Nursing Elites

1. A nurse in charge of a long-term care facility who is working with a nursing assistant on the night shift prepares to take a break. To ensure client safety during the break, which actions should the nurse take? Select all that apply.

• A. Asking the nursing assistant to contact the health care provider during the nurse’s break if a client’s pain medication is not effective
• B. Informing the nursing assistant that she is leaving the nursing unit to get a cup of coffee from a vending machine in the lobby
• C. Asking the nursing assistant to administer a medication placed at the client's bedside if the client awakens
• D. Conducting client rounds before taking the break

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The nurse is responsible for ensuring client safety at all times and must not leave the nursing unit for any reason during the shift. The nurse’s break should be taken in a designated area located on the nursing unit. Before taking the break, the nurse should check all clients to ensure that they are safe and comfortable and that their needs have been met. Conducting client rounds before taking the break is crucial to assess the clients' conditions and address any immediate needs, ensuring their safety. Asking the nursing assistant to contact the health care provider during the nurse’s break is not appropriate as the nurse should handle this responsibility. Leaving the nursing unit to get coffee is not recommended as the nurse should stay within the unit to respond promptly to any client needs. Asking the nursing assistant to administer medication or make clinical decisions is outside the scope of their practice and should not be delegated.

2. A licensed practical nurse arrives at work at the long-term care center and is immediately faced with several activities that require attention. Which activity will the nurse attend to first?

• A. Task assignments for the day
• B. Stocking the medication closet
• C. A phone message from employee health services
• D. A phone message from a client's wife

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The nurse's priority should be attending to task assignments for the day. This ensures that client care can begin promptly and efficiently. Stocking the medication closet is important but can be done after ensuring task assignments are clear. Phone messages from employee health services and a client's wife, although important, can be addressed after organizing the staff for client care.

3. A nurse is planning task assignments for the day. Which assignment is the least appropriate for the nursing assistant?

• A. Assisting a client with dysphagia in eating
• B. Ambulating a client with Parkinson's disease
• C. Providing hygiene to a client with dementia
• D. Assisting a client with an above-the-knee amputation in showering

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The least appropriate assignment for a nursing assistant would be assisting a client with dysphagia in eating. This task requires specialized skills and knowledge to prevent complications such as choking and aspiration. Ambulating a client with Parkinson's disease, providing hygiene to a client with dementia, and assisting a client with an above-the-knee amputation in showering are tasks that a nursing assistant can safely perform without significant risk of complications. Assisting a client with dysphagia in eating involves higher risks and requires specific training, making it the least appropriate choice for a nursing assistant.

4. 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.

5. A client with which of the following conditions is at risk for developing a high ammonia level?

• A. renal failure
• B. psoriasis
• C. lupus
• D. cirrhosis

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A client with cirrhosis is at risk for developing a high ammonia level due to impaired liver function. The liver normally converts ammonia into urea for excretion. In cirrhosis, this process is compromised, leading to elevated ammonia levels in the blood. Renal failure, psoriasis, and lupus do not typically cause high ammonia levels. Renal failure affects kidney function, while psoriasis and lupus are autoimmune conditions that do not directly impact ammonia metabolism.

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