Nursing Elites

1. A nurse in an acute care facility is caring for a client who is postop following abdominal surgery. Which behavior should the nurse identify as increasing the client's risk for constipation?

• A. Increased physical activity
• B. Frequent urge suppression
• C. Increased fiber intake
• D. Decreased fluid intake

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Frequent urge suppression can lead to constipation, especially postoperatively. Suppressing the urge to defecate can disrupt normal bowel movements and result in constipation. Increased physical activity, increased fiber intake, and adequate fluid intake are measures that typically help prevent constipation by promoting bowel regularity and preventing stool hardening. Therefore, choices A, C, and D are not behaviors that increase the client's risk for constipation.

2. A nurse is preparing to perform a focused respiratory assessment on a client with COPD. What is an expected finding?

• A. Normal respiratory rate
• B. Nasal flaring
• C. Decreased breath sounds
• D. Increased breath sounds

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Nasal flaring is an expected finding in clients with COPD who are experiencing respiratory distress. Nasal flaring is a sign of increased work of breathing and respiratory distress, commonly seen in clients with COPD exacerbation. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. A normal respiratory rate would not be an expected finding in a client with COPD, as they often have an increased respiratory rate. Decreased breath sounds could indicate diminished airflow but are not typically a common finding in COPD. Increased breath sounds are not typical in COPD and could indicate other conditions like pneumonia.

3. A healthcare professional is reviewing the lab results of a client who has been experiencing a fever for 3 days. What finding indicates fluid volume deficit (FVD)?

• A. Decreased hematocrit
• B. Increased white blood cell count
• C. Increased hematocrit
• D. Decreased white blood cell count

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Increased hematocrit indicates hemoconcentration, which is a sign of fluid volume deficit. In FVD, there is a loss of fluid without a proportional loss of electrolytes, leading to hemoconcentration. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Decreased hematocrit and decreased white blood cell count are not typical findings in fluid volume deficit. An increased white blood cell count is more indicative of infection or inflammation rather than fluid volume deficit.

4. A charge nurse discovers that a nurse did not notify the provider that a client's condition had changed. The charge nurse should identify that the nurse is accountable for which of the following torts?

• A. Negligence
• B. Assault
• C. Battery
• D. Defamation

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Negligence. Negligence in nursing occurs when a healthcare provider fails to take appropriate action that a reasonably prudent provider would take in a similar situation, such as not notifying the provider of changes in a client's condition. In this scenario, the nurse's failure to inform the provider of the client's changed condition constitutes negligence. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Assault involves the intentional threat of bodily harm to another person, battery is the intentional harmful or offensive touching of another person without their consent, and defamation is the act of making false statements about someone to a third party that harms that person's reputation.

5. When performing an abdominal assessment on a client, what action should the nurse take first?

• A. Palpate the abdomen
• B. Auscultate bowel sounds
• C. Inspect the abdomen
• D. Percuss the abdomen

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to auscultate bowel sounds. This action should be taken first because it ensures that bowel sounds are not altered by physical manipulation. Inspecting the abdomen (choice C) may provide visual cues but does not address functional assessment. Palpating the abdomen (choice A) should follow auscultation to prevent altering bowel sounds. Percussing the abdomen (choice D) is typically done after auscultation and palpation.

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