how should a nurse assess and manage a patient with delirium

ATI LPN

ATI NCLEX PN Predictor Test

1. How should a healthcare professional assess and manage a patient with delirium?

A. Assess for confusion and reorient the patient
B. Provide a quiet environment and administer sedatives
C. Provide oxygen therapy and monitor vital signs
D. Provide pain relief and monitor for signs of recovery

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct way to assess and manage a patient with delirium is by assessing for confusion and reorienting the patient. Delirium is characterized by acute confusion and disturbance in attention, so reorienting the patient to time, place, and person can help improve their awareness and cognition. Providing a quiet environment is important to reduce stimuli that can exacerbate delirium, but administering sedatives may worsen the condition. Oxygen therapy and monitoring vital signs are essential aspects of general patient care but are not specific to managing delirium. Providing pain relief is important for overall patient comfort but may not directly address the core issue of delirium.

2. What is the most important intervention for a client with delirium?

A. Administer sedative medication
B. Identify any reversible causes of delirium
C. Provide a low-stimulation environment
D. Increase environmental stimulation

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to identify any reversible causes of delirium. Delirium can be caused by various factors such as infections, medications, or metabolic imbalances. Addressing these underlying causes can help resolve delirium. Administering sedative medication (Choice A) can worsen delirium by further altering mental status. Providing a low-stimulation environment (Choice C) is helpful to manage delirium symptoms, but it is not the most important intervention. Increasing environmental stimulation (Choice D) is contraindicated in delirium as it can exacerbate confusion and agitation.

3. A nurse is caring for a 37-year-old woman with metastatic ovarian cancer admitted for nausea and vomiting. The physician orders total parenteral nutrition (TPN), a nutritional consult, and diet recall. Which of the following is the BEST indication that the patient's nutritional status has improved after 4 days?

A. The patient eats most of the food served to her
B. The patient has gained 1 pound since admission
C. The patient's albumin level is 4.0mg/dL
D. The patient's hemoglobin is 8.5g/dL

Correct answer: C

Rationale: An improved albumin level is the best indicator of improved nutritional status after TPN. Albumin is a key protein that reflects the body's overall nutritional status and is commonly used to assess nutritional health. Choices A, B, and D are not as reliable indicators of improved nutritional status. Choice A may not accurately reflect nutritional improvement as it could be influenced by factors other than nutrition. Choice B may indicate fluid retention or loss rather than true nutritional improvement. Choice D, hemoglobin level, is more related to anemia and oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, rather than nutritional status.

4. A nurse is collecting data from an older adult client during a routine physical examination. Which of the following client statements should the nurse identify as a possible indication of maltreatment?

A. My son took my wallet to keep track of my spending
B. My son always cooks my meals for me
C. My son doesn't want me to drive alone
D. I exercise every day with my son

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. Taking away a wallet to control spending is a form of financial maltreatment, which is a common form of abuse among older adults. Choices B, C, and D do not indicate maltreatment; rather, they show examples of care and concern from the son. Cooking meals, preventing the older adult from driving alone, and engaging in daily exercise are positive behaviors.

5. A charge nurse on a medical-surgical unit is planning assignments for a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who has been sent from the postpartum unit due to a staffing shortage for the shift. Which of the following client assignments should the nurse delegate to the LPN?

A. A client who is postoperative following a bowel resection with an NGT set to continuous suction.
B. A client who has fractured a femur yesterday and is experiencing shortness of breath.
C. A client who sustained a concussion and has unequal pupils.
D. A client who has an Hgb of 6.3 g/dl and a prescription for packed RBCs.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because the LPN can care for stable clients with complex needs, such as managing an NGT set to continuous suction. Choices B, C, and D involve clients with more acute conditions that require a higher level of assessment and intervention, making them unsuitable for delegation to an LPN. Choice B requires prompt evaluation of the shortness of breath in a client with a recent femur fracture, which is beyond the LPN's scope. Choice C involves a head injury and unequal pupils, indicating the need for neurological assessment and close monitoring. Choice D relates to a critically low hemoglobin level and the need for blood transfusion, requiring careful monitoring and potential intervention beyond the LPN's role.