Nursing Elites

1. The client has removed the covering from an ice pack applied to his knee. What action should the nurse take first?

• A. Observe the appearance of the skin under the ice pack.
• B. Instruct the client regarding the importance of the covering.
• C. Reapply the covering after filling it with fresh ice.
• D. Ask the client how long the ice pack was applied to the skin.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The primary action for the nurse is to assess the skin under the ice pack to check for any potential thermal injury. This assessment is crucial to ensure the client's safety. Once the skin assessment is done and no harm is found, the nurse can proceed with other necessary actions such as providing instructions to the client or replacing the covering with fresh ice.

2. The healthcare professional is administering an intermittent infusion of an antibiotic to a client with an antecubital saline lock. After opening the roller clamp on the IV tubing, the alarm on the infusion pump indicates an obstruction. What action should be taken first?

• A. Check for a blood return.
• B. Reposition the client's arm.
• C. Remove the IV site dressing.
• D. Flush the lock with saline.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Repositioning the client's arm is the initial action to take when encountering an obstruction with an antecubital saline lock. Repositioning may correct any bending at the elbow that could be causing the obstruction, allowing for smoother infusion flow. Checking for a blood return, removing the IV site dressing, or flushing the lock with saline would be subsequent actions once the obstruction is addressed. Checking for a blood return is done to confirm proper placement, removing the IV site dressing is necessary for site assessment, and flushing the lock with saline helps maintain patency but should not be the first action when an obstruction is detected.

3. A 54-year-old male client and his wife were informed this morning that he has terminal cancer. Which nursing intervention is likely to be most beneficial?

• A. Ask the wife how she would like to participate in the client’s care.
• B. Provide the wife with information about hospice.
• C. Encourage the wife to visit during and after painful treatments are completed.
• D. Refer the wife to a support group for family members of those dying of cancer.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: During this challenging time of dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis, involving the wife in the care process can be highly beneficial. By asking the wife how she would like to participate in the client’s care, it allows her to feel more in control and connected. This approach fosters a collaborative care environment, ensuring that the wife's preferences and needs are taken into consideration. Providing information about hospice (choice B) may be premature at this stage and could potentially overwhelm the family. Encouraging the wife to visit during and after painful treatments (choice C) may not address her need for involvement in decision-making. Referring the wife to a support group (choice D) is helpful but may not directly involve her in the care process of her husband.

4. The client was placed in restraints due to confusion while hospitalized. The family removes the restraints in the client's presence. After the family leaves, what should the nurse do first?

• A. Apply the restraints to ensure the client's safety.
• B. Reassess the client to determine if restraints are still necessary.
• C. Document the time the family departed and continue monitoring the client.
• D. Contact the healthcare provider for a new order.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In this scenario, the nurse's initial action should be to reassess the client to determine if restraints are still necessary following their removal by the family. This reassessment is crucial to evaluate the client's current condition and the need for restraints before considering reapplication. By reassessing first, the nurse ensures that the client's safety is maintained while respecting their autonomy. While documentation and monitoring are important, reassessment takes priority to provide individualized and appropriate care to the client. Contacting the healthcare provider for a new order should occur after reassessment if restraints are deemed necessary.

5. The healthcare provider is providing wound care to a client with a stage 3 pressure ulcer that has a large amount of eschar. The wound care prescription states 'clean the wound and then apply collagenase.' Collagenase is a debriding agent. The prescription does not specify a cleaning method. Which technique should the healthcare provider use to cleanse the pressure ulcer?

• A. Lightly coat the wound with povidone-iodine solution
• B. Irrigate the wound with sterile normal saline
• C. Flush the wound with sterile hydrogen peroxide
• D. Remove the eschar with a wet-to-dry dressing

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct technique to cleanse a wound when the prescription does not specify a cleaning method is to irrigate the wound with sterile normal saline. Sterile normal saline is the preferred solution for wound cleaning as it is gentle and does not damage healthy tissues. It helps in removing debris and maintaining a moist environment conducive to healing. Povidone-iodine solution and hydrogen peroxide can be harsh on tissues and delay wound healing. Removing eschar with a wet-to-dry dressing is a mechanical debridement method and should not be done without proper assessment and healthcare provider's order.

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