Nursing Elites

1. A client with a history of falls is under the care of a nurse. Which of the following actions should be the nurse’s priority?

• A. Complete a fall-risk assessment.
• B. Educate the client and family about fall risks.
• C. Eliminate safety hazards from the client’s environment.
• D. Ensure the client uses assistive aids in their possession.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The nurse's priority should be to eliminate safety hazards from the client's environment as it directly reduces the risk of falls. Addressing environmental hazards is an immediate and crucial step in preventing falls. While completing a fall-risk assessment is important to understand the client's risk factors, educating the client and family about fall risks is essential for prevention, and ensuring the use of assistive aids is crucial for safety, eliminating safety hazards takes precedence as it directly mitigates the risk of falls.

2. The healthcare professional prepares a 1,000 ml IV of 5% dextrose and water to be infused over 8 hours. The infusion set delivers 10 drops per milliliter. The healthcare professional should regulate the IV to administer approximately how many drops per minute?

• A. 80
• B. 8
• C. 21
• D. 25

Correct answer: C

Rationale: To calculate the drops per minute for the IV infusion, first determine the total drops to be infused over 8 hours. 1,000 ml to be infused over 8 hours means 125 ml per hour (1000 ml / 8 hours = 125 ml/hr). Since the infusion set delivers 10 drops per ml, 125 ml/hr x 10 drops/ml = 1250 drops/hr. To find drops per minute, divide the drops per hour by 60 (minutes in an hour): 1250 drops/hr / 60 minutes = 20.83 drops/minute, which rounds up to 21 drops per minute (Option C). This rate ensures the correct infusion rate over 8 hours. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect calculations and do not provide the appropriate infusion rate needed to administer the IV over the specified time period.

3. When planning home care for a 72-year-old client with osteomyelitis requiring a 6-week course of intravenous antibiotics, what is the most important action by the nurse?

• A. Investigating the client's insurance coverage for home IV antibiotic therapy
• B. Determining if there are adequate hand washing facilities in the home
• C. Assessing the client's ability to participate in self-care and/or the reliability of a caregiver
• D. Selecting the appropriate venous access device

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Assessing the client's ability to participate in self-care or evaluating the reliability of a caregiver is crucial in ensuring adherence to the treatment plan. This action helps determine if the client can manage the intravenous antibiotics at home independently or if assistance is needed. Investigating insurance coverage, ensuring hand washing facilities, and selecting the venous access device are important aspects of care but assessing the client's ability for self-care and caregiver reliability takes precedence to promote treatment success and safety.

4. A charge nurse is assigning tasks to a nurse and assistive personnel for a group of clients. Which of the following tasks should the charge nurse delegate to the AP?

• A. Report ABG results to the provider
• B. Instruct a client about how to use an incentive spirometer
• C. Administer an enteral feeding to a client who has an established gastrostomy tube
• D. Monitor the color of a client’s urinary output

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because monitoring the color of a client's urinary output is a task that can be safely delegated to assistive personnel. This task involves basic observation and does not require specialized nursing knowledge or skills. Choice A is incorrect because reporting ABG results to the provider requires interpretation and critical thinking skills typically performed by a nurse. Choice B is incorrect as instructing a client about how to use an incentive spirometer involves educating and assessing the client, which is a nursing responsibility. Choice C is incorrect as administering enteral feeding to a client with a gastrostomy tube requires nursing expertise to ensure proper technique and monitoring for complications.

5. A client is receiving 0.9% sodium chloride IV at 125 mL/hr. The nurse notes that the client has received only 80 mL over the last 2 hr. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

• A. Reposition the client
• B. Document the client's IV intake in the medical record
• C. Request a new IV fluid prescription
• D. Check the IV tubing for obstruction

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is to check the IV tubing for obstruction. The first step in the nursing process is assessment. By checking the IV tubing for obstruction, the nurse can assess and potentially correct any issues affecting the flow rate. This action may help to ensure that the prescribed infusion rate is maintained. Repositioning the client is not the priority at this stage as the issue seems related to the IV tubing. Documenting the intake or requesting a new prescription are not immediate actions needed to address the current situation with the IV fluid flow.

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