Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is caring for a female client who has osteoporosis and a new prescription for raloxifene. What should the nurse assess prior to initiating therapy?

• A. Pregnancy status
• B. Bone density
• C. Calcium levels
• D. Blood pressure

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Pregnancy status. Raloxifene is a pregnancy category X drug, which means it can cause serious birth defects. Therefore, it is crucial for the nurse to assess the client's pregnancy status before initiating therapy. Choice B, bone density, while important in osteoporosis management, is not a specific concern related to initiating raloxifene therapy. Choice C, calcium levels, and choice D, blood pressure, are not directly related to the initiation of raloxifene therapy in a female client with osteoporosis.

2. A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a client via a nasogastric (NG) tube. What should the nurse do first?

• A. Crush all medications and administer them all at once.
• B. Flush the NG tube before and after each medication.
• C. Administer only liquid forms of medications.
• D. Skip flushing the tube entirely.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Flush the NG tube before and after each medication.' Flushing the NG tube is essential to ensure that the medication passes through smoothly without any obstruction. It helps prevent clogging of the tube and ensures that the full dose of the medication reaches the patient. Options A, C, and D are incorrect because crushing all medications at once, administering only liquid forms of medications, and skipping tube flushing entirely can lead to complications such as tube blockages, incomplete medication administration, and potential harm to the client.

3. What are the priority nursing assessments for a patient who has just undergone major surgery?

• A. Providing analgesia as prescribed
• B. Monitoring for signs of infection
• C. Assessing the surgical site for bleeding
• D. Monitoring the patient's vital signs

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor for signs of infection. After major surgery, one of the priority nursing assessments is to watch for signs of infection, such as increased temperature, redness, swelling, or drainage at the surgical site. While providing analgesia is important for pain management, monitoring for infection takes precedence as it can lead to severe complications if not detected early. Assessing the surgical site for bleeding is crucial but is usually more relevant immediately after surgery. Monitoring the patient's vital signs is essential, but the specific focus on infection assessment is crucial in the immediate postoperative period.

4. A nurse is teaching an older adult client who reports constipation. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

• A. Increase dietary intake of raw vegetables
• B. Limit activity
• C. Drink four to five glasses of water daily
• D. Bear down hard when defecating

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct instruction the nurse should include is to advise the client to drink four to five glasses of water daily. Increasing water intake helps alleviate constipation by softening stool and increasing bowel movements. Choice A, increasing dietary intake of raw vegetables, can be helpful in preventing constipation but may not be sufficient as the sole intervention for someone already experiencing constipation. Choice B, limiting activity, can worsen constipation as physical activity helps stimulate bowel movements. Choice D, bearing down hard when defecating, can lead to other issues like hemorrhoids and should be avoided.

5. A nurse is caring for a patient with an infection. Which laboratory result is most important to monitor?

• A. White blood cell count (WBC)
• B. C-reactive protein (CRP)
• C. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
• D. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: White blood cell count (WBC). Monitoring the white blood cell count is crucial when caring for a patient with an infection as it helps assess the body's response to the infection. An elevated white blood cell count often indicates an active infection or inflammation, while a decreasing count may signal improvement or potential complications. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are nonspecific markers of inflammation and not as specific to monitoring infection progression as the white blood cell count. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels are important for assessing oxygen-carrying capacity and blood volume, but they are not the primary indicators for monitoring infection.

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