Nursing Elites

1. An 80-year-old aphasic CVA client had abdominal surgery 2 days ago. Which of the following puts this client at the highest risk for inadequate pain management?

• A. Inability to turn, cough, and breathe deeply
• B. Inability to communicate pain
• C. Inability to ambulate freely
• D. Inability to use a bedside commode

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Inability to communicate pain. In this scenario, the client's aphasia prevents them from verbally expressing their pain, which can lead to inadequate pain management if the healthcare team is not vigilant. The nurse must use alternative methods to assess and address the client's pain. Choices A, C, and D, although important considerations in postoperative care, do not directly relate to the client's ability to communicate pain, which is crucial for effective pain management in this case.

2. A nurse manager asks a nurse to work overtime because of a short-staffing problem. The nurse has made plans to do Christmas shopping after work and does not want to work overtime. What is the most assertive response by the nurse to her nurse manager?

• A. "I'm not working overtime today."
• B. "I have plans after work and will not be able to work overtime."
• C. "You know how I hate to work overtime."
• D. "I will if you need me, but I am not happy about this."

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The most assertive response in dealing with this conflict is the one that is direct and conveys a clear message in a positive manner. The nurse should assertively communicate her unavailability for overtime without being confrontational. Option A, "I'm not working overtime today," is too blunt and may come across as rude. Option C, "You know how I hate to work overtime," is not assertive but rather passive-aggressive. Option D, "I will if you need me, but I am not happy about this," is a passive-aggressive response as it implies compliance while expressing discontent. Option B, "I have plans after work and will not be able to work overtime," is the most appropriate response as it clearly states the nurse's unavailability without unnecessary aggression.

3. A nurse is supervising a new nursing graduate in various procedures. Which action by the new nursing graduate constitutes a negligent act?

• A. Giving a verbal report to the nurse on the oncoming shift
• B. Checking neurological signs in a client with a head injury
• C. Contacting a healthcare provider about a change in a client's blood pressure
• D. Using clean gloves to change a gastrostomy tube dressing

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Negligent acts in nursing include various errors that can harm the client, such as medication errors, intravenous therapy errors, burns, falls, failure to use aseptic technique, failure to provide adequate monitoring, and failure to report significant changes in a client's condition. In this scenario, using clean gloves to change a gastrostomy tube dressing is a negligent act because sterile gloves should be used when changing a dressing over broken skin. Choices A, B, and C are not negligent acts as they involve appropriate nursing actions: giving a verbal report, checking neurological signs, and contacting a healthcare provider about a change in a client's blood pressure.

4. A health care provider asks the nurse caring for a client with a new colostomy to request the hospital's stoma nurse to visit the client and assist with colostomy care. The nurse initiates the consultation, understanding that the stoma nurse will be able to influence the client because of which type of power?

• A. Expert power
• B. Referent power
• C. Coercive power
• D. Reward power

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Power is the ability to influence others to achieve goals. Expert power results from knowledge and skills that one possesses that are needed by others. In this scenario, the stoma nurse's expertise in colostomy care gives them the ability to influence the client effectively. Reward power is based on the ability to grant rewards and favors, which is not applicable in this situation. Coercive power is based on fear and the ability to punish, which is not the case in seeking assistance for colostomy care. Referent power results from followers' desire to identify with a powerful person, which is not the primary influence in this context.

5. A nurse and a nursing assistant enter a client's room to provide care and find the client lying on the floor. Which action should the nurse take first?

• A. Ask the nursing assistant to complete an incident report
• B. Check the client's level of consciousness and vital signs
• C. Contact the unit secretary on the intercom and ask that the client's health care provider be called
• D. Ask the nursing assistant to assist in getting the client back to bed

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When a client sustains a fall, the nurse must first assess the client. The nurse should check the client's level of consciousness and vital signs to determine the severity of the situation and provide appropriate care promptly. This immediate assessment is crucial in ensuring the client's immediate needs are addressed. Asking the nursing assistant to complete an incident report (choice A) is not the priority as the client's condition needs immediate attention. Contacting the unit secretary to call the client's health care provider (choice C) can be done after the initial assessment has been completed. Asking the nursing assistant to assist in getting the client back to bed (choice D) should only be considered after ensuring the client is stable and safe to move.

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