Nursing Elites

1. A 46-year-old has returned from a heart catheterization and wants to get up to start walking 3 hours after the procedure. The nurse should:

• A. Tell the patient to remain with the leg straight for at least another hour and check the chart for activity orders.
• B. Allow the patient to begin limited ambulation with assistance.
• C. Recommend a physical therapy consultation for ambulation.
• D. Tell the patient to remain with the leg straight for another 6 hours and check the chart for activity orders.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to tell the patient to remain with the leg straight for at least another hour after a heart catheterization before starting ambulation. This period allows for proper healing and reduces the risk of complications such as bleeding or hematoma formation at the catheter insertion site. Starting ambulation too soon can disrupt the healing process and lead to adverse events. Choice B is incorrect because limited ambulation should not be initiated shortly after the procedure as it may increase the risk of complications. Choice C is incorrect as physical therapy consultation is not typically necessary for initial ambulation post-heart catheterization; this can be managed by nursing staff. Choice D is incorrect as keeping the leg straight for 6 hours is excessive and unnecessary, potentially leading to complications such as deep vein thrombosis due to prolonged immobility.

2. What is the most common cause of acute renal failure?

• A. Shock
• B. Nephrotoxic drugs
• C. Enlarged prostate
• D. Diabetes

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The most common cause of acute renal failure is shock. In cases of shock, such as hypovolemic shock where there is low blood volume, the kidneys receive inadequate blood flow leading to acute renal failure. This can result in the kidneys starting to die within 20 minutes of low pressure. While nephrotoxic drugs can also cause acute renal failure, shock is more commonly associated with this condition. An enlarged prostate can lead to urinary retention but is not the most common cause of acute renal failure. Diabetes, on the other hand, can cause chronic kidney disease over time but is not typically the primary cause of acute renal failure.

3. A patient's nurse taking a history notes complaints of SOB and weakness in the lower extremities. The patient has a history of hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Which of the following may be occurring?

• A. The patient may be developing CHF
• B. The patient may be having a MI
• C. The patient may be developing COPD
• D. The patient may be having an onset of PVD

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In this scenario, the patient's symptoms of shortness of breath (SOB) and weakness in the lower extremities, along with a history of hyperlipidemia and hypertension, are suggestive of a myocardial infarction (MI). It is important to note that MI can present with a variety of symptoms, including those affecting the respiratory system and muscle weakness. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the patient's symptoms are more indicative of a myocardial infarction rather than congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

4. Why must the nurse be careful not to cut through or disrupt any tears, holes, bloodstains, or dirt present on the clothing of a client who has experienced trauma?

• A. The clothing is the property of another and must be treated with care.
• B. Such care facilitates repair and salvage of the clothing.
• C. The clothing of a trauma victim is potential evidence with legal implications.
• D. Such care decreases trauma to the family members receiving the clothing.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. Trauma in any client, living or dead, has potential legal and/or forensic implications. Clothing, patterns of stains, and debris are sources of potential evidence and must be preserved. Nurses must be aware of state and local regulations that require mandatory reporting of cases of suspected child and elder abuse, accidental death, and suicide. Each Emergency Department has written policies and procedures to assist nurses and other health care providers in making appropriate reports. Physical evidence is real, tangible, or latent matter that can be visualized, measured, or analyzed. Emergency Department nurses can be called on to collect evidence. Health care facilities have policies governing the collection of forensic evidence. The chain of evidence custody must be followed to ensure the integrity and credibility of the evidence. The chain of evidence custody is the pathway that evidence follows from the time it is collected until it has served its purpose in the legal investigation of an incident. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not address the crucial aspect of preserving potential evidence with legal implications that may be present on the clothing of a trauma victim.

5. A patient had a pneumonectomy to the right lung performed 48 hours ago. Which of the following conditions most likely exists?

• A. Decreased breath sound volume
• B. Elevated tidal volume
• C. Elevated respiratory capacity
• D. Wheezing

Correct answer: A

Rationale: After a pneumonectomy, where a lung is surgically removed, there will be a decrease in breath sound volume on the affected side due to reduced airflow. This reduction in breath sound volume is expected as there is less lung tissue to produce sound. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Elevated tidal volume and respiratory capacity are not expected after a pneumonectomy, and wheezing is more commonly associated with conditions like asthma or bronchitis, not a recent pneumonectomy.

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