Nursing Elites

1. A patient is receiving an opioid analgesic for pain management. What is the most important assessment for the nurse to perform?

• A. Monitor the patient's blood pressure.
• B. Assess the patient's respiratory rate.
• C. Monitor the patient's oxygen saturation.
• D. Assess the patient's heart rate.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to assess the patient's respiratory rate. When a patient is receiving opioids, it is crucial to monitor their respiratory rate as opioids can depress the respiratory system, leading to respiratory depression and potential respiratory failure. Monitoring blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate are important assessments as well, but the priority lies in assessing respiratory rate due to the risk of respiratory depression associated with opioid use.

2. Which of the following actions is a means of maintaining medical asepsis to reduce and prevent the spread of microorganisms?

• A. Sterilizing contaminated items
• B. Routinely cleaning the hospital environment
• C. Reapplying a sterile dressing
• D. Applying a sterile gown and gloves

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Sterilizing contaminated items. Maintaining medical asepsis involves ensuring that items are free of microorganisms to prevent infections. Sterilizing contaminated items is a crucial step in this process as it eliminates all microorganisms, including spores. Choices B, C, and D do not directly address the process of reducing and preventing the spread of microorganisms. While routinely cleaning the hospital environment is important for cleanliness, it does not guarantee the elimination of all microorganisms. Reapplying a sterile dressing and applying a sterile gown and gloves are specific actions related to personal protective equipment and wound care, not the general maintenance of medical asepsis.

3. A nurse is observing a nursing student practicing standard precautions. Which observation by the instructor indicates that further teaching is necessary?

• A. The nursing student wears gloves when changing bed linens.
• B. The nursing student wears gloves to remove a wound dressing.
• C. The nursing student washes hands after removing gloves.
• D. The nursing student touches the patient's skin with sterile gloves.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because touching a patient's skin with sterile gloves compromises the sterility of the gloves, increasing the risk of contamination. Choices A, B, and C demonstrate correct practices in standard precautions. Wearing gloves when changing bed linens and to remove a wound dressing, as well as washing hands after removing gloves, are all appropriate and necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection.

4. A nurse is monitoring an older adult female client who had a myocardial infarction (MI) for the development of an acute kidney injury (AKI). Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as indicating an increased risk of AKI?

• A. Magnesium 2.0 mEq/L
• B. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 20 mg/dL
• C. Serum Osmolality 290 mOsm/kg H2O
• D. Serum creatinine 1.8 mg/dL

Correct answer: D

Rationale: An elevated serum creatinine level (1.8 mg/dL) is a significant indicator of potential kidney impairment. In acute kidney injury (AKI), serum creatinine levels rise due to decreased kidney function, reflecting the kidneys' inability to effectively filter waste from the blood. Magnesium level, BUN, and serum osmolality are not direct indicators of kidney function or risk of AKI. Magnesium levels are more related to electrolyte balance, BUN can be affected by factors other than kidney function, and serum osmolality reflects the concentration of solutes in the blood, not specifically kidney function.

5. A nurse observes a colleague not using proper hand hygiene. What should the nurse do first?

• A. Ignore the behavior and continue with care
• B. Discuss the behavior with other colleagues
• C. Confront the colleague about the behavior
• D. Report the behavior to the supervisor

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take first is to report the behavior to the supervisor. Proper hand hygiene is essential in preventing the spread of infections in healthcare settings. By reporting the observed behavior to the supervisor, the nurse is prioritizing patient safety and promoting a culture of accountability. Ignoring the behavior (Choice A) can put patients at risk, discussing it with other colleagues (Choice B) may not address the issue effectively, and confronting the colleague directly (Choice C) might not be the most appropriate initial step and could lead to conflicts rather than a constructive resolution.

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