Nursing Elites

1. The nurse is preparing to administer a unit of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) to a client. Which action is most important for the nurse to take?

• A. Verify the client's blood type
• B. Ensure the PRBCs are warm
• C. Check the client's vital signs
• D. Obtain the client's consent

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Verifying the client's blood type is crucial before administering PRBCs to ensure compatibility and prevent transfusion reactions. Checking the client's blood type is essential in blood transfusions. Ensuring the PRBCs are warm is not a priority as the temperature should be within a specific range regardless of the client's preference. Checking the client's vital signs is important but not as crucial as verifying the blood type before a blood transfusion. Obtaining the client's consent is important for any procedure but does not directly impact the safety and success of administering PRBCs.

2. The nurse assesses a client who is receiving an infusion of 5% dextrose in water with 20 mEq of potassium chloride. The client has oliguria and a serum potassium level of 6.5 mEq/L. What action should the nurse implement first?

• A. Notify the healthcare provider of the laboratory results
• B. Decrease the rate of the IV infusion
• C. Stop the infusion
• D. Administer sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate)

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to implement first is to stop the infusion. Stopping the infusion is crucial to prevent further potassium from being administered, which can exacerbate the client's hyperkalemia. Notifying the healthcare provider of the laboratory results (Choice A) can be done after taking immediate action to stop the infusion. Decreasing the rate of the IV infusion (Choice B) may not be sufficient to address the high potassium level quickly. Administering sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) (Choice D) is not the initial action for managing hyperkalemia; stopping the potassium infusion takes precedence.

3. When obtaining an admission history for a client who is at 9 weeks gestation, the client states, 'I had a miscarriage 2 years ago.' Which information is most important for the nurse to obtain?

• A. How long was your previous pregnancy?
• B. How long did it take for you to become pregnant after your miscarriage?
• C. Was your miscarriage during the first trimester?
• D. Do you have any children now?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. Understanding the duration of the previous pregnancy helps assess the client's obstetric history. Choice B focuses on the time it took to conceive after the miscarriage, which is less relevant at this point. Choice C asks about the timing of the miscarriage rather than the duration of the previous pregnancy. Choice D inquires about the current status of having children, which is not directly related to the client's obstetric history.

4. A client in the oliguric phase of acute renal failure (ARF) has a 24-hour urine output of 400 ml. How much oral intake should the nurse allow this client to have during the next 24 hours?

• A. Encourage oral fluids as tolerated
• B. Decrease oral intake to 200 ml
• C. Allow the client to have exactly 400 ml oral intake
• D. Limit oral intake to 900 to 1,000 ml

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In the oliguric phase of acute renal failure (ARF), the goal is to prevent fluid overload. Since the client has a low urine output of 400 ml in 24 hours, limiting oral intake to 900 to 1,000 ml is appropriate. Encouraging unrestricted oral fluids (Choice A) can exacerbate fluid overload. Decreasing oral intake to 200 ml (Choice B) would be too restrictive and may lead to dehydration. Allowing the client to have exactly 400 ml oral intake (Choice C) would not account for other sources of fluid intake and output, potentially resulting in fluid imbalance.

5. An experienced nurse tells the nurse-manager that working with a new graduate is impossible because the new graduate will not listen to suggestions. The new graduate comes to the nurse-manager describing the senior nurse's attitude as challenging and offensive. What action is best for the nurse manager to take?

• A. Have both nurses meet separately with the staff mental health consultant
• B. Listen actively to both nurses and offer suggestions to solve the dilemma
• C. Ask the senior nurse to examine mentoring strategies used with the new graduate
• D. Ask the nurses to meet with the nurse-manager to identify ways of working together

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Facilitating a meeting for the nurses to identify ways of working together is the best action for the nurse manager. This approach promotes open communication, collaboration, and allows both nurses to express their concerns and perspectives. Option A may not address the underlying issues between the nurses and involving a mental health consultant may not be necessary at this stage. Option B, while listening is important, may not fully resolve the conflict without a structured plan. Option C focuses solely on the senior nurse without involving the new graduate in resolving the situation.

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