Nursing Elites

1. A nurse has noticed several occasions in the past week when another nurse on the unit seemed drowsy and unable to focus on the issue at hand. Today, the nurse was found asleep in a chair in the break room not during a break time. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

• A. Alert the American Nurses Association.
• B. Fill out an incident report.
• C. Report the observations to the nurse manager on the unit.
• D. Leave the nurse alone to sleep.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Reporting the observations to the nurse manager is the appropriate action to ensure the safety of the clients and address potential impairment. The nurse manager can take necessary steps to assess the situation and intervene if needed. Alerting the American Nurses Association (Choice A) is not necessary at this stage as the immediate concern is the safety of clients in the unit. Filling out an incident report (Choice B) may be required later, but the priority is to address the issue promptly by involving the immediate supervisor. Leaving the nurse alone to sleep (Choice D) is not a safe option as it does not address the underlying problem of potential impairment and safety concerns; it is essential to address the issue promptly to ensure patient safety.

2. A healthcare provider is assessing a client with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Which laboratory value would be most concerning?

• A. Serum amylase of 200 U/L
• B. Serum lipase of 250 U/L
• C. Blood glucose of 200 mg/dL
• D. Serum calcium of 7.5 mg/dL

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In acute pancreatitis, hypocalcemia (low serum calcium) is a critical finding that is associated with a poor prognosis and requires immediate attention. Serum amylase and lipase are typically elevated in acute pancreatitis due to pancreatic inflammation, but they are not indicators of severity. Blood glucose levels may be elevated due to stress or underlying conditions but are not directly related to the severity of acute pancreatitis. Therefore, the most concerning value in this scenario is the low serum calcium level, which can have significant implications for the client's prognosis.

3. A nursing assistive personnel (AP) is providing AM care to patients. Which action by the NAP will require the nurse to intervene?

• A. Not offering a backrub to a patient with fractured ribs
• B. Not offering to wash the hair of a patient with neck trauma
• C. Turning off the television while giving a backrub to the patient
• D. Turning the patient's head with neck injury to the side when giving oral care

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. Turning a patient's head with a neck injury to the side when giving oral care can lead to harm or further injury. The neck should be kept in a neutral position to prevent exacerbation of the injury. Choices A, B, and C are not actions that require immediate nurse intervention. Not offering a backrub, not washing a patient's hair, or turning off the television are not critical issues that pose harm to the patient's well-being or safety.

4. A post-op nurse has an indwelling catheter in place for gravity drainage. The nurse notes that the client's urine bag has been empty for 2 hours. The first action the nurse should take is to:

• A. Check to see if the tubing is kinked.
• B. Increase the IV fluid rate.
• C. Check the catheter insertion site.
• D. Contact the healthcare provider.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take when the urine bag has not filled for 2 hours is to check if the tubing is kinked. Kinks in the tubing can obstruct the flow of urine from the catheter, leading to decreased drainage. Increasing the IV fluid rate is not the appropriate initial action in this situation as the primary concern is with the catheter drainage. Checking the catheter insertion site would be secondary to ensuring proper drainage. Contacting the healthcare provider is not necessary as the issue can often be resolved by checking for simple tubing obstructions first.

5. A client reports increased pain following physical therapy. Which of the following questions should the nurse ask to assess the quality of the pain?

• A. Is the pain sharp or dull?
• B. Does the pain feel like burning or aching?
• C. Is the pain constant or intermittent?
• D. Does the pain feel like throbbing or stabbing?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When assessing pain quality, asking if the pain is sharp or dull helps determine the nature of the pain. Sharp pain is often associated with acute conditions, while dull pain may indicate a chronic issue. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not directly address the quality of the pain in terms of sharpness or dullness.

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