Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is caring for a client who has acute pancreatitis. Which of the following laboratory findings should the nurse expect?

• A. Decreased serum amylase
• B. Decreased serum lipase
• C. Elevated blood glucose
• D. Elevated calcium levels

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In acute pancreatitis, the nurse should expect elevated blood glucose levels. This is due to impaired insulin production by the inflamed pancreas. While serum amylase and lipase levels are typically elevated in acute pancreatitis, blood glucose levels are also affected due to the pancreatic dysfunction. Therefore, choices A and B are incorrect. Elevated calcium levels are not typically associated with acute pancreatitis, making choice D incorrect.

2. A nurse is caring for a patient whose family member requests to view the patient’s medical record. What response should the nurse make?

• A. “The patient should provide permission to share the records with you.”
• B. “You can view the records if the provider approves it.”
• C. “I will allow you to see the chart if the patient is unable to give consent.”
• D. “You need to fill out a request form.”

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In this scenario, the nurse should respond by indicating that the patient needs to provide permission to share their medical records with the family member. Patient confidentiality is a fundamental principle in healthcare, and sharing medical records without the patient's consent is a violation of privacy. Choice B is incorrect because the provider's approval alone is not sufficient to share medical records, as patient consent is crucial. Choice C is incorrect because viewing the patient's chart without the patient's consent is not appropriate. Choice D is incorrect as filling out a request form does not address the issue of patient consent, which is essential for sharing medical information.

3. A nurse is caring for a client 4 hours postoperative following a thyroidectomy who reports fullness in the throat. What should the nurse assess for?

• A. Hypocalcemia
• B. Hemorrhage
• C. Hypoxia
• D. Hypothyroidism

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Fullness in the throat after a thyroidectomy could indicate bleeding or a hematoma, which can compress the airway, so hemorrhage is the priority concern. Hypocalcemia typically presents with symptoms like tingling around the mouth or in the extremities, muscle cramps, or seizures, not fullness in the throat. Hypoxia would manifest with symptoms like shortness of breath, confusion, or cyanosis, rather than a feeling of fullness in the throat. Hypothyroidism symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, and cold intolerance, but it does not typically cause acute fullness in the throat postoperatively.

4. A nurse is assessing a client who was brought to the psychiatric emergency services by law enforcement. The client has disorganized, incoherent speech with loose associations and religious content. The nurse should recognize these signs and symptoms as consistent with which of the following?

• A. Alzheimer's disease
• B. Schizophrenia
• C. Substance intoxication
• D. Depression

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Schizophrenia. Disorganized speech, loose associations, and religious delusions are characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia. In this scenario, the client's presentation aligns with positive symptoms of schizophrenia, indicating a severe mental disorder requiring immediate attention. Choice A, Alzheimer's disease, primarily involves cognitive decline and memory impairment, not disorganized speech or religious content. Choice C, Substance intoxication, may present with altered mental status but typically lacks the persistent pattern of symptoms seen in schizophrenia. Choice D, Depression, is associated with a different set of symptoms such as low mood, anhedonia, and changes in appetite or sleep, rather than disorganized speech and loose associations.

5. A client with multiple sclerosis reports diplopia. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

• A. Encourage the client to focus on a distant object.
• B. Apply a warm compress to the client’s eyes.
• C. Recommend alternating eye patches during the day.
• D. Administer artificial tears.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take when caring for a client with multiple sclerosis reporting diplopia is to recommend alternating eye patches during the day. This strategy can help relieve diplopia (double vision) by allowing each eye to rest alternately, reducing eye strain. Encouraging the client to focus on a distant object (Choice A) is not an appropriate intervention for diplopia in this case. Applying a warm compress to the client's eyes (Choice B) and administering artificial tears (Choice D) are not effective interventions for diplopia associated with multiple sclerosis.

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