Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is caring for a client who has cirrhosis and a new prescription for lactulose. The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following therapeutic effects of this medication?

• A. Improved mental status.
• B. Increased urine output.
• C. Decreased serum ammonia.
• D. Decreased bilirubin levels.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Decreased serum ammonia. Lactulose is prescribed to decrease serum ammonia levels in clients with cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy. By reducing serum ammonia, lactulose helps improve the mental status of these clients. Therefore, monitoring for decreased serum ammonia is crucial to assess the effectiveness of lactulose therapy. Choice A (Improved mental status) is indirectly related as it is the desired outcome of decreasing ammonia levels. Choices B (Increased urine output) and D (Decreased bilirubin levels) are not directly associated with the therapeutic effects of lactulose in cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy.

2. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has been prescribed digoxin for heart failure. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

• A. Take this medication with meals.
• B. Check your pulse before taking this medication.
• C. Take this medication with an antacid to reduce stomach upset.
• D. Increase your potassium intake while taking this medication.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Check your pulse before taking this medication.' When a patient is prescribed digoxin, it is crucial to monitor their pulse rate because digoxin can cause bradycardia (slow heart rate) as a side effect. In contrast, choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Taking digoxin with meals is not necessary; it should be taken consistently at the same time every day. Taking digoxin with an antacid is not recommended as it can interfere with the absorption of the medication. While digoxin can cause hypokalemia (low potassium levels), patients should not increase their potassium intake without healthcare provider guidance to avoid potential complications.

3. A nurse is planning care for a client who has dementia and is frequently agitated. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care?

• A. Offer the client several choices when scheduling activities.
• B. Confront the client when inappropriate behavior occurs.
• C. Use a calm, reassuring approach when speaking to the client.
• D. Encourage the client to engage in stimulating activities.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct intervention for a client with dementia who is frequently agitated is to use a calm and reassuring approach when speaking to them. This approach helps reduce agitation and create a more therapeutic environment. Offering several choices may overwhelm the client and increase agitation, making choice A incorrect. Confronting the client can escalate the situation and worsen agitation, making choice B inappropriate. While encouraging stimulating activities is beneficial, it may not be the most effective intervention for immediate agitation management, making choice D less priority compared to using a calm and reassuring approach.

4. A client reports intimate partner violence to a nurse. What is the nurse's priority action?

• A. Develop a safety plan with the client.
• B. Refer the client to a community support group.
• C. Determine if the client has any injuries.
• D. Ensure the client has access to legal services.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to develop a safety plan with the client. When a client reports intimate partner violence, the priority is ensuring their immediate safety. Developing a safety plan involves identifying safe places, emergency contacts, and strategies to protect the client from harm. Referring the client to a community support group (Choice B) can be helpful but not the immediate priority. While determining if the client has any injuries (Choice C) is important for assessing their physical well-being, the priority is to ensure their safety. Ensuring the client has access to legal services (Choice D) is crucial, but it is not the immediate priority when the client is at risk of violence.

5. How should a healthcare professional monitor a patient for infection post-surgery?

• A. Monitor the surgical site
• B. Monitor for fever
• C. Check blood pressure
• D. Check for redness

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Monitoring the surgical site is crucial to identify early signs of infection post-surgery. Redness, swelling, warmth, or discharge at the surgical site can indicate an infection. While monitoring for fever (choice B) is important as fever can also be a sign of infection, it may not always present immediately post-surgery. Checking blood pressure (choice C) is essential for other purposes but not specifically for monitoring infection post-surgery. Checking for redness (choice D) is limited as redness alone may not always indicate an infection, so it is not as comprehensive as monitoring the surgical site.

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