Nursing Elites

1. The nurse has administered 4 oz of orange juice to an alert patient whose blood glucose was 62 mg/dL. Fifteen minutes later, the blood glucose is 67 mg/dL. Which action should the nurse take next?

• A. Give the patient 4 to 6 oz more orange juice.
• B. Administer the PRN glucagon (Glucagon) 1 mg IM.
• C. Have the patient eat some peanut butter with crackers.
• D. Notify the healthcare provider about the hypoglycemia.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take next is to give the patient 4 to 6 oz more orange juice. The patient's blood glucose has increased from 62 mg/dL to 67 mg/dL after consuming the initial 4 oz of orange juice, indicating that the treatment is effective. Providing additional orange juice will help further raise the blood glucose levels. Administering glucagon (Choice B) is not necessary as the patient's blood glucose is already rising. Having the patient eat peanut butter with crackers (Choice C) is a slower-acting option compared to orange juice. Notifying the healthcare provider about the hypoglycemia (Choice D) is not needed at this point since the patient's blood glucose is improving.

2. A nurse manager who tells the staff to 'come to me with any problem' but then keeps the office door closed is using what type of communication?

• A. Intrasender conflict
• B. Diagonal communication
• C. Metacommunication
• D. Upward communication

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Intrasender conflict. Intrasender conflict happens when there is a discrepancy between verbal and nonverbal communication. In this scenario, the nurse manager's verbal message encourages staff to communicate openly, but the closed office door sends a conflicting nonverbal message, creating intrasender conflict. Metacommunication involves nonverbal behaviors like gestures or facial expressions that support or contradict verbal communication. Upward communication refers to the flow of information from staff to management or lower to upper management. Diagonal communication involves communication between individuals or departments at different hierarchical levels.

3. One of the most important driving forces behind health care policy changes is which of the following?

• A. New technology
• B. Outsourcing of services
• C. Emerging role of nurse practitioners
• D. Ability to pay for health care

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, 'Ability to pay for health care.' One of the primary factors influencing health care policy changes is the financial aspect, as the ability to afford healthcare services affects access, quality, and equity. While new technology, outsourcing of services, and the emerging role of nurse practitioners may also impact health care policies, the fundamental driver often revolves around individuals' and societies' financial capacity to pay for healthcare.

4. A nurse is assessing a client who reports increased pain following physical therapy. Which of the following questions should the nurse ask when assessing the quality of the client's pain?

• A. Is your pain constant or intermittent?
• B. What would you rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10?
• C. Does the pain radiate?
• D. Is your pain sharp or dull?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When assessing the quality of pain, asking if the pain is sharp or dull helps the nurse understand the nature of the pain. Sharp pain is often associated with acute conditions like nerve irritation or injury, while dull pain may indicate a more chronic issue like inflammation or tissue damage. Choices A, B, and C focus on different aspects of pain assessment but do not specifically address the quality of pain, making them less relevant in this context.

5. Which of the following best describes the purpose of a root cause analysis (RCA)?

• A. Identify the person responsible for an error
• B. Determine who should be disciplined
• C. Discover the underlying causes of an error
• D. Evaluate the effectiveness of a new policy

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: 'Discover the underlying causes of an error.' Root cause analysis (RCA) focuses on identifying the fundamental reason(s) that led to an error or problem rather than placing blame on individuals. Choice A and B are incorrect as RCA is not about pinpointing a specific person to blame or determining disciplinary actions. Choice D is also incorrect as the primary goal of RCA is not to evaluate policy effectiveness but to uncover the root causes of issues for effective problem-solving.

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