Nursing Elites

1. A nurse on a medical-surgical unit is washing her hands prior to assisting with a surgical procedure. Which of the following actions by the nurse demonstrates proper surgical hand-washing techniques?

• A. The nurse washes with her hands held higher than her elbows.
• B. The nurse uses a brush to scrub under her nails.
• C. The nurse washes for at least 30 seconds.
• D. The nurse uses alcohol-based hand rub only.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Proper surgical hand-washing technique involves keeping the hands higher than the elbows to prevent contamination. Washing with hands held lower than the elbows can lead to potential contamination. Using a brush to scrub under the nails is not recommended as it can cause microabrasions, increasing infection risk. While washing for at least 30 seconds is a good practice for thorough hand hygiene, hand positioning is critical during surgical hand-washing. Using alcohol-based hand rub alone is insufficient for surgical hand-washing as it may not effectively remove dirt, debris, and transient microorganisms.

2. Three days following surgery, a male client observes his colostomy for the first time. He becomes quite upset and tells the LPN that it is much bigger than he expected. What is the best response by the nurse?

• A. Reassure the client that he will become accustomed to the stoma's appearance in time.
• B. Instruct the client that the stoma will become smaller when the initial swelling diminishes.
• C. Offer to contact a member of the local ostomy support group to help him with his concerns.
• D. Encourage the client to handle the stoma equipment to gain confidence with the procedure.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct response is to instruct the client that the stoma will become smaller when the initial swelling diminishes. This explanation helps reassure the client about the temporary appearance of the stoma. Choice A is incorrect because simply reassuring the client that he will become accustomed to the stoma's appearance does not address the immediate concern about the stoma size. Choice C is incorrect because offering to contact a support group does not directly address the client's current distress about the stoma size. Choice D is incorrect because encouraging the client to handle stoma equipment does not directly address the client's concern about the stoma size and may not be appropriate at this time.

3. A client is about to undergo emergency abdominal surgery for appendicitis. A healthcare professional is demonstrating postoperative deep breathing and coughing exercises to the client. The healthcare professional realizes the client may be unprepared to learn if the client:

• A. Is not feeling well
• B. Reports severe pain
• C. Has low blood pressure
• D. Is anxious

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Severe pain can be a significant distraction and impediment to the learning process. When a client is experiencing severe pain, their focus and attention are primarily directed towards managing the pain, making it difficult for them to absorb and retain new information effectively. Options A, C, and D, although important considerations in a healthcare setting, do not directly impact the client’s ability to learn in the same way that severe pain does. Not feeling well, low blood pressure, and anxiety are all factors that can be addressed or managed to facilitate learning, unlike severe pain which can significantly hinder the learning process.

4. A nurse is admitting a client who has an abdominal wound with a large amount of purulent drainage. Which of the following types of transmission precautions should the nurse initiate?

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

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Contact precautions. When a client has an abdominal wound with purulent drainage, contact precautions are necessary to prevent the spread of infection through direct contact. Protective environment precautions are used for immunocompromised clients, airborne precautions are for diseases transmitted by airborne particles, and droplet precautions are for diseases transmitted by respiratory droplets. In this case, the focus is on preventing direct contact transmission, making contact precautions the most appropriate choice. Protective environment, airborne, and droplet precautions are not indicated in this scenario because the primary concern is the direct contact transmission of pathogens through the wound drainage.

5. A client who had a myocardial infarction (MI) 2 days ago has many questions about this condition. What area is a priority for the nurse to discuss at this time?

• A. Daily needs and concerns
• B. The overview of cardiac rehabilitation
• C. Medication and diet guidelines
• D. Activity and rest guidelines

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Addressing the client's daily needs and concerns is a priority to help alleviate anxiety and ensure the client understands the immediate post-MI care. Daily needs and concerns encompass basic aspects like comfort, hygiene, emotional support, and overall well-being, which are crucial in the early recovery phase post-MI. Discussing cardiac rehabilitation, medication and diet guidelines, or activity and rest guidelines are important topics but addressing immediate personal needs and concerns takes precedence to establish a supportive and informative care environment.

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