Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is assessing clients who have intravenous therapy prescribed. Which assessment finding for a client with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) requires immediate attention?

• A. The initial site dressing is 3 days old.
• B. The PICC was inserted 4 weeks ago.
• C. A securement device is absent.
• D. Upper extremity swelling is noted.

Correct answer: D

Rationale:

2. You are an emergency-room nurse caring for a trauma patient. Your patient has the following arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO2 28, HCO3 11 mEq/L. How would you interpret these results?

• A. Respiratory acidosis with no compensation
• B. Metabolic alkalosis with a compensatory alkalosis
• C. Metabolic acidosis with no compensation
• D. Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis

Correct answer: D

Rationale:

3. A female patient is discharged from the hospital after having an episode of heart failure. She's prescribed daily oral doses of digoxin (Lanoxin) and furosemide (Lasix). Two days later, she tells her community health nurse that she feels weak and her heart 'flutters' frequently. What action should the nurse take?

• A. Tell the patient to rest more often.
• B. Tell the patient to stop taking the digoxin and call the physician.
• C. Call the physician, report the symptoms, and request to draw a blood sample to determine the patient's potassium level.
• D. Tell the patient to avoid foods that contain caffeine.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take is to call the physician, report the symptoms, and request to draw a blood sample to determine the patient's potassium level. Furosemide is a potassium-wasting diuretic, and low potassium levels can lead to weakness and palpitations. Resting more often won't address the underlying issue of hypokalemia caused by furosemide. While digoxin can have side effects, it is not causing the symptoms described by the patient. Avoiding caffeine may be beneficial, but addressing the potassium level is more critical in this situation.

4. A patient with hypokalemia and heart failure is admitted to the telemetry unit. The nurse is aware that hypokalemia could cause which of the following abnormalities on an electrocardiogram (ECG)?

• A. Shortened P-R interval
• B. Inverted T wave
• C. Depressed U wave
• D. Elevated U wave

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Elevated U wave. Hypokalemia is associated with ECG changes such as an elevated U wave and flattened T waves. Choice A, a shortened P-R interval, is not typically seen in hypokalemia. Choice B, an inverted T wave, is more commonly associated with ischemia or CNS injury rather than hypokalemia. Choice C, a depressed U wave, is not a typical ECG abnormality seen in hypokalemia. Therefore, the correct ECG abnormality associated with hypokalemia is an elevated U wave.

5. While assessing a patient's peripheral IV site, you note edema around the insertion site. How should you document this complication related to IV therapy?

• A. Air emboli
• B. Phlebitis
• C. Infiltration
• D. Fluid overload

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Infiltration is the administration of a nonvesicant solution or medication into the surrounding tissue, typically due to the dislodgement or perforation of the vein wall by the IV cannula. It is characterized by edema around the insertion site, leakage of IV fluid, discomfort, coolness, and a decrease in flow rate. In this scenario, the presence of edema indicates infiltration, not air emboli, phlebitis, or fluid overload. Air emboli refer to air bubbles in the bloodstream, phlebitis is inflammation of the vein, and fluid overload is an excessive volume of fluid in the circulatory system.

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