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. A nurse observes smoke coming from under the door of the staff lounge. Which of the following actions is the nurse's priority?

• A. Extinguish the fire.
• B. Activate the fire alarm.
• C. Move clients who are nearby.
• D. Close all open doors on the unit.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In a fire emergency, the nurse's priority is to activate the fire alarm. This action alerts others to the emergency, initiates the evacuation process, and ensures everyone's safety. Extinguishing the fire can be dangerous and should be left to trained personnel. Moving clients who are nearby might delay the activation of the alarm and can put the nurse and clients at risk. Closing all open doors on the unit is important to contain the fire but should not take precedence over alerting others through the fire alarm system.

3. A client receiving chlorpromazine HCL (Thorazine) is in psychiatric home care. During a home visit, the nurse observes the client smacking her lips alternately with grinding her teeth. The nurse recognizes this assessment finding as what?

• A. Dystonia
• B. Akathisia
• C. Bradykinesia
• D. Tardive dyskinesia

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Tardive dyskinesia. Tardive dyskinesia is a potential side effect of long-term antipsychotic use, characterized by involuntary movements like lip smacking and repetitive, purposeless movements. Choice A, dystonia, presents with sustained or repetitive muscle contractions. Choice B, akathisia, involves motor restlessness and a compelling need to be in constant motion. Choice C, bradykinesia, refers to slowness of movement typically seen in Parkinson's disease, not lip smacking and teeth grinding, which are indicative of tardive dyskinesia.

4. After performing foot care, the nurse checks the medical record and discovers that the patient has a disorder on the sole of the foot caused by a virus. Which condition did the nurse most likely observe?

• A. Corns
• B. A callus
• C. Plantar warts
• D. Athlete's foot

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The nurse most likely observed plantar warts, which appear on the sole of the foot and are caused by the papillomavirus. Corns (Choice A) and calluses (Choice B) are areas of thickened skin caused by pressure or friction and are not typically associated with viruses. Athlete's foot (Choice D) is a fungal infection that usually affects the skin between the toes and is not caused by a virus like plantar warts.

5. The nurse admits a 7 year-old to the emergency room after a leg injury. The x-rays show a femur fracture near the epiphysis. The parents ask what will be the outcome of this injury. The appropriate response by the nurse should be which of these statements?

• A. The injury is expected to heal quickly because of thin periosteum.
• B. In some instances the result is a retarded bone growth.
• C. Bone growth is stimulated in the affected leg.
• D. This type of injury shows more rapid union than that of younger children.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: A fracture near the epiphysis can result in retarded bone growth, so this should be communicated to the parents.

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