Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is developing a care plan for a client who has paraplegia and has an area of nonblanchable erythema over the ischium. Which intervention should the nurse include?

• A. Place the client upright on a donut-shaped cushion.
• B. Teach the client to shift his weight every 15 minutes while sitting.
• C. Turn and reposition the client every 3 hours.
• D. Assess pressure points every 24 hours.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct intervention for a client with nonblanchable erythema over the ischium is to teach the client to shift his weight every 15 minutes while sitting. This action helps relieve pressure on the affected area and prevents further skin breakdown. Placing the client upright on a donut-shaped cushion (Choice A) may not address the need for frequent weight shifts. Turning and repositioning the client every 3 hours (Choice C) is important for overall skin health but may not provide adequate relief for the specific area of nonblanchable erythema. Assessing pressure points every 24 hours (Choice D) is not frequent enough to prevent worsening of the skin condition in this case.

2. Which lab value is essential for a patient receiving warfarin therapy?

• A. Monitor INR
• B. Monitor sodium levels
• C. Monitor potassium levels
• D. Monitor platelet count

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor the INR (International Normalized Ratio) for a patient receiving warfarin therapy. INR monitoring is crucial to assess the effectiveness of warfarin in preventing blood clots while minimizing the risk of bleeding. Monitoring sodium levels (choice B), potassium levels (choice C), or platelet count (choice D) is not specifically essential for patients on warfarin therapy and does not provide direct information on the drug's anticoagulant effects.

3. What is the priority nursing assessment for a patient who has just returned from surgery?

• A. Monitor respiratory rate
• B. Monitor blood pressure
• C. Check the surgical site
• D. Monitor heart rate

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor the patient's respiratory rate. This assessment is essential as it ensures that the patient is breathing adequately post-surgery. Maintaining a patent airway and adequate oxygenation are the top priorities in the immediate postoperative period. Monitoring blood pressure, checking the surgical site, or monitoring heart rate are important assessments but are not the priority immediately upon the patient's return from surgery.

4. A nurse is preparing to measure the temperature of an infant. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

• A. Place the tip of the thermometer under the center of the infant's axilla.
• B. Pull the pinna of the infant's ear forward before inserting the probe.
• C. Insert the probe 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) into the infant's rectum.
• D. Insert the thermometer in front of the infant's tongue.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct method for measuring an infant's temperature is by placing the tip of the thermometer under the center of the infant's axilla (armpit). This method is non-invasive and safe. Pulling the pinna of the ear forward is used when taking a tympanic temperature. Inserting the probe into the rectum is done for rectal temperature measurement, which is not recommended as an initial method in infants. Inserting the thermometer in front of the infant's tongue is not a standard method for measuring temperature in infants.

5. A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse monitor to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy?

• A. Serum calcium
• B. Blood glucose
• C. Serum protein
• D. Serum albumin

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, Serum albumin. Serum albumin levels are a good indicator of the nutritional effectiveness of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Monitoring serum albumin levels helps assess the client's overall protein status and nutritional adequacy. Choices A, B, and C are not direct indicators of the effectiveness of TPN therapy. Serum calcium levels may be affected by other factors, blood glucose monitoring is more relevant for clients with diabetes or those receiving insulin therapy, and serum protein is not as specific as serum albumin in evaluating TPN effectiveness.

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