk of injury if the client falls out of bed by decreasing the distance of the fall. Encouraging the client to wear non-slip socks (Choice B) may help prevent slips on smooth surfaces but does not address the risk of falls in other scenarios. Placing a fall risk sign on the client's door (Choice C) alone does not actively prevent falls but serves as a warning. Using a gait belt when ambulating the client (Choice D) is important for assisting with mobility but does not directly address fall prevention in the client's environment.

4. The patient has undergone surgery for a broken leg and has a cast in place. What should the nurse do to prevent skin impairment?

• A. Assess surfaces exposed to the edges of the cast for pressure areas.
• B. Keep the patient's blood pressure low to prevent overperfusion of tissue.
• C. Allow turning in bed to prevent complications.
• D. Encourage the patient's dietary intake to maintain hydration.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: To prevent skin impairment in a patient with a cast, the nurse should assess surfaces exposed to the edges of the cast for pressure areas. This is important to prevent pressure ulcers or skin breakdown. Keeping the patient's blood pressure low (Choice B) is not directly related to preventing skin impairment in this scenario. Allowing turning in bed (Choice C) is essential for preventing complications like pressure ulcers and is not contraindicated. Encouraging the patient's dietary intake (Choice D) to maintain hydration is not directly related to preventing skin impairment associated with a cast.

5. A nurse has noticed several occasions in the past week when another nurse on the unit seemed drowsy and unable to focus on the issue at hand. Today, the nurse was found asleep in a chair in the break room not during a break time. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

• A. Alert the American Nurses Association.
• B. Fill out an incident report.
• C. Report the observations to the nurse manager on the unit.
• D. Leave the nurse alone to sleep.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Reporting the observations to the nurse manager is the appropriate action to ensure the safety of the clients and address potential impairment. The nurse manager can take necessary steps to assess the situation and intervene if needed. Alerting the American Nurses Association (Choice A) is not necessary at this stage as the immediate concern is the safety of clients in the unit. Filling out an incident report (Choice B) may be required later, but the priority is to address the issue promptly by involving the immediate supervisor. Leaving the nurse alone to sleep (Choice D) is not a safe option as it does not address the underlying problem of potential impairment and safety concerns; it is essential to address the issue promptly to ensure patient safety.

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