Nursing Elites

1. An adult client with severe depression was admitted to the psychiatric unit yesterday evening. Although the client used to run a year ago, his spouse states that the client no longer runs but sits and watches television most of the day. Which is most important for the nurse to include in this client’s plan of care for today?

• A. Assist the client in identifying goals for the day
• B. Encourage the client to participate in a team sport for one hour
• C. Schedule the client for a group session that focuses on self-esteem
• D. Help the client develop a list of daily affirmations

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Assisting the client in identifying goals for the day is the most important aspect of the plan of care for a client with severe depression. Setting achievable daily goals helps engage the client in activities and promotes a sense of accomplishment, which can contribute to gradual improvement in their condition. Encouraging participation in team sports may be overwhelming for a client with severe depression as it requires a significant level of energy and motivation that the client may not possess at this time. Group sessions focusing on self-esteem and daily affirmations are beneficial interventions, but they may not have an immediate impact compared to setting achievable daily goals that can provide a sense of purpose and achievement for the client.

2. The nurse enters the room of a client who is awaiting surgery for appendicitis. The unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) has helped the client to a position of comfort with the right leg flexed and has applied a heating pad to the client’s abdomen to relieve the client’s pain. Which action should the nurse implement first?

• A. Remove the heating pad.
• B. Reposition the client’s right leg.
• C. Monitor for signs of inflammation.
• D. Assess the client’s pain level.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to implement first is to remove the heating pad. Heating pads should not be used for suspected appendicitis as they can mask symptoms and potentially worsen inflammation. Choice B is not the priority as the position of comfort chosen by the UAP may be appropriate. Monitoring for signs of inflammation (Choice C) is important but not the initial action to address the immediate issue of the heating pad. Assessing the client's pain level (Choice D) can be done after removing the heating pad to evaluate the effectiveness of pain relief measures.

3. Which behavior is most likely to result in a breach of client confidentiality?

• A. Discussing a client’s condition during a teaching conference for nursing staff caring for the client
• B. Two nurses planning a client’s care while having lunch in the hospital cafeteria
• C. Nursing students on the same team discussing their assigned client’s conditions
• D. A registered nurse privately sharing personal feelings about a client with another nurse on the team

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. Discussing client information in a public area, such as a cafeteria, may lead to breaches of confidentiality. Choice A involves discussing a client's condition in a professional setting, which is not likely to result in a breach as it is for educational purposes. Choice C involves nursing students discussing their assigned client's conditions, which is common in a learning environment and not necessarily a breach of confidentiality. Choice D involves a private conversation between healthcare professionals, which is less likely to result in a breach compared to discussing in a public area like a cafeteria where non-authorized individuals may overhear the conversation.

4. The nurse is demonstrating wound care to a client following abdominal surgery. In what order should the nurse teach the technique?

• A. Remove old dressing using clean gloves. Discard gloves with old dressing
• B. Moisten sterile gauze with normal saline. Clean wound from least contaminated area to most contaminated area
• C. Apply sterile gauze dressing to wound area
• D. Secure dressing with tape

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct order ensures proper aseptic technique and wound care to prevent infection. The first step is to remove the old dressing using clean gloves to prevent contamination. Discarding the gloves with the old dressing helps maintain cleanliness. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because cleaning the wound, applying a new dressing, and securing it should come after removing the old dressing to maintain asepsis and prevent infection.

5. The nurse notes that an older adult client has a moist cough that increases in severity during and after meals. Based on this finding, what action should the nurse take?

• A. Encourage the client to perform deep breathing exercises daily.
• B. Offer the client additional clear fluids frequently.
• C. Collect a sputum specimen immediately.
• D. Request a consultation to confirm dysphagia

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. The moist cough that worsens during and after meals suggests possible dysphagia, a condition related to swallowing difficulties. Requesting a consultation for dysphagia is essential for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Encouraging the client to perform deep breathing exercises (choice A) may not address the underlying issue of dysphagia. Offering additional clear fluids (choice B) may not be appropriate for someone with swallowing difficulties. Collecting a sputum specimen (choice C) is not the priority in this scenario as the focus should be on identifying and managing the swallowing problem.

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