Nursing Elites

1. The staff nurse is caring for the client with total accountability and is in continual communication with the client, the family, the physicians, and other members of the health care team. This type of nursing delivery system is known as:

• A. Total patient care
• B. Qualified nurse case managers
• C. Established critical pathways
• D. Quality management system

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Total patient care. Total patient care is the original model of nursing care delivery, in which one RN has complete responsibility for all aspects of care for one or more patients. In this system, the nurse is accountable for the client's care and maintains continuous communication with the client, their family, physicians, and other healthcare team members. Choice B, Qualified nurse case managers, refers to nurses who coordinate care but do not provide direct hands-on patient care. Choice C, Established critical pathways, involves predefined care plans for specific conditions but does not imply direct accountability as in total patient care. Choice D, Quality management system, relates to processes to ensure and enhance the quality of care but is not specifically about the direct provision of patient care.

2. After receiving change-of-shift report, which patient should the nurse assess first?

• A. 19-year-old with type 1 diabetes who has a hemoglobin A1C of 12%
• B. 23-year-old with type 1 diabetes who has a blood glucose of 40 mg/dL
• C. 40-year-old who is pregnant and has an oral glucose tolerance test result of 202 mg/dL
• D. 50-year-old who uses exenatide (Byetta) and is complaining of acute abdominal pain

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because the patient with a blood glucose level of 40 mg/dL (hypoglycemia) needs immediate attention. Hypoglycemia is an emergency situation that requires prompt intervention to prevent adverse effects such as seizures or loss of consciousness. Assessing and managing this patient first is crucial to prevent further deterioration. Choices A, C, and D do not present immediate life-threatening situations requiring urgent intervention like severe hypoglycemia does. While a high hemoglobin A1C level (choice A), an abnormal oral glucose tolerance test result (choice C), and acute abdominal pain (choice D) are important issues, they do not pose an immediate threat to the patient's life compared to severe hypoglycemia.

3. What is a common barrier to effective delegation?

• A. Lack of trust in team members
• B. Lack of communication
• C. Inadequate training
• D. Lack of resources

Correct answer: A

Rationale: One of the common barriers to effective delegation is a lack of trust in team members. Delegating tasks involves entrusting responsibilities to others, and without trust in the team members' capabilities, the delegator may struggle to effectively assign tasks. Trust is essential for successful delegation as it allows for empowerment and accountability within the team. While lack of communication is crucial for effective delegation, the lack of trust has a more profound impact as it directly affects the ability to delegate tasks. Inadequate training and lack of resources, although important factors, are not as fundamental as trust in team members when it comes to effective delegation.

4. In the grievance process, a nurse disagrees with statements made by a physician about performance and talks to the nurse manager. Which step in the process is this?

• A. First
• B. Second
• C. Third
• D. Fourth

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: First. In the grievance process, the initial step involves the nurse talking to the nurse manager to address the issue informally. Subsequently, step two entails filing a written appeal to the director of nursing or designee. Step three involves a formal meeting with the employee, agent, grievance chairperson, nursing administrator, and director of human resources. The final step, step four, is arbitration, which is initiated when no mutually acceptable solutions can be reached by the involved parties. Therefore, the nurse talking to the nurse manager about the disagreement is the first step in the grievance process.

5. When considering virtue ethics, which of the following is true?

• A. Virtue ethics attributes behaviors to moral rules.
• B. Virtue ethics attributes behaviors to knowledge of consequences.
• C. Virtue ethics focuses on moral character, rather than rules for behavior.
• D. Virtue ethics is a formal statement of rules for behavior.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Virtue ethics focuses on qualities and moral character rather than rules or duties. Virtue ethics emphasizes developing good character traits, such as courage, honesty, and compassion, to guide behavior rather than adhering to specific moral rules or focusing on the consequences of actions. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because virtue ethics does not attribute behaviors to moral rules, knowledge of consequences, or formal statements of rules for behavior; instead, it emphasizes the importance of cultivating virtuous character.

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