Nursing Elites

1. A small amount of bubbling is seen in the water seal of a pleural drainage system when a client coughs. What should the nurse do?

• A. Consider it a normal finding.
• B. Check the system for leaks.
• C. Clamp the chest tube.
• D. Change the drainage system.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: A small amount of bubbling is a normal finding in the water seal of a pleural drainage system when a client coughs. It is only a problem to find continuous, excessive bubbling in the water seal, which indicates a leak. Checking the system for leaks would be appropriate if there is continuous, excessive bubbling. Clamping the chest tube or changing the drainage system is not necessary in response to a small amount of bubbling during a cough, as this is considered a normal finding.

2. In an emergency situation where a client is unconscious and requires immediate surgery, what action is necessary with regard to informed consent?

• A. The healthcare team will proceed with the surgery as consent is not needed in emergencies.
• B. The healthcare team will wait until the client's family can be contacted for consent.
• C. The healthcare team will contact the hospital clergy to provide informed consent.
• D. The healthcare team will obtain consent from the client's legal guardian before proceeding.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In emergency situations where obtaining consent is not possible due to the client's condition, healthcare providers are allowed to perform life-saving procedures without informed consent. It is assumed that the client would want to receive necessary treatment to save their life. Therefore, the correct action is for the healthcare team to proceed with the surgery as consent is not needed. Waiting to contact the client's family for consent can delay life-saving treatment, risking the client's life. Contacting the hospital clergy for consent is unnecessary and can cause further delays. Obtaining consent from the client's legal guardian is not feasible in this critical situation and may lead to a delay in providing essential care.

3. A nurse monitoring a client with a chest tube notes that there is no tidaling of fluid in the water seal chamber. After further assessment, the nurse suspects that the client's lung has reexpanded and notifies the healthcare provider. The healthcare provider verifies with the use of a chest x-ray that the lung has reexpanded, then calls the nurse to ask that the chest tube be removed. Which action should the nurse take first?

• A. Explain the procedure to the client, then remove the chest tube.
• B. Call the nursing supervisor.
• C. Inform the healthcare provider that removal of a chest tube is not a nursing procedure.
• D. Obtain petrolatum-impregnated gauze and ask another nurse to assist in removing the chest tube.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take first is to inform the healthcare provider that removal of a chest tube is not a nursing procedure. Actual removal of a chest tube is the duty of a healthcare provider. If the healthcare provider insists that the nurse remove the tube, the nurse must contact the nursing supervisor. Some agencies' policies and procedures may permit an advanced practice nurse to remove a chest tube, but there is no information in the question to indicate that the nurse is an advanced practice nurse. Choice A is incorrect because the nurse should not proceed with removing the chest tube without proper authorization. Choice B is incorrect as calling the nursing supervisor should come after clarifying with the healthcare provider. Choice D is incorrect as the nurse should not begin the process of removing the chest tube without proper guidance and authorization.

4. When a client is having a seizure and their blood oxygen saturation drops from 92% to 82%, what should the nurse do first?

• A. Open the airway.
• B. Administer oxygen.
• C. Suction the client.
• D. Check for breathing.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When a client is experiencing a seizure and their blood oxygen saturation drops, the priority action for the nurse is to open the airway. Ensuring a clear airway is essential to maintain oxygenation during a seizure episode. Administering oxygen may be necessary but is secondary to ensuring a patent airway. Suctioning the client should only be done if there is an airway obstruction. Checking for breathing is important, but opening the airway takes precedence to support ventilation and oxygenation.

5. A client with cancer is transported to the radiology department for a bone scan to determine whether the cancer has metastasized to bone. While the client is in the radiology department, the client's wife arrives for a visit and asks what test is being performed on the client. What should the nurse tell the wife?

• A. A bone scan is being performed.
• B. She can read the client's medical record to determine what the health care provider prescribed.
• C. The radiology department is not clear as to which test has been prescribed.
• D. She will have to discuss the prescribed test with the client.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In healthcare, confidentiality is crucial. Without the client's consent, nurses cannot disclose confidential information to anyone else, even to family members. Therefore, the appropriate response is to inform the client's wife that she will have to discuss the test with the client directly. It is not appropriate to disclose sensitive medical information without the client's permission. Offering the wife to read the medical record is a violation of privacy and confidentiality. Indicating that the radiology department is unclear about the prescribed test is inaccurate and does not uphold confidentiality. Moreover, it is not the responsibility of another department to disclose medical information; it is the duty of the healthcare provider and the client to discuss such matters.

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