ATI RN
RN ATI Capstone Proctored Comprehensive Assessment A
1. A nurse is assessing a postoperative patient for signs of infection. Which finding is most concerning?
- A. Mild redness at the incision site.
- B. Increased drainage from the surgical site.
- C. Fever of 101°F.
- D. Normal white blood cell count.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: A fever of 101°F is the most concerning finding when assessing a postoperative patient for signs of infection. Fever can indicate an inflammatory response to an infection, and in a postoperative patient, it can signal a surgical site infection or a systemic infection. Prompt attention is necessary to prevent complications such as sepsis. Mild redness at the incision site and increased drainage can be expected in the early postoperative period due to the normal healing process. A normal white blood cell count does not rule out infection as it can be influenced by various factors, and some infections may not initially cause a rise in white blood cells.
2. A healthcare provider orders a medication dose three times higher than usual. What is the nurse's first step?
- A. Administer the medication but monitor the patient closely.
- B. Verify the dosage with the prescribing provider.
- C. Administer a lower dose to minimize the risk.
- D. Hold the medication and wait for further clarification.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Verify the dosage with the prescribing provider. When faced with an unusual medication dose, the nurse's initial action should be to confirm the order with the healthcare provider who prescribed it. This step is crucial to prevent medication errors and ensure patient safety. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because administering the medication without clarification, administering a lower dose without approval, or holding the medication without consulting the provider can all pose risks to the patient's well-being.
3. Which of the following actions is a means of maintaining medical asepsis to reduce and prevent the spread of microorganisms?
- A. Sterilizing contaminated items
- B. Routinely cleaning the hospital environment
- C. Reapplying a sterile dressing
- D. Applying a sterile gown and gloves
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Sterilizing contaminated items. Maintaining medical asepsis involves ensuring that items are free of microorganisms to prevent infections. Sterilizing contaminated items is a crucial step in this process as it eliminates all microorganisms, including spores. Choices B, C, and D do not directly address the process of reducing and preventing the spread of microorganisms. While routinely cleaning the hospital environment is important for cleanliness, it does not guarantee the elimination of all microorganisms. Reapplying a sterile dressing and applying a sterile gown and gloves are specific actions related to personal protective equipment and wound care, not the general maintenance of medical asepsis.
4. After surgery, a patient is experiencing pain. What is the nurse's priority action?
- A. Administer pain medication as prescribed.
- B. Assess the patient's pain using a pain scale.
- C. Offer the patient non-pharmacological pain relief methods.
- D. Reassess the patient's pain level after 30 minutes.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is to assess the patient's pain using a pain scale. This is the priority action because it allows the nurse to obtain an objective measure of the patient's pain intensity. By accurately assessing the pain level, the nurse can determine the appropriate intervention, which may include administering pain medication as prescribed (choice A) or offering non-pharmacological pain relief methods (choice C). Reassessing the patient's pain level after 30 minutes (choice D) is important but comes after the initial assessment to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions implemented.
5. What is the most important nursing action when caring for a patient with a central venous catheter (CVC)?
- A. Monitor the patient's blood pressure regularly.
- B. Change the CVC dressing every 72 hours.
- C. Flush the CVC with normal saline every shift.
- D. Avoid using the CVC for blood draws.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The most important nursing action when caring for a patient with a central venous catheter (CVC) is to change the CVC dressing every 72 hours. This practice reduces the risk of infection and ensures the catheter remains secure. Monitoring the patient's blood pressure regularly is important but not the most crucial action when managing a CVC. Flushing the CVC with normal saline is essential but not the most important action. Avoiding using the CVC for blood draws is a good practice, but it is not the most critical nursing action in this scenario.
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