Nursing Elites

1. The healthcare provider is preparing to administer an intravenous antibiotic to a client with a central venous catheter. Which action is most important?

• A. Flush the catheter with heparin.
• B. Change the dressing at the insertion site.
• C. Check for blood return before administering the antibiotic.
• D. Use sterile technique when accessing the catheter.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Using sterile technique when accessing the catheter is crucial to prevent infection in clients with a central venous catheter. This action helps maintain asepsis and reduces the risk of introducing pathogens into the catheter system. Flushing the catheter with heparin helps prevent occlusion but is not as crucial as ensuring sterile technique. Changing the dressing at the insertion site is important for assessing the site's condition but does not directly impact the administration of the antibiotic. Checking for blood return is essential to ensure proper catheter function, but sterile technique takes precedence to prevent infections.

2. Several employees who have a 10-year or longer smoking history ask for assistance with smoking cessation. A nurse develops a 2-month program that includes weekly group sessions on lifestyle changes and use of over-the-counter nicotine substitute products. Which measurement provides the best indication of the program's effectiveness?

• A. survey employees to determine how many are smoking 2 months after the end of the program
• B. test the employees' knowledge of OTC nicotine substitute products at the end of the program
• C. ask employees to inform the group if they stop smoking and if they start smoking again
• D. design a questionnaire that identifies lifestyle changes contributing to smoking cessation

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Surveying employees to determine how many are smoking 2 months after the end of the program provides a direct assessment of the program's effectiveness. This measurement evaluates the actual behavior change related to smoking cessation. Choice B, testing knowledge of OTC nicotine substitute products, does not directly measure smoking cessation outcomes. Choice C relies on self-reporting, which may not be accurate or reliable. Choice D focuses on identifying lifestyle changes but does not directly assess the program's impact on smoking cessation.

3. The home health nurse visits a young male client with AIDS who has Kaposi's sarcoma and peripheral neuropathies. His parents, who are the caregivers, tell the nurse that their son sleeps most of the time. The nurse assesses that the client is semi-conscious with stable vital signs, cries out in pain when turned or moved, has a Duragesic pain patch in place, and skin lesions that are closed and dried. Which intervention should the nurse implement?

• A. remove the Duragesic patch as directed by the prescription
• B. give the client a complete bed bath to further assess the client's condition
• C. discuss end-of-life decisions with the client's parents
• D. call for ambulance transportation to the hospital immediately

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In this scenario, the client with AIDS is showing signs of being in a critical condition - semi-conscious, in pain, and with stable vital signs. The appropriate intervention for the nurse to implement is to discuss end-of-life decisions with the client's parents. Given the client's symptoms, the presence of a pain patch, and the closed and dried skin lesions, it is essential to address end-of-life care planning. Removing the Duragesic patch without proper authorization can lead to inadequate pain management and should not be done without consulting the healthcare provider. Giving a complete bed bath is not the priority in this situation as it does not address the immediate needs of the client. Calling for ambulance transportation to the hospital immediately may not be necessary if the client is stable; instead, the focus should be on providing appropriate support and having critical discussions about the client's care preferences.

4. The healthcare provider provides teaching to a group of evacuees in a mass casualty center after a natural flooding disaster. Which information should the healthcare provider include in the teaching plan? (select one that does not apply.)

• A. wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly in running tap water
• B. identify all sexual contacts since the evacuation process
• C. take all doses of prophylactic prescriptions for diarrhea
• D. clean hands using soap, clean water, or waterless antibacterial solutions

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In the aftermath of a flooding disaster, educating evacuees on proper hygiene practices like washing fruits and vegetables, taking prophylactic prescriptions, and practicing hand hygiene is crucial to prevent the spread of diseases. Option B, identifying sexual contacts, is not relevant to preventing post-disaster health risks and should not be included in the teaching plan.

5. A female client reports to the nurse that her sleep was interrupted by 'thoughts of anger towards my husband.' What type of thoughts is the client having?

• A. Obsessive.
• B. Phobic.
• C. Delusional.
• D. Paranoid.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Obsessive. Obsessive thoughts are recurring, unwanted, and intrusive thoughts that cause distress or anxiety. In this scenario, the client is experiencing repetitive thoughts of anger towards her husband, indicating an inability to control these thoughts. Choice B, Phobic, is incorrect as phobic thoughts are related to irrational fears. Choice C, Delusional, is incorrect as delusional thoughts involve fixed false beliefs. Choice D, Paranoid, is incorrect as paranoid thoughts involve irrational suspicions and mistrust.

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