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 technique?

• A. The nurse washes with her hands held higher than her elbows.
• B. The nurse uses an alcohol-based hand rub for 30 seconds.
• C. The nurse scrubs hands and forearms for 2 minutes with soap and water.
• D. The nurse washes her hands with soap and water for only 15 seconds.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Proper surgical hand-washing technique involves washing with the hands held higher than the elbows. This positioning is essential to ensure proper rinsing and to prevent the risk of contamination. Option B, using an alcohol-based hand rub for 30 seconds, is not specific to surgical hand-washing and is more commonly used for routine hand hygiene. Option C, scrubbing hands and forearms for 2 minutes with soap and water, is excessive and not typically required for routine hand-washing. Option D, washing hands with soap and water for only 15 seconds, is insufficient for thorough surgical hand-washing.

2. The healthcare provider is caring for a client with a wound infection. Which type of dressing is most appropriate to use to promote healing by secondary intention?

• A. Dry gauze dressing
• B. Wet-to-dry dressing
• C. Transparent film dressing
• D. Hydrocolloid dressing

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Hydrocolloid dressings are ideal for promoting healing by secondary intention in wound infections. These dressings create a moist environment that supports autolytic debridement and facilitates the healing process. Dry gauze dressings (Option A) may lead to adherence, causing trauma upon removal and disrupting the wound bed. Wet-to-dry dressings (Option B) are primarily used for mechanical debridement and can be painful during dressing changes. Transparent film dressings (Option C) are more suitable for superficial wounds with minimal exudate and are not typically used for wound infections requiring healing by secondary intention.

3. A client who is lactating is being taught about taking medications by a nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse recommend to minimize the entry of medication into breast milk?

• A. Drink 8 oz of water with each dose of medication.
• B. Use medications that have a short half-life.
• C. Take each dose right after breastfeeding.
• D. Pump breast milk and discard it prior to feeding the newborn.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Taking medications immediately after breastfeeding helps minimize the amount of medication that enters breast milk. By doing so, there is a longer interval between the medication intake and the next breastfeeding session, reducing the concentration of the medication in breast milk. Options A and B are incorrect as drinking water with medication or using medications with a short half-life do not directly minimize the entry of medication into breast milk. Option D is unnecessary and wasteful as pumping and discarding breast milk before feeding is not as effective as timing medication intake with breastfeeding to reduce medication transfer into breast milk.

4. A healthcare professional is assessing a client’s extraocular eye movements. Which of the following should the professional do?

• A. Instruct the client to follow a finger through the six cardinal positions of gaze.
• B. Hold a finger 46 cm (18 in) away from the client’s eyes.
• C. Ask the client to cover their right eye during assessment of the left eye.
• D. Position the client 6.1 m (20 feet) away from the Snellen chart.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Instructing the client to follow a finger through the six cardinal positions of gaze is the correct action when assessing extraocular eye movements. This technique assesses the movement of the eyes in all directions and helps to test cranial nerves 3, 4, and 6, which control eye movements. Choice B is incorrect as the distance mentioned is not relevant for assessing extraocular eye movements. Choice C is incorrect as both eyes need to be assessed independently. Choice D is incorrect as positioning the client 6.1 m (20 feet) away from the Snellen chart is related to visual acuity testing, not extraocular eye movements.

5. During a health assessment, a client who takes herbal supplements makes a statement indicating an understanding of their use. Which statement is most indicative of this understanding?

• A. I use garlic for my menopausal symptoms.
• B. I use ginger when I get car sick.
• C. I take ginkgo biloba for headaches.
• D. I take echinacea to control cholesterol.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because ginkgo biloba is commonly used to help with headaches, among other benefits. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because garlic is not typically used for menopausal symptoms, ginger is mainly used for nausea and vomiting (not car sickness specifically), and echinacea is not known to control cholesterol.

Similar Questions