the nurse is preparing to administer potassium chloride intravenously to a client with hypokalemiwhich action is most important
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Nursing Elites

HESI LPN

HESI Fundamental Practice Exam

1. The healthcare professional is preparing to administer potassium chloride intravenously to a client with hypokalemia. Which action is most important?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is to dilute the potassium chloride in an appropriate IV solution. Potassium chloride should never be administered as a rapid IV push as it can lead to severe complications, including cardiac arrhythmias. Diluting the medication and administering it slowly helps reduce the risk of adverse effects. Monitoring the client's respiratory rate (Choice A) and checking urine output (Choice B) are important aspects of patient assessment but not the most crucial when administering potassium chloride. Administering potassium chloride as a rapid IV push (Choice C) is dangerous and can result in serious harm to the client.

2. A client is to receive 10 mEq of KCl diluted in 250 ml of normal saline over 4 hours. At what rate should the LPN/LVN set the client's intravenous infusion pump?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: To calculate the correct rate of infusion, divide the total volume by the total time: 250 ml / 4 hours = 62.5 ml/hour, which is rounded up to 63 ml/hour. This rate ensures the proper administration of the KCl over the 4-hour period. Choice A (13 ml/hour) is incorrect as it does not match the calculated rate. Choices C (80 ml/hour) and D (125 ml/hour) are also incorrect as they do not correspond to the calculated rate needed for the specified time frame.

3. A client with a history of falls is under the care of a nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prevent falls?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Keeping the client's bed in the lowest position is an essential measure to prevent falls. Lowering the bed reduces the risk of injury if the client falls out of bed by decreasing the distance of the fall. Encouraging the client to wear non-slip socks (Choice B) may help prevent slips on smooth surfaces but does not address the risk of falls in other scenarios. Placing a fall risk sign on the client's door (Choice C) alone does not actively prevent falls but serves as a warning. Using a gait belt when ambulating the client (Choice D) is important for assisting with mobility but does not directly address fall prevention in the client's environment.

4. A healthcare professional is preparing to administer metoprolol 200 mg PO daily. The medication available is metoprolol 100 mg/tablet. How many tablets should the healthcare professional administer? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.)

Correct answer: B

Rationale: To administer 200 mg of metoprolol using 100 mg tablets, the healthcare professional should give 2 tablets. Each tablet contains 100 mg of metoprolol, so 2 tablets will provide the required 200 mg dose. Choice A is incorrect because 1 tablet would only provide 100 mg, which is insufficient. Choice C is incorrect as fractions of tablets are usually not used in practice to ensure accurate dosing. Choice D is incorrect as it would result in an overdose, providing 400 mg instead of the prescribed 200 mg.

5. A charge nurse is discussing the responsibility of nurses caring for clients who have a Clostridium difficile infection. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When caring for clients with Clostridium difficile infection, it is important to prevent the transmission of spores. Having family members wear a gown and gloves when visiting helps reduce the spread of the infection. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because assigning the client to a room with a negative air-flow system, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and cleaning surfaces with a phenol solution are not specific measures targeted at preventing the transmission of Clostridium difficile spores.

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