Nursing Elites

1. After a left heart catheterization (LHC), a client complains of severe foot pain on the side of the femoral stick. The nurse notes pulselessness, pallor, and a cold extremity. What should the nurse's next action be?

• A. Administer an anticoagulant.
• B. Warm the room and re-assess.
• C. Increase IV fluids.
• D. Notify the physician stat.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take next is to notify the physician immediately (stat). The client's symptoms of foot pain, pulselessness, pallor, and cold extremity suggest a potential vascular complication, such as arterial occlusion. Prompt notification of the physician is crucial as this condition requires urgent intervention to restore blood flow and prevent tissue damage. Administering an anticoagulant (Choice A) without physician evaluation could be harmful as the underlying cause needs to be determined first. Warming the room and re-assessing (Choice B) may delay necessary treatment. Increasing IV fluids (Choice C) is unlikely to address the urgent vascular issue indicated by the symptoms described.

2. The anemias most often associated with pregnancy are:

• A. folic acid and iron deficiency.
• B. folic acid deficiency and thalassemia.
• C. iron deficiency and thalassemia.
• D. thalassemia and B12 deficiency.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Folic acid and iron deficiency anemia are the most common types of anemia associated with pregnancy. Approximately 50% of pregnant women experience this type of anemia. Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy typically results from the increased plasma volume, rather than a decrease in iron levels. Moreover, if a woman has iron deficiency anemia before pregnancy, it often worsens during pregnancy. Folic acid deficiency is also prevalent during pregnancy due to the increased demand for this nutrient to support fetal development. Thalassemia and B12 deficiency, while types of anemia, are not as commonly associated with pregnancy compared to folic acid and iron deficiency anemia, making them incorrect choices in this context.

3. Which of the following organs of the digestive system has a primary function of absorption?

• A. stomach
• B. pancreas
• C. small intestine
• D. gallbladder

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The small intestine is the correct answer. It is the primary organ responsible for absorption in the digestive system. The stomach's primary function is to break down food through mechanical and chemical digestion. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes to aid in the breakdown of food. The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver, which helps in the digestion of fats. However, neither the stomach, pancreas, nor gallbladder play the primary role of absorption in the digestive process, making them incorrect choices.

4. Chemotherapeutic agents often produce a degree of myelosuppression including leukopenia. Leukopenia does not present immediately but is delayed several days or weeks because:

• A. the client's hemoglobin and hematocrit are normal.
• B. red blood cells are affected first.
• C. folic acid levels are normal.
• D. the current white cell count is not affected by chemotherapy.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Leukopenia does not present immediately after chemotherapy because time is required to clear circulating cells before the effect on precursor cell maturation in the bone marrow becomes evident. Leukopenia is characterized by an abnormally low white blood cell count. The correct answer is D because the white cell count is not immediately affected by chemotherapy. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as they pertain to red blood cells (hemoglobin and hematocrit), which are not directly related to the delayed onset of leukopenia.

5. The nurse overhears two nursing students talking about a client in the cafeteria. What should the nurse do first?

• A. Report the incident to the nursing supervisor.
• B. Write up a variance report about the incident.
• C. Instruct the students that this is a violation of HIPAA.
• D. Notify the students' faculty regarding the violation.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to instruct the students that discussing a client in a public area like the cafeteria violates HIPAA regulations. This is important to educate the students about patient confidentiality and the consequences of breaching it. Reporting to the nursing supervisor or faculty should come after addressing the students directly. Writing up a variance report is not the immediate action needed in this situation, as educating the students about their mistake should be the priority. It is essential to address the issue at the source by educating the students first rather than escalating the matter to supervisors or faculty immediately.

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