Nursing Elites

1. A charge nurse on a medical-surgical unit is planning assignments for a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who has been sent from the postpartum unit due to a staffing shortage for the shift. Which of the following client assignments should the nurse delegate to the LPN?

• A. A client who is postoperative following a bowel resection with an NGT set to continuous suction.
• B. A client who has fractured a femur yesterday and is experiencing shortness of breath.
• C. A client who sustained a concussion and has unequal pupils.
• D. A client who has an Hgb of 6.3 g/dl and a prescription for packed RBCs.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because the LPN can care for stable clients with complex needs, such as managing an NGT set to continuous suction. Choices B, C, and D involve clients with more acute conditions that require a higher level of assessment and intervention, making them unsuitable for delegation to an LPN. Choice B requires prompt evaluation of the shortness of breath in a client with a recent femur fracture, which is beyond the LPN's scope. Choice C involves a head injury and unequal pupils, indicating the need for neurological assessment and close monitoring. Choice D relates to a critically low hemoglobin level and the need for blood transfusion, requiring careful monitoring and potential intervention beyond the LPN's role.

2. What is the most important step when preparing to administer a blood transfusion?

• A. Check if the client has a fever
• B. Ensure the blood type is compatible with the client
• C. Administer the blood via IV push
• D. Ensure the blood is warmed to body temperature

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Ensure the blood type is compatible with the client. This is the most crucial step in preparing for a blood transfusion to prevent severe transfusion reactions. Checking the client for a fever (Choice A) is important but not the most critical step. Administering blood via IV push (Choice C) is incorrect as blood transfusions are usually administered as a slow drip. Warming the blood to body temperature (Choice D) is not a standard practice and can lead to hemolysis, making it an incorrect choice.

3. What is the best nursing intervention for a patient with hyperkalemia?

• A. Administer potassium-wasting diuretics
• B. Encourage a low-potassium diet
• C. Administer potassium supplements
• D. Administer IV fluids

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to administer potassium-wasting diuretics. Hyperkalemia, which is high potassium levels, is managed by promoting the excretion of potassium from the body. Potassium-wasting diuretics help the kidneys eliminate excess potassium. Encouraging a low-potassium diet (choice B) is important for long-term management but not the immediate intervention for hyperkalemia. Administering potassium supplements (choice C) would worsen the condition by further increasing potassium levels. Administering IV fluids (choice D) may help with hydration but does not directly address the high potassium levels characteristic of hyperkalemia.

4. What is the priority nursing intervention for a patient with chest pain?

• A. Administer nitroglycerin
• B. Assess pain level
• C. Monitor vital signs
• D. Provide oxygen therapy

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to administer nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin is the priority intervention for a patient with chest pain because it helps relieve chest pain by dilating coronary arteries, improving blood flow to the heart muscle. Assessing pain level, monitoring vital signs, and providing oxygen therapy are important interventions as well, but administering nitroglycerin takes precedence in addressing the immediate symptom of chest pain and potential cardiac ischemia.

5. A nurse in a provider's office is reinforcing teaching with a client who has a new prescription for ferrous sulfate elixir. Which of the following statements by the client should indicate to the nurse an understanding of the teaching?

• A. I will take this medication before meals
• B. I will mix this medication with water
• C. I will take this medication once a week
• D. I will rinse my mouth after taking this medication

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because rinsing the mouth is essential to prevent staining and irritation caused by ferrous sulfate elixir. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Taking ferrous sulfate elixir before meals (Choice A) is not necessary. Mixing it with water (Choice B) is not recommended as it may alter the medication's effectiveness. Taking the medication once a week (Choice C) is incorrect as ferrous sulfate is usually prescribed daily or as directed by a healthcare provider.

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