Nursing Elites

1. A patient is admitted with suspected pneumonia. What is the nurse's priority assessment?

• A. Auscultate the patient's lung sounds.
• B. Assess the patient's oxygen saturation.
• C. Monitor the patient's white blood cell count.
• D. Monitor the patient's skin integrity.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to assess the patient's oxygen saturation. In suspected pneumonia, ensuring adequate oxygenation is critical to monitor respiratory function. Auscultating lung sounds is important but assessing oxygen saturation takes precedence as it directly reflects the patient's oxygen levels. Monitoring white blood cell count is more related to infection assessment rather than immediate respiratory status. Checking skin integrity is essential for overall patient care but is not the priority in a patient with suspected pneumonia.

2. What is the most appropriate method for preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)?

• A. Insert a urinary catheter using clean gloves.
• B. Limit the duration of catheter use.
• C. Use a smaller size catheter to prevent trauma.
• D. Change the catheter tubing every 24 hours.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Limit the duration of catheter use. Limiting the duration of catheterization is a crucial method for preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Prolonged catheter use increases the risk of introducing pathogens into the urinary tract, leading to infections. Using clean gloves for insertion (choice A) is important for preventing contamination but does not address the main cause of CAUTIs. Using a smaller size catheter (choice C) may help reduce trauma but does not directly prevent infections. Changing the catheter tubing every 24 hours (choice D) is not necessary unless clinically indicated, and it is not the most effective method for preventing CAUTIs.

3. Which of the following is a critical nursing action when managing a patient with a chest tube?

• A. Keep the chest tube clamped at all times.
• B. Ensure the chest tube is connected to a closed drainage system.
• C. Empty the chest tube drainage system every 2 hours.
• D. Disconnect the chest tube when the patient is ambulating.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: "Ensure the chest tube is connected to a closed drainage system." This is a critical nursing action when managing a patient with a chest tube because it is essential for proper drainage and to prevent complications such as air leaks or infections. Option A is incorrect because keeping the chest tube clamped at all times would prevent proper drainage and could lead to complications. Option C is incorrect as emptying the chest tube drainage system should be done based on assessment findings rather than a fixed time interval. Option D is incorrect because disconnecting the chest tube when the patient is ambulating can lead to complications like a pneumothorax.

4. A patient with a history of asthma is admitted with shortness of breath. What is the nurse's priority intervention?

• A. Administer a bronchodilator as prescribed.
• B. Encourage the patient to use an incentive spirometer.
• C. Place the patient in a high Fowler's position.
• D. Monitor the patient's oxygen saturation closely.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to administer a bronchodilator as prescribed. This intervention is the priority for a patient with asthma experiencing shortness of breath as it helps relax the airways, making breathing easier. Encouraging the use of an incentive spirometer (Choice B) is beneficial for lung expansion but not the priority in this acute situation. Placing the patient in a high Fowler's position (Choice C) can also help with breathing but is not as immediate as administering a bronchodilator. While monitoring the patient's oxygen saturation closely (Choice D) is important, the immediate action to address the breathing difficulty is administering a bronchodilator.

5. A nurse is observing a nursing student practicing standard precautions. Which observation by the instructor indicates that further teaching is necessary?

• A. The nursing student wears gloves when changing bed linens.
• B. The nursing student wears gloves to remove a wound dressing.
• C. The nursing student washes hands after removing gloves.
• D. The nursing student touches the patient's skin with sterile gloves.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because touching a patient's skin with sterile gloves compromises the sterility of the gloves, increasing the risk of contamination. Choices A, B, and C demonstrate correct practices in standard precautions. Wearing gloves when changing bed linens and to remove a wound dressing, as well as washing hands after removing gloves, are all appropriate and necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection.

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