Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is preparing to administer medications to four clients. The nurse should administer medications to which client first?

• A. A client who has pneumonia and a WBC count of 11,500/mm3 prescribed piperacillin
• B. A client who has renal failure and a serum potassium of 5.8 mEq/L prescribed sodium polystyrene sulfonate
• C. A client who is post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) prescribed atorvastatin
• D. A client who has anemia and a hemoglobin level of 11g/dL prescribed epoetin alfa

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. The client with renal failure and high potassium levels requires immediate attention because hyperkalemia can lead to life-threatening cardiac complications. Administering sodium polystyrene sulfonate helps lower the potassium levels. Choice A, the client with pneumonia and a high WBC count, although important, does not present an immediate life-threatening condition. Choice C, the post-CABG client prescribed atorvastatin, and Choice D, the client with anemia and a hemoglobin level of 11g/dL prescribed epoetin alfa, do not require immediate intervention compared to managing hyperkalemia in a client with renal failure.

2. A nurse enters a client's room to administer a prescribed medication, and the client asks about the medication. What is the most appropriate response by the nurse?

• A. Give detailed information about the medication, including its potential side effects.
• B. Refer the client to the healthcare provider for more information.
• C. Give a brief explanation and administer the medication.
• D. Ask another nurse to explain the medication and proceed.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The most appropriate response for the nurse when a client asks about a medication is to refer the client to the healthcare provider for more information. This ensures that the client receives accurate and detailed information from the appropriate source. Providing detailed information or a brief explanation as choices A and C suggest may not be within the nurse's scope of practice and could potentially lead to misinformation or confusion. Asking another nurse to explain the medication, as in choice D, may not guarantee accurate information, so it is best to involve the healthcare provider directly.

3. A nurse is preparing to administer enoxaparin to a client. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

• A. Aspirate for a blood return before depressing the plunger
• B. Insert the needle at a 45-degree angle
• C. Administer the medication 2.54 cm (1 in) from the umbilicus
• D. The nurse should not expel the air bubble in the prefilled syringe

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct action when administering enoxaparin is not to expel the air bubble in the prefilled syringe. Expelling the air bubble may lead to the loss of medication and result in an incomplete dose. Aspirating for a blood return (Choice A) is not necessary for subcutaneous injections like enoxaparin. Inserting the needle at a 45-degree angle (Choice B) is not specific to administering enoxaparin. Administering the medication 2.54 cm (1 in) from the umbilicus (Choice C) is not a standard guideline for enoxaparin administration.

4. A nurse manager assigns a nursing assistant a task outside of their role. What should the nursing assistant do?

• A. Follow the manager's directive
• B. Report the task to the charge nurse
• C. Refuse to perform the task
• D. Perform the task and document later

Correct answer: B

Rationale: If a nurse manager assigns a nursing assistant a task that is outside of their role, the nursing assistant should report the task to the charge nurse. This is important because the charge nurse can provide guidance on whether the task is appropriate for the nursing assistant to perform. Choice A is incorrect because blindly following a directive that is outside of the nursing assistant's scope could lead to negative consequences. Choice C might not be the best course of action initially, as it's important to seek clarification first. Choice D is also not the best option because performing a task outside of one's role without proper authorization can pose risks to both the patient and the nursing assistant.

5. A client is prescribed 1g of potassium phosphate IV to be infused continuously over 6 hr. Available is 1 g in 250 ml of dextrose 5%. What rate should the nurse set the IV pump to run at?

• A. 40 ml/hr
• B. 42 ml/hr
• C. 44 ml/hr
• D. 46 ml/hr

Correct answer: B

Rationale: To calculate the IV rate, divide the total volume by the total time in hours. In this case, 1 g in 250 ml is to be infused over 6 hours. Therefore, 250 ml / 6 hr = 42 ml/hr. This means the IV pump should be set to run at 42 ml/hr. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not accurately calculate the infusion rate based on the provided information.

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