Nursing Elites

1. The LPN needs to delegate a task to the nurse aide who is new to the unit. Which of these is the best option for the nurse to choose in proceeding?

• A. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, confirm understanding, and follow up to ensure the task was safely and correctly done.
• B. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, watch them perform the task without them seeing you, and follow up to ensure the task was done safely and accurately.
• C. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, supervise if needed, and check in after the task to see if help is needed.
• D. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, ensure understanding of the task, and supervise the task being performed.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Delegation is transferring responsibility for a task but sharing its accountability. It is the delegator's responsibility to ensure that the delegatee understands the task before it is performed and to follow up afterward to ensure it was completed correctly and safely. Option B is the best choice because it allows the nurse to observe the nurse aide performing the task without pressure, which can provide insights into the aide's abilities and understanding. This method also allows for immediate feedback and correction if needed. Choice A is incorrect because confirming understanding alone may not provide a complete picture of the aide's competence in performing the task. Choice C is incorrect as it suggests supervising only if needed, which may not provide adequate oversight for a new nurse aide. Choice D is incorrect because supervising the task being performed does not allow for an objective assessment of the aide's abilities and understanding.

2. An example of a process standard on a med-surg unit is:

• A. a procedure for changing IV tubing.
• B. a policy for staffing.
• C. the job description of the CEO (chief executive officer).
• D. a procedure for checking waveforms on a client being treated with an intra-aortic balloon pump.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Process standards define the actions and behaviors required by staff to provide care on a med-surg unit. A procedure for changing IV tubing is a critical psychomotor skill necessary for safe and effective patient care in this setting. Choice B, a policy for staffing, pertains more to organizational management rather than specific care processes on the unit. Choice C, the job description of the CEO, delineates the responsibilities of the organization's top executive and is not a process standard for frontline staff. Choice D, a procedure for checking waveforms on a client with an intra-aortic balloon pump, is more specific to a cardiac care unit and not typically performed on a med-surg unit.

3. 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.

4. How does cancer affect pain tolerance in elderly clients?

• A. Remain constant.
• B. Decrease.
• C. Increase.
• D. Cancer has no impact on pain tolerance in elderly clients.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Pain tolerance in elderly clients with cancer is likely to decrease due to factors such as diminished adaptative capacity, increased physical discomfort, and the psychological impact of the disease. Cancer is known to cause various physical and emotional stressors that can lower the pain threshold, leading to a decrease in pain tolerance. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because cancer and its associated effects typically result in a decrease in pain tolerance rather than remaining constant, increasing, or having no impact.

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: Cirrhosis is the correct answer. In cirrhosis, the liver is unable to detoxify ammonia to urea, leading to an accumulation of ammonia in the blood. This can result in hepatic encephalopathy, a condition characterized by high ammonia levels affecting brain function. Renal failure (Choice A), psoriasis (Choice B), and lupus (Choice C) are not directly associated with an increased risk of high ammonia levels as seen in cirrhosis.

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