Nursing Elites

1. The patient has a calcium level of 12.1 mg/dL. Which nursing action should the nurse include on the care plan?

• A. Maintain the patient on bed rest.
• B. Auscultate lung sounds every 4 hours.
• C. Monitor for Trousseau's and Chvostek's signs.
• D. Encourage fluid intake up to 4000 mL every day.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to include on the care plan for a patient with a calcium level of 12.1 mg/dL is to encourage fluid intake up to 4000 mL every day. This is essential to decrease the risk for renal calculi associated with hypercalcemia. While bed rest is not necessary, ambulation is encouraged to help decrease the loss of calcium from the bone. Monitoring for Trousseau's and Chvostek's signs is more relevant when hypocalcemia is suspected. Auscultating lung sounds every shift is a routine assessment, not required every 4 hours unless there is a specific respiratory concern.

2. A client's telemetry monitor indicates the sudden onset of ventricular fibrillation. Which assessment finding should the nurse anticipate?

• A. Bounding erratic pulse.
• B. Regularly irregular pulse.
• C. Thready irregular pulse.
• D. No palpable pulse.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening arrhythmia characterized by chaotic, asynchronous contractions of the ventricles, resulting in ineffective cardiac output. This leads to the absence of a palpable pulse. Nurses should be prepared to initiate immediate interventions such as defibrillation to restore normal cardiac rhythm in a client experiencing ventricular fibrillation.

3. When assessing a client reporting severe pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen, which sign would most likely indicate appendicitis?

• A. Rebound tenderness at McBurney's point.
• B. Positive Murphy's sign.
• C. Rovsing's sign.
• D. Cullen's sign.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Rebound tenderness at McBurney's point is a classic sign of appendicitis. This sign indicates peritoneal irritation, a common feature of appendicitis. McBurney's point is located in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen and is a focal point for assessing tenderness. Positive Murphy's sign is associated with cholecystitis, not appendicitis. Rovsing's sign is elicited by palpation of the left lower quadrant resulting in pain in the right lower quadrant, also suggestive of appendicitis. Cullen's sign is associated with acute pancreatitis and manifests as periumbilical ecchymosis.

4. The client has acute pancreatitis. Which nursing intervention is the highest priority?

• A. Administer pain medication as prescribed.
• B. Monitor the client's serum amylase and lipase levels.
• C. Encourage oral intake of clear liquids.
• D. Assess the client's bowel sounds every 4 hours.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Administering pain medication as prescribed is the highest priority when caring for a client with acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis is often associated with severe abdominal pain, and alleviating this pain is crucial for the client's comfort and well-being. Pain management can also help reduce stress on the pancreas and promote recovery. Monitoring serum amylase and lipase levels, encouraging oral intake of clear liquids, and assessing bowel sounds are important interventions but addressing the client's pain takes precedence to provide immediate relief and improve outcomes.

5. The nurse is caring for four clients: Client A, who has emphysema and an oxygen saturation of 94%; Client B, with a postoperative hemoglobin of 8.7 g/dL; Client C, newly admitted with a potassium level of 3.8 mEq/L; and Client D, scheduled for an appendectomy with a white blood cell count of 15,000/mm3. What intervention should the nurse implement?

• A. Increase Client A's oxygen to 4 liters per minute via nasal cannula.
• B. Determine if Client B has two units of packed cells available in the blood bank.
• C. Ask the dietitian to add a banana to Client C's breakfast tray.
• D. Inform Client D that surgery is likely to be delayed until the infection is treated.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A high white blood cell count, as seen in Client D, indicates infection, which may require postponing surgery to treat the infection adequately. It is crucial to address the underlying infection before proceeding with the appendectomy to prevent complications and ensure a successful surgical outcome.

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