Nursing Elites

1. A nurse in a long-term care center notes that an employee is constantly calling in sick. Which action should the nurse take initially to handle this problem?

• A. Documenting the employee's absences in the personnel file
• B. Discussing the situation with the employee and reminding them of the agency's employment standards
• C. Reporting the employee to administration
• D. Issuing a written warning to the employee

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When an employee demonstrates excessive absenteeism, the initial action a nurse should take is to discuss the situation with the employee and remind them of the agency's employment standards. It is important to communicate openly with the employee to understand the reasons for their frequent absences and remind them of the expectations regarding attendance. This approach allows for a constructive dialogue and provides the employee with an opportunity to rectify their behavior. Documenting the employee's absences in the personnel file may be necessary if the issue persists despite the discussion. Reporting the employee to administration should be considered only if the employee fails to improve after the initial discussion. Issuing a written warning should be a subsequent step if the employee continues to violate the attendance policies even after reminders and discussions.

2. When evaluating the lab work of a client in hepatic coma, which of the following lab tests is most important?

• A. blood urea nitrogen
• B. serum calcium
• C. serum ammonia
• D. serum creatinine

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When a client is in hepatic coma due to liver failure, the liver cannot metabolize amino acids completely, leading to elevated ammonia levels. Increased ammonia can cause brain-tissue irritation, worsening the coma. Therefore, monitoring serum ammonia levels is crucial in assessing the severity of hepatic coma. Choices A, B, and D are less relevant in the context of hepatic coma. Blood urea nitrogen primarily assesses kidney function, serum calcium levels are not directly related to hepatic coma, and serum creatinine is more indicative of kidney function rather than liver function in this scenario.

3. The nurse teaching a client about hepatitis and its transmission should explain that one type of hepatitis does not produce a carrier state after its acute phase. Which type is it?

• A. hepatitis A
• B. hepatitis B
• C. hepatitis C
• D. hepatitis D

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is hepatitis A. Hepatitis A does not produce a carrier state after its acute phase. It is transmitted via contaminated water or food through the oral-fecal route and is not blood-borne. Hepatitis B, choice B, can lead to a carrier state where the person remains infectious despite being asymptomatic. Hepatitis C, choice C, can also result in a chronic carrier state. Hepatitis D, choice D, is an incomplete virus that requires hepatitis B to replicate; it does not lead to a carrier state on its own.

4. A nurse in a medical-surgical unit overhears the nursing staff openly discussing a client and stating that the client is uncooperative and a real pain to care for. The nurse would most appropriately manage this issue by taking which action?

• A. Leaving articles about judgmental opinions in the nurses' report room
• B. Reporting the nurses' comments to administration
• C. Discouraging the judgmental comments
• D. Ignoring the comments made about the client

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Nurses must discuss clients in a professional manner and avoid using judgmental language such as 'uncooperative' or 'difficult.' When such comments and language are discouraged, fewer comments will be made. Ignoring the comments is an inappropriate option because the concern will not be addressed. Leaving articles about judgmental opinions in the nurses' report room indirectly addresses the issue, but there is no guarantee that the staff will read them. Reporting the nurses' comments to administration does not directly address the issue. The best approach for the nurse is to discourage judgmental comments directly with the staff members. Since this action is not provided in the options, discouraging judgmental comments is the most appropriate way to manage this concern.

5. The nurse in the emergency room is admitting a client who has sustained a gunshot wound and will require immediate surgery. The client is unconscious and by themselves. Which of the following actions is most appropriate?

• A. Call the charge nurse and request that the facility's legal counsel provide a waiver for informed consent.
• B. Attempt to stabilize the client in the emergency room until they are conscious enough to provide informed consent.
• C. Try to locate the client's family to obtain informed consent before transporting the client to the operating room.
• D. Proceed with transporting the client to the operating room without obtaining informed consent.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In emergency situations where a client is unconscious and requires immediate surgery to save their life, the priority is to proceed with necessary interventions without delay to ensure the best possible outcome. Obtaining informed consent is essential in healthcare, but in situations where a delay in treatment can be life-threatening, healthcare providers are ethically and legally permitted to proceed with treatment without consent. Attempting to stabilize the client until conscious enough to provide consent or trying to locate family members for consent would cause a dangerous delay in critical care. Therefore, the most appropriate action in this scenario is to transport the unconscious client to the operating room for immediate surgery.

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