Nursing Elites

1. A client with skin grafts covering full-thickness burns on both arms and legs is scheduled for a dressing change. The client is nervous and requests that the dressing change be skipped this time. What action is most important for the nurse to take?

• A. Explain the importance of regular dressing changes
• B. Administer an anti-anxiety medication
• C. Proceed with the scheduled dressing change
• D. Encourage the client to express any anxieties

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In this situation, the most important action for the nurse to take is to explain the importance of regular dressing changes to the client. By doing so, the nurse can help the client understand the necessity for wound healing and infection prevention. Administering anti-anxiety medication (Choice B) may not address the root cause of the client's anxiety, which is the lack of understanding. Proceeding with the scheduled dressing change (Choice C) without addressing the client's concerns can worsen their anxiety and decrease trust. Encouraging the client to express any anxieties (Choice D) is important but not as crucial as ensuring the client comprehends the rationale behind the dressing change.

2. A male client with hypertension, who received new antihypertensive prescriptions at his last visit returns to the clinic two weeks later to evaluate his blood pressure (BP). His BP is 158/106 mmHg and he admits that he has not been taking the prescribed medication because the drugs make him feel bad. In explaining the need for hypertension control, the nurse should stress that an elevated BP places the client at risk for which pathophysiological condition?

• A. Stroke secondary to hemorrhage
• B. Acute kidney injury due to glomerular damage
• C. Heart block due to myocardial damage
• D. Blindness secondary to cataracts

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Stroke secondary to hemorrhage. Hypertension increases the risk of stroke due to the stress and damage it causes to blood vessels, which can lead to hemorrhage. Choice B is incorrect because acute kidney injury is more commonly associated with chronic uncontrolled hypertension, not acute elevations. Choice C is incorrect as heart block is not a direct consequence of hypertension. Choice D is incorrect as hypertension does not directly cause cataracts leading to blindness.

3. What actions should the nurse take regarding an older adult male who had an abdominal cholecystectomy and has become increasingly confused and disoriented over the past 24 hours, found wandering into another client’s room and returned to his own room by the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? (Select all that apply)

• A. Apply soft upper limb restraints and raise all four bed rails
• B. Report mental status change to the healthcare provider
• C. Assess the client’s breath sounds and oxygen saturation
• D. Assign the UAP to re-assess the client’s risk for falls

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In this situation, the appropriate action for the nurse to take is to report the mental status change to the healthcare provider. Confusion and disorientation post-surgery can be indicative of various factors, such as electrolyte imbalances or respiratory issues, necessitating comprehensive assessment by the healthcare team. Applying restraints and raising bed rails may not address the underlying cause of the confusion, and assigning the UAP to reassess the client's risk for falls does not directly address the cognitive changes observed.

4. A 20-year-old male client is diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma following an examination for a knee injury. Which instruction is most important for the nurse to provide the client?

• A. Take analgesics regularly to manage pain
• B. Notify the healthcare provider if the swelling worsens
• C. Avoid weight-bearing on the affected knee until the injury heals
• D. Seek treatment for the sarcoma immediately

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The most crucial instruction for the nurse to provide the client is to seek treatment for the sarcoma immediately. Ewing's sarcoma is a type of cancer that necessitates prompt and aggressive treatment for the best possible outcome. While managing pain (Choice A) and monitoring swelling (Choice B) are important, addressing the underlying sarcoma is the priority. Instructing the client to avoid weight-bearing (Choice C) is not directly related to the treatment of Ewing's sarcoma and may not be the most critical instruction at this point.

5. The nurse is preparing an older client for discharge following cataract extraction. Which instruction should be included in the discharge teaching?

• A. Do not read with direct lighting for 6 weeks
• B. Avoid straining during stool passage, bending, or lifting heavy objects
• C. Irrigate conjunctiva with ophthalmic saline after applying antibiotic ointment
• D. Limit exposure to sunlight during the first 2 weeks while the cornea is healing

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct instruction to include in the discharge teaching for a client following cataract extraction is to 'Avoid straining during stool passage, bending, or lifting heavy objects.' This is crucial to prevent increased intraocular pressure after surgery, which can be harmful. Reading with direct lighting can strain the eyes but is not the primary concern post-cataract surgery. Irrigating the conjunctiva before applying antibiotic ointment is not a standard practice and may not be necessary. While limiting sunlight exposure is important for eye protection, it is secondary to avoiding activities that can increase intraocular pressure.

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