Nursing Elites

1. When a client's postoperative pain seems to be getting worse due to grief over the recent death of their spouse, what should the nurse consider?

• A. calling the physician for an increased dosage of pain medication
• B. calling the physician for a sedative
• C. referring the client for a psychiatric consult
• D. developing interventions for grief and loss

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is developing interventions for grief and loss. In this scenario, the client's pain is not solely sensory but also affective due to grieving over the death of their spouse. It is essential to address the emotional component of pain by providing support and interventions for grief and loss. Referring the client for a psychiatric consult may not be necessary as grieving is a normal response to such a significant loss. Calling the physician for an increased dosage of pain medication or a sedative solely focuses on the sensory aspect of pain and does not address the underlying emotional distress.

2. Which of the following lab values is elevated first after a client has a myocardial infarction?

• A. LDH
• B. troponin
• C. CPK
• D. SGOT

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is troponin. Troponin levels are the most specific and sensitive markers for myocardial infarction, and they begin to rise within a few hours after the event. CPK, SGOT, and LDH are also enzymes that can indicate myocardial damage, but troponin is the earliest and most specific indicator. CPK typically rises 4-8 hours after an infarction, followed by SGOT (AST) at 8-12 hours, and LDH at 12-24 hours post-infarction.

3. The nurse manager of a quality improvement program asks a nurse in the neurological unit to conduct a retrospective audit. Which action should the auditing nurse plan to perform in this type of audit?

• A. Checking the crash cart to ensure that all needed supplies are readily available in case of an emergency
• B. Checking the documentation written by a new nursing graduate on her assigned clients at the end of the shift
• C. Reviewing neurological assessment checklists for all clients on the unit to ensure that these assessments are being conducted as prescribed
• D. Obtaining the assigned medical record from the hospital's medical record room to review documentation made during a client's hospital stay

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Quality improvement, also known as performance improvement, focuses on processes contributing to client safety and care outcomes. Retrospective audits involve reviewing medical records after discharge for compliance with standards. Concurrent audits assess staff compliance during a client's stay. Therefore, obtaining the medical record from the hospital's record room for review is crucial in a retrospective audit. Options A, B, and C are more suited for concurrent audits as they involve real-time assessment during a client's stay.

4. A nurse who recently learned she is pregnant has just received client assignments for the day. Which client assignment should the nurse question as being inappropriate?

• A. A client with metastatic cancer who is receiving a continuous infusion of intravenous morphine sulfate
• B. A client with a solid-sealed cervical radiation implant
• C. A client with diarrhea for whom enteric precautions are in effect
• D. A client for whom contact precautions have been implemented and who requires frequent wound irrigations

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is a client with a solid-sealed cervical radiation implant. Brachytherapy involves the implantation of a sealed radiation source within the targeted tumor tissue. A client with such an implant emits radiation as long as it is in place. Pregnant nurses should not care for clients with solid-sealed radiation implants due to the potential radiation exposure risk to the fetus. Clients under enteric precautions due to diarrhea, receiving a continuous infusion of intravenous morphine sulfate for cancer pain, or requiring contact precautions and frequent wound irrigations do not pose a risk to pregnant nurses and are appropriate assignments for them. Therefore, the nurse should question the assignment involving the client with the solid-sealed cervical radiation implant as it poses a risk to the fetus.

5. A neighbor telephones the nurse to tell her that her child has erythema infectiosum and asks for information. The nurse knows that another name for the disorder is:

• A. Kawasaki disease
• B. rheumatic disease
• C. lupus erythematosus
• D. fifth disease

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is 'fifth disease.' Erythema infectiosum, also known as fifth disease, is a parvovirus flu-like illness that is self-limiting but contagious for two to three weeks. Choice A, Kawasaki disease, is a different condition that involves inflammation of the blood vessels, predominantly affecting children. Choices B and C, rheumatic disease and lupus erythematosus, are also different conditions unrelated to erythema infectiosum.

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