Nursing Elites

1. Who may legally give informed consent?

• A. an 86-year-old male with advanced Alzheimer's disease
• B. a 14-year-old girl needing an appendectomy who is not an emancipated minor
• C. a 14-year-old girl needing an appendectomy who is not an emancipated minor
• D. a 6-month-old baby needing bowel surgery

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is a 14-year-old girl needing an appendectomy who is not an emancipated minor. Informed consent can be given by individuals who are competent and not minors. Minors are generally unable to provide informed consent unless they are emancipated. Choice A is incorrect because an 86-year-old male with advanced Alzheimer's disease is considered incompetent to make decisions. Choice D is incorrect because a 6-month-old baby is unable to provide consent. Emancipated minors are an exception to the minor rule, as they can provide consent for their own treatment.

2. What is the first exercise that should be performed by a client who had a mastectomy?

• A. Walking the hand up the wall
• B. Sweeping the floor
• C. Combing her hair
• D. Squeezing a ball

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Squeezing a ball. The first exercise that should be done by a client with a mastectomy is squeezing a ball. This helps in regaining strength and mobility in the affected area. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as they are not typically the initial exercises recommended post-mastectomy. Walking the hand up the wall, sweeping the floor, and combing hair are activities that may be introduced later in the rehabilitation process.

3. A client is admitted with a diagnosis of Multiple Drug Use. The nurse should plan care based on knowledge that

• A. Multiple drug use is common.
• B. People might use more than one drug to enhance the effect or relieve withdrawal symptoms.
• C. Combining alcohol and barbiturates can be dangerous due to their combined depressant effects.
• D. Assessment and intervention are more complex with multiple drug use due to the synergistic effects.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When caring for a client with Multiple Drug Use, it is important to understand that individuals may use more than one drug simultaneously or sequentially to enhance the effect of a particular drug or to relieve withdrawal symptoms. This practice is common among substance users. For example, heroin users may also consume alcohol, marijuana, or benzodiazepines. Combining drugs can have various effects, such as intensifying intoxication or alleviating withdrawal symptoms. It is crucial to recognize that multiple drug use can complicate assessment and intervention due to the diverse effects of different substances on the client's health. Option A is incorrect as multiple drug use is indeed common, not uncommon. Option C is incorrect because combining alcohol and barbiturates can be dangerous due to their combined depressant effects. Option D is incorrect because multiple drug use complicates assessment and intervention rather than making them easier, as the effects of different drugs on the client need to be carefully considered.

4. Narrow therapeutic index medications:

• A. are drug formulations with limited pharmacokinetic variability.
• B. have limited value and require no monitoring of blood levels.
• C. have less than a twofold difference in minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood
• D. have limited potency and side effects.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The therapeutic index is the ratio between the median lethal dose and median effective dose of a drug, indicating the safety margin. Narrow therapeutic index medications have a small difference between minimum toxic levels and minimum effective concentration in the blood, making them high-risk drugs that require close monitoring to avoid toxicity. Choice A is incorrect because pharmacokinetics refer to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination, not the therapeutic index. Choice B is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs necessitate monitoring due to their narrow margin of safety. Choice D is incorrect because narrow therapeutic index drugs do not necessarily have limited potency but are characterized by a small window between efficacy and toxicity.

5. A 10-month-old child is brought to the Emergency Department because he is difficult to awaken. The nurse notes bruises on both upper arms. These findings are most consistent with:

• A. wearing clothing that is too small for the child.
• B. the child being shaken.
• C. falling while learning to walk.
• D. parents trying to awaken the child.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is 'the child being shaken.' In cases of suspected child abuse, bruises on both upper arms can be indicative of a child being shaken, as children who are shaken are frequently grasped by both upper arms. The presentation of a 10-month-old child being difficult to awaken, along with bruises on the upper arms, raises concern for inflicted injury. Symptoms of brain injury associated with shaking include a decreased level of consciousness. Choices A, C, and D are less likely in this scenario as they do not align with the concerning signs of suspected abuse indicated by the bruises and the child's altered level of consciousness.

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