Nursing Elites

1. A client with a history of stroke presents with dysphagia. What is the most important nursing intervention to prevent aspiration?

• A. Encourage the client to drink water between meals
• B. Position the client in a high-Fowler's position during meals
• C. Provide the client with thickened liquids
• D. Allow the client to eat quickly

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Position the client in a high-Fowler's position during meals. Placing the client in a high-Fowler's position (sitting upright at a 90-degree angle) helps reduce the risk of aspiration by ensuring that the airway is protected during swallowing. This position facilitates easier swallowing and decreases the likelihood of food or liquids entering the respiratory tract. Encouraging the client to drink water between meals (choice A) does not directly address the risk of aspiration during meals. Providing thickened liquids (choice C) may be necessary for some patients with dysphagia but is not the most important intervention to prevent aspiration. Allowing the client to eat quickly (choice D) without proper positioning and precautions can increase the risk of aspiration.

2. After morning dressing changes, a male client with paraplegia contaminates his ischial decubiti dressing with diarrheal stool. What is the best activity for the nurse to assign to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?

• A. Identify the need for additional supplies for an extra dressing change
• B. Provide perianal care and collect clean linens for the dressing change
• C. Document the diarrhea that necessitates an additional dressing change
• D. Position the client for access to the decubiti sites and remove dressings

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The best activity for the nurse to assign to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in this situation is to provide perianal care and collect clean linens for the dressing change. This task is crucial to maintain proper hygiene, prevent infection, and promote healing in the areas affected by decubiti. Choice A is not the priority as addressing the contamination and ensuring hygiene is more critical. Choice C is not the immediate concern and does not address the current situation. Choice D involves direct client care tasks that should be handled by licensed nursing staff.

3. The nurse is monitoring a client with an IV infusion in the left antecubital fossa. The site is warm, red, and without swelling. What conclusion should the nurse draw from these findings?

• A. The IV fluids are infusing into the subcutaneous tissues
• B. The infusion pump is functioning properly
• C. The insertion date should be verified and the IV discontinued
• D. The site is inflamed and should be reported

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. Warmth and redness at the IV site without swelling indicate a localized reaction, which is common and does not necessarily indicate infiltration of IV fluids into the subcutaneous tissues. The absence of swelling suggests that the IV is correctly placed. Therefore, the nurse should conclude that the infusion pump is functioning properly. Choice A is incorrect as warmth and redness alone do not indicate subcutaneous infiltration. Choice C is incorrect as discontinuing the IV solely based on warmth and redness without swelling is not necessary. Choice D is incorrect as the absence of swelling signifies a localized reaction rather than inflammation requiring immediate reporting.

4. The nurse is caring for a client with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder who has been prescribed fluoxetine (Prozac). What is the most important teaching point?

• A. Take the medication with or without food.
• B. Report any increase in suicidal thoughts.
• C. Avoid foods high in tyramine.
• D. Expect improvement within 24 hours.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct teaching point is to instruct the client to report any increase in suicidal thoughts. This is crucial because SSRIs like fluoxetine can initially increase suicidal ideation, especially at the beginning of treatment. Choice A is corrected to emphasize that fluoxetine can be taken with or without food. Choice C is unrelated as it pertains more to MAOIs than SSRIs like fluoxetine. Choice D is inaccurate as antidepressants like fluoxetine may take weeks to show significant improvement in symptoms, not within 24 hours.

5. 4 hours after administration of 20U of regular insulin, the client becomes shaky and diaphoretic. What action should the nurse take?

• A. Encourage the client to eat crackers and milk
• B. Administer a PRN dose of 10U of regular insulin
• C. Give the client crackers and milk
• D. Record the client's reaction in the diabetic flow sheet

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take when a client becomes shaky and diaphoretic after insulin administration, indicating hypoglycemia, is to provide the client with carbohydrates like crackers and milk. Carbohydrates help raise blood glucose levels quickly. Encouraging the client to eat crackers and milk (Choice A) is the appropriate immediate action to address the hypoglycemia. Administering more insulin (Choice B) would worsen hypoglycemia, and recording the reaction (Choice D) is important but not the immediate action needed to treat the hypoglycemia.

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