Nursing Elites

1. A middle-aged female client with diabetes mellitus is being treated for the third episode of acute pyelonephritis in the past year. The client asks, 'What can I do to help prevent these infections?' How should the nurse respond?

• A. Test your urine daily for the presence of ketone bodies and proteins.
• B. Use tampons rather than sanitary napkins during your menstrual period.
• C. Drink more water and empty your bladder more frequently during the day.
• D. Keep your hemoglobin A1c under 9% by controlling your blood sugar levels.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. Clients with long-standing diabetes mellitus are at risk for pyelonephritis due to various reasons. Elevated blood glucose levels in diabetes can lead to glucose spilling into the urine, altering the pH and creating a conducive environment for bacterial growth. Neuropathy associated with diabetes can reduce bladder tone and diminish the sensation of bladder fullness, resulting in less frequent voiding and increased risk of stasis and bacterial overgrowth. Increasing fluid intake, particularly water, and voiding regularly can help prevent stasis and microbial overgrowth. Testing urine for ketones and proteins or using tampons instead of sanitary napkins are not effective strategies for preventing pyelonephritis. Keeping the hemoglobin A1c levels below 9% is crucial for managing diabetes, but it alone does not directly prevent pyelonephritis.

2. After delegating care to an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) for a client who is prescribed habit training to manage incontinence, a nurse evaluates the UAP’s understanding. Which action indicates the UAP needs additional teaching?

• A. Toileting the client after breakfast
• B. Changing the client’s incontinence brief when wet
• C. Encouraging the client to drink fluids
• D. Recording the client’s incontinence episodes

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct action that indicates the UAP needs additional teaching is choice B, 'Changing the client’s incontinence brief when wet.' Habit training is a technique used to manage incontinence, and it is undermined by the use of absorbent incontinence briefs or pads. The nurse should re-educate the UAP on the technique of habit training, which involves scheduled toileting and promoting bladder control. Choices A, C, and D are appropriate actions that support the client’s care: toileting the client after meals, encouraging fluid intake, and documenting incontinence episodes are all important aspects of managing incontinence and monitoring the client's condition.

3. A nurse is suctioning a client through a tracheostomy tube. During the procedure, the client begins to cough, and the nurse hears a wheeze. The nurse tries to remove the suction catheter from the client’s trachea but is unable to do so. What should the nurse do first?

• A. Call a code
• B. Contact the physician
• C. Administer a bronchodilator
• D. Disconnect the suction source from the catheter

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Inability to remove a suction catheter is a critical situation that may indicate the presence of bronchospasm and bronchoconstriction, as evidenced by the client coughing and wheezing. The immediate action for the nurse is to disconnect the suction source from the catheter, allowing the catheter to remain in the trachea. By doing so, the nurse can then connect the oxygen source to the catheter to provide essential oxygenation to the client. Contacting the physician is necessary to notify them of the situation and to obtain further orders, typically for an inhaled bronchodilator to relieve the bronchospasm. Administering a bronchodilator without physician's orders is not within the nurse's scope of practice and should not be the first action. Calling a code would be excessive at this point and should only be done if the client's condition deteriorates and immediate resuscitation is required.

4. After a lumbar puncture, into which position does the nurse assist the client?

• A. Flat
• B. Semi-Fowler
• C. Side-lying with the head of the bed elevated
• D. Sitting up in a recliner with the feet elevated

Correct answer: A

Rationale: After a lumbar puncture, the client should be positioned flat. This position helps prevent post-procedure spinal headaches and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Keeping the client flat for up to 12 hours is crucial in minimizing these risks. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because elevating the head of the bed or sitting up can increase the risk of complications by altering the pressure in the spinal canal, potentially leading to headaches and fluid leakage.

5. The best indicator that the client has learned how to give an insulin self-injection correctly is when the client can:

• A. Perform the procedure safely and correctly.
• B. Critique the nurse's performance of the procedure.
• C. Explain all steps of the procedure correctly.
• D. Correctly answer a post-test about the procedure.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The best indicator of learning is the ability to perform the procedure safely and correctly, demonstrating skill acquisition. Choice A is correct because the client's ability to perform the insulin self-injection safely and correctly shows practical understanding and application of the skill. Choice B is incorrect because critiquing the nurse's performance does not necessarily demonstrate the client's ability to carry out the procedure themselves. Choice C is incorrect as merely explaining the steps verbally does not confirm the client's practical execution of the task. Choice D is also incorrect as answering a post-test does not directly assess the client's ability to physically perform the insulin self-injection.

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