Nursing Elites

1. When should a critical pathway be revised?

• A. When variances show a new trend.
• B. When the variances show a new trend.
• C. When a member of the team retires.
• D. When the client leaves the hospital.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: A critical pathway should be revised when variances in the patient's progress indicate a new trend or deviation from the expected course of treatment. This allows healthcare providers to adjust the pathway to ensure optimal patient care and outcomes. Changes in the critical pathway are not typically driven by its length or external factors like team member retirements or client discharges. Therefore, the correct answer is B. Choice A is a better phrasing of the correct answer, emphasizing the importance of variances showing a new trend. Choices C and D are irrelevant to the patient's progress and treatment plan, making them incorrect.

2. A recent ethical issue has resulted in uneasiness and discomfort for several nurses on a unit. The unit manager has decided to discuss the issues at the next team meeting. The situation has resulted in which of the following for some of the nurses?

• A. Moral suffering
• B. Moral distress
• C. Ethical dilemma
• D. Veracity

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B, moral distress. Moral distress occurs when one knows the ethically correct action to take but feels constrained in their ability to take that action due to institutional, hierarchical, or other constraints. In this scenario, the nurses are experiencing uneasiness and discomfort due to an ethical issue, which aligns with the definition of moral distress. Choice A, moral suffering, is not the most appropriate term in this context as moral distress better describes the situation. Choice C, ethical dilemma, refers to a situation where a person is faced with two equally undesirable alternatives, which does not fully capture the nurses' current experience. Choice D, veracity, is unrelated to the nurses' situation and does not fit the context of the scenario.

3. Politics is defined as the art of influencing the allocation of scarce resources. An example of a scarce resource allocated by the manager of a patient care unit is:

• A. Raises for the staff.
• B. Patient supplies in the utility room.
• C. Staffing that minimizes overtime.
• D. Paper for the printer.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In a healthcare setting, scarce resources can include money, time, personnel, and materials. Staffing decisions directly impact the allocation of personnel resources and can affect overtime costs, making it a critical resource managed by the unit manager. Patient supplies in the utility room and paper for the printer are important, but staffing decisions have a more direct impact on resource allocation within the unit. Raises for staff are typically granted by the institution and are not directly controlled by the unit manager.

4. Staff are sometimes injured when a patient or visitor becomes agitated. If a staff member reports an injury, the following actions should take place: (EXCEPT)

• A. Notify security.
• B. Complete an incident report.
• C. Notify the nursing supervisor.
• D. Ensure that staff has been examined.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When a staff member reports an injury resulting from an agitated patient or visitor, several actions should be taken. These actions include notifying security to ensure safety, notifying the nursing supervisor for appropriate follow-up, and ensuring that the injured staff member has been examined to assess the extent of the injury. Completing an incident report is not the correct action to exclude because documenting the incident is crucial for legal and healthcare purposes. Incident reports provide a detailed account of what occurred, which is essential for investigations, insurance claims, and improving safety protocols. Therefore, all other options are necessary steps to take when a staff member reports an injury, making completing an incident report the correct answer for exclusion.

5. The nurse has administered 4 oz of orange juice to an alert patient whose blood glucose was 62 mg/dL. Fifteen minutes later, the blood glucose is 67 mg/dL. Which action should the nurse take next?

• A. Give the patient 4 to 6 oz more orange juice.
• B. Administer the PRN glucagon (Glucagon) 1 mg IM.
• C. Have the patient eat some peanut butter with crackers.
• D. Notify the healthcare provider about the hypoglycemia.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take next is to give the patient 4 to 6 oz more orange juice. The patient's blood glucose has increased from 62 mg/dL to 67 mg/dL after consuming the initial 4 oz of orange juice, indicating that the treatment is effective. Providing additional orange juice will help further raise the blood glucose levels. Administering glucagon (Choice B) is not necessary as the patient's blood glucose is already rising. Having the patient eat peanut butter with crackers (Choice C) is a slower-acting option compared to orange juice. Notifying the healthcare provider about the hypoglycemia (Choice D) is not needed at this point since the patient's blood glucose is improving.

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