Nursing Elites

1. A nurse at an outpatient clinic is returning phone calls that have been made to the clinic. Which of the following calls should have the highest priority for medical intervention?

• A. A home health patient reports, "I am starting to have a breakdown of my heels."?
• B. A patient that received an upper extremity cast yesterday reports, "I can't feel my fingers in my right hand today."?
• C. A young female reports, 'I think I sprained my ankle about 2 weeks ago.'
• D. A middle-aged patient reports, 'My knee is still hurting from the TKR.'

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is the patient who received an upper extremity cast yesterday and reports not being able to feel their fingers in the right hand. This situation indicates a potential neurovascular issue that requires immediate attention to prevent complications. The other options are of lesser priority: A - Breakdown of the heels, while concerning, is not an acute issue that necessitates immediate intervention. C - An ankle sprain that occurred two weeks ago is now subacute and unlikely to be an urgent medical concern. D - Pain in the knee following a total knee replacement (TKR) is common in the early postoperative period and is not unexpected.

2. A nurse is caring for a client with an elevated urine osmolarity. The nurse should assess the client for:

• A. fluid volume excess.
• B. hyperkalemia.
• C. hypercalcemia.
• D. fluid volume deficit.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Elevated urine osmolarity indicates that the urine is concentrated, suggesting the body is trying to conserve water. This commonly occurs in conditions like dehydration or fluid volume deficit. Assessing the client for fluid volume excess, hyperkalemia, or hypercalcemia would not be the priority in this situation. Therefore, the correct answer is to assess the client for fluid volume deficit. Fluid volume excess is characterized by decreased urine osmolarity, while hyperkalemia and hypercalcemia are related to electrolyte imbalances and would not directly cause elevated urine osmolarity.

3. The nurse teaching about preventable diseases should emphasize the importance of getting the following vaccines:

• A. human papillomavirus, genital herpes, measles.
• B. pneumonia, HIV, mumps.
• C. syphilis, gonorrhea, pneumonia.
• D. polio, pertussis, measles.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Vaccines are one of the most effective methods of preventing and controlling certain communicable diseases. The smallpox vaccine is not currently in use because the smallpox virus has been declared eradicated from the world's population. Diseases such as polio, diphtheria, pertussis, and measles are mostly controlled by routine childhood immunization. They have not, however, been eradicated, so children need to be immunized against these diseases. Choices A, B, and C contain vaccines that do not protect against preventable diseases like polio, pertussis, and measles. Therefore, the correct choice is D.

4. A patient has a history of cardiac arrhythmia. A nurse has been ordered to give 2 units of blood to this patient. The nurse should take which of the following actions?

• A. Administer pain medication to the patient.
• B. Inform the patient's family about the procedure in person.
• C. Decrease the temperature of the blood to be given.
• D. Increase the temperature of the blood to be given.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmia, warming the blood before transfusion can help prevent additional arrhythmias. Cold blood can lead to arrhythmias and should be avoided. Administering pain medication (Choice A) is not directly related to the safe administration of blood. Informing the patient's family in person (Choice B) is important but not the immediate action required for safe transfusion. Decreasing the temperature of the blood to be given (Choice C) would increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmia, contrary to the goal of ensuring patient safety.

5. After a client has a tubal ligation in the outpatient surgical clinic, what is the priority for the nurse to determine?

• A. The client's prior experiences with outpatient surgery
• B. The client's medical plan and the extent of coverage for outpatient surgery
• C. The client's plan for transportation and care at home
• D. The client's plan to spend the night at the surgical center

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The priority for the nurse is to ensure the client has a safe way to get home and adequate care after discharge. It is crucial to determine the client's transportation arrangements and availability of care at home to ensure a smooth transition postoperatively. Options A and B, though important, are not immediate priorities compared to the client's safety and well-being after the procedure. Option D is incorrect as spending the night at the surgical center is not typically part of the plan for outpatient surgery.

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