Nursing Elites

1. A charge nurse is planning care for a group of patients on a med-surg unit. What task should the nurse delegate to an assistive personnel?

• A. Measure hourly urinary output for the postoperative patient.
• B. Administer medications to stable patients.
• C. Reinforce patient education.
• D. Initiate a care plan for a new patient.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because assistive personnel can be assigned to measure and document urinary output, a routine task within their scope of practice. Administering medications (choice B) requires a higher level of training and should be done by licensed nurses. Reinforcing patient education (choice C) involves providing information and ensuring patient understanding, which is typically done by licensed healthcare providers. Initiating a care plan (choice D) involves critical thinking and assessment skills, which are beyond the scope of practice for assistive personnel.

2. A client is prescribed digoxin and has a potassium level of 3.0 mEq/L. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

• A. Administer digoxin without any modifications
• B. Administer the medication at a lower dose
• C. Monitor serum potassium levels
• D. Discontinue the medication if potassium levels rise

Correct answer: A

Rationale: A potassium level of 3.0 mEq/L indicates hypokalemia, which increases the risk of digoxin toxicity. In this case, the nurse should administer the digoxin without any modifications. Lowering the dose (Choice B) may not be necessary if the potassium level is not critically low. Monitoring serum potassium levels (Choice C) is important but should not delay the administration of digoxin. Discontinuing the medication (Choice D) is not the initial action to take unless the potassium levels become severely low and life-threatening.

3. A nurse in the telemetry unit is receiving the laboratory findings for an adult male client who is being treated for a myocardial infarction. Which of the following is an expected finding for the client?

• A. Troponin I (TnI) 8 ng/mL
• B. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) 10 ng/L
• C. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 45 units/L
• D. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) 75 mg/dL

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. Troponin I is a specific marker for myocardial infarction, and levels of 8 ng/mL are elevated, indicating heart muscle damage. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is more related to heart failure rather than myocardial infarction, making choice B incorrect. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a liver enzyme and not specific to myocardial infarction, so choice C is incorrect. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a type of cholesterol and is not typically used to diagnose or monitor myocardial infarction, making choice D incorrect.

4. A healthcare professional is reviewing the lab report of a client who has been experiencing a fever for the last 3 days. What lab result indicates the client is experiencing fluid volume deficit (FVD)?

• A. Decreased hematocrit
• B. Increased BUN
• C. Increased hematocrit
• D. Decreased urine specific gravity

Correct answer: C

Rationale: An increased hematocrit level indicates dehydration or fluid volume deficit. Hematocrit measures the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells, and when a client is experiencing fluid volume deficit, there is less fluid in the blood, causing the concentration of red blood cells to be higher, leading to an increased hematocrit level. Decreased hematocrit (Choice A) is more indicative of fluid volume excess. Increased BUN (Choice B) is associated with renal function and dehydration but is not a direct indicator of FVD. Decreased urine specific gravity (Choice D) is also associated with dehydration, but an increased hematocrit is a more specific indicator of fluid volume deficit.

5. A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who is starting to take carbidopa/levodopa to treat Parkinson’s disease. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

• A. “This medication can cause your urine to turn a dark color.”
• B. “Expect immediate relief after taking this medication.”
• C. “Take the medication with a high-protein food.”
• D. “Skip a dose of the medication if you experience dizziness.”

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct instruction the nurse should provide is that the medication can cause the client's urine to turn a dark color, which is a harmless effect of carbidopa/levodopa. This is due to the metabolites of levodopa. Immediate relief is not expected after taking the medication because it may take weeks to months to achieve the full therapeutic effect. Taking the medication with a high-protein food is not recommended as protein can interfere with the absorption of levodopa. Skipping a dose of the medication if the client experiences dizziness is incorrect as dizziness may be a side effect of the medication, and doses should not be skipped without consulting a healthcare provider.

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