Nursing Elites

1. A patient is experiencing shortness of breath. What is the nurse's immediate action?

• A. Assist the patient into a high Fowler's position.
• B. Administer oxygen at 2 liters per minute via nasal cannula.
• C. Encourage the patient to take deep breaths and cough.
• D. Assess the patient's lung sounds.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Administering oxygen at 2 liters per minute via nasal cannula is the immediate action for a patient experiencing shortness of breath. This intervention helps to improve oxygenation and relieve respiratory distress promptly. Placing the patient in a high Fowler's position (choice A) may also be beneficial but providing oxygen takes precedence in this scenario to address the underlying hypoxemia. Encouraging deep breaths and coughing (choice C) may not be appropriate as the first action, especially without assessing the patient first. Assessing lung sounds (choice D) is essential but should follow the initial intervention of administering oxygen.

2. Which nursing action is essential when administering a blood transfusion?

• A. Ensure the blood is administered within 4 hours.
• B. Check the patient's vital signs every 30 minutes during the transfusion.
• C. Administer the transfusion at a slow rate for the first 15 minutes.
• D. Document the transfusion in the patient's medical record immediately after administration.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to administer the transfusion at a slow rate for the first 15 minutes. This practice is crucial as it helps in detecting any adverse reactions early on. Checking the patient's vital signs every 30 minutes (choice B) is important but not as essential as ensuring a slow rate at the beginning. Administering blood within 4 hours (choice A) is a standard practice but not directly related to the initial administration. Documenting the transfusion immediately (choice D) is necessary but does not directly impact the safety of the initial administration.

3. What is the most important action for the nurse to take before administering digoxin to a patient?

• A. Check the patient's heart rate before administration.
• B. Assess the patient's blood pressure before administration.
• C. Ensure the patient has eaten before administration.
• D. Monitor the patient's weight before administration.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to check the patient's heart rate before administering digoxin. Digoxin is a medication that primarily affects cardiac function. Monitoring the heart rate is crucial because digoxin can cause arrhythmias or worsen existing heart rhythm abnormalities. Assessing blood pressure may also be important but is secondary to evaluating the heart rate when administering digoxin. Ensuring the patient has eaten before administration is not directly related to the safe administration of digoxin. Monitoring the patient's weight is not a priority action before administering digoxin.

4. A nurse is teaching the partner of a client who had a stroke about manifestations of dysphagia. Which of the following statements by the client's partner indicates the need for further teaching?

• A. I will monitor my husband for coughing while he is eating
• B. I will monitor my husband for pocketing food in his mouth
• C. I will monitor for a change in my husband's voice after he swallows
• D. I will monitor my husband for tilting his head forward when he swallows

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. Tilting the head forward during swallowing is not a compensatory technique for dysphagia and may increase the risk of aspiration. Choices A, B, and C are correct statements indicating appropriate monitoring for manifestations of dysphagia: coughing while eating, pocketing food in the mouth, and changes in voice after swallowing are all signs that should be monitored.

5. What are the main differences between a stroke caused by ischemia and one caused by hemorrhage?

• A. Blockage in a blood vessel supplying the brain
• B. Bleeding in the brain due to a ruptured aneurysm
• C. Administering thrombolytics if within the treatment window
• D. Avoiding anticoagulants and preparing for surgery

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: "Blockage in a blood vessel supplying the brain." Ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel supplying the brain, leading to reduced blood flow. Hemorrhagic stroke, on the other hand, is caused by bleeding in the brain due to a ruptured blood vessel. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Administering thrombolytics, avoiding anticoagulants, and preparing for surgery are specific management strategies that may apply to ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes but do not define the main differences between the two types of strokes.

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