Nursing Elites

1. The patient refuses to bathe in the morning, stating a preference for evening baths. What is the best action for the nurse?

• A. Defer the bath until evening and pass on the information to the next shift.
• B. Tell the patient that daily morning baths are part of the 'normal' routine.
• C. Explain the importance of maintaining morning hygiene practices.
• D. Cancel hygiene for the day and attempt again in the morning.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The best action by the nurse is to respect the patient's preference and autonomy. Defer the bath until evening to allow the patient to follow their usual hygiene routine. Passing on the information to the next shift ensures continuity of care. Choice B is incorrect because it disregards the patient's preference and autonomy. Choice C, while important, does not address the patient's immediate concern. Choice D is incorrect as it does not respect the patient's wishes and may lead to further resistance to bathing.

2. Three days following surgery, a male client observes his colostomy for the first time. He becomes quite upset and tells the LPN that it is much bigger than he expected. What is the best response by the nurse?

• A. Reassure the client that he will become accustomed to the stoma's appearance in time.
• B. Instruct the client that the stoma will become smaller when the initial swelling diminishes.
• C. Offer to contact a member of the local ostomy support group to help him with his concerns.
• D. Encourage the client to handle the stoma equipment to gain confidence with the procedure.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct response is to instruct the client that the stoma will become smaller when the initial swelling diminishes. This explanation helps reassure the client about the temporary appearance of the stoma. Choice A is incorrect because simply reassuring the client that he will become accustomed to the stoma's appearance does not address the immediate concern about the stoma size. Choice C is incorrect because offering to contact a support group does not directly address the client's current distress about the stoma size. Choice D is incorrect because encouraging the client to handle stoma equipment does not directly address the client's concern about the stoma size and may not be appropriate at this time.

3. What is the most important action for preventing infection in a client with a central venous catheter?

• A. Changing the catheter dressing every 72 hours.
• B. Flushing the catheter with heparin solution daily.
• C. Ensuring the catheter is clamped when not in use.
• D. Maintaining sterile technique when handling the catheter.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Maintaining sterile technique when handling a central venous catheter is crucial in preventing infections. This action helps minimize the introduction of pathogens into the catheter site, reducing the risk of contamination and subsequent infection. Changing the catheter dressing every 72 hours, while important, does not directly address the prevention of infection at the insertion site. Flushing the catheter with heparin solution daily helps prevent occlusion but does not primarily focus on infection prevention. Ensuring the catheter is clamped when not in use is essential for preventing air embolism but does not directly relate to infection control.

4. A nurse enters a client's room and finds her on the floor. The client's roommate reports that the client was trying to get out of bed and fell over the bedrail onto the floor. Which of the following statements should the nurse document about this incident?

• A. ''Incident report completed.''
• B. ''Client climbed over the bedrails.''
• C. ''Client found lying on the floor.''
• D. ''Client was trying to get out of bed.''

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: ''Client found lying on the floor.'' In this situation, the nurse should document factual, objective information without making assumptions. Stating that the client was found lying on the floor directly reflects what was observed. Choice A, ''Incident report completed,'' is not a statement about the incident itself and does not provide relevant information. Choice B, ''Client climbed over the bedrails,'' introduces unnecessary speculation and assumption which should be avoided when documenting incidents. Choice D, ''Client was trying to get out of bed,'' focuses on the client's behavior rather than the objective observation of the client's position when found.

5. When admitting a client to an acute care facility, an identification bracelet is sent up with the admission form. In the event these do not match, the nurse's best action is to

• A. Change whichever item is incorrect to the correct information
• B. Use the bracelet and admission form until a replacement is supplied
• C. Notify the admissions office and wait to apply the bracelet
• D. Make a corrected identification bracelet for the client

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The nurse should notify the admissions office and wait to apply the bracelet. By doing so, the nurse ensures patient safety and accuracy in identification. Changing the incorrect item (Choice A) could lead to errors and confusion in the patient's identification. Using the mismatched items until a replacement is supplied (Choice B) compromises patient safety and could result in errors during care delivery. Making a corrected identification bracelet without verifying the correct information (Choice D) could introduce further inaccuracies and risks in patient identification.

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