Nursing Elites

1. Why is monitoring Serum Vancomycin levels important?

• A. to assess renal function
• B. to determine therapeutic range
• C. to measure trough levels
• D. to evaluate antibiotic resistance

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Monitoring Serum Vancomycin levels is essential to determine the drug's therapeutic range, ensuring optimal effectiveness while avoiding toxicity. Peak levels indicate the drug's highest concentration, while trough levels represent the lowest concentration before the next dose. Assessing renal function is typically done using creatinine, BUN, or creatinine clearance tests, not Serum Vancomycin levels. Evaluating antibiotic resistance involves sensitivity testing, not monitoring Vancomycin levels. Therefore, the correct answer is to determine the therapeutic range.

2. A client who had a stroke has left-side weakness and is having difficulty holding utensils while eating. To which of these services does the nurse suggest a referral?

• A. Physical therapy
• B. Occupational therapy
• C. Home care
• D. Social services

Correct answer: B

Rationale: An occupational therapist assists clients with impairments in performing activities of daily living, such as feeding themselves with the use of adaptive devices. In this case, the client needs help with holding utensils while eating, falling under the scope of occupational therapy. Home care provides general support services but doesn't specifically address the client's need for utensil use. Social services focus on counseling and financial aspects of care, not physical rehabilitation like occupational therapy does. Physical therapy primarily deals with physical disabilities through exercises, which is not the primary concern for the client's difficulty in holding utensils.

3. Which of the following is responsible for laws mandating the reporting of certain infections and diseases?

• A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• B. individual state laws
• C. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• D. Health and Human Services (HHS)

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Individual state laws mandate the reporting of infectious diseases. The list of reportable diseases varies from state to state and is overseen by state health departments. While the CDC plays a significant role in disease surveillance, reporting infectious diseases is primarily governed by individual state laws. The CDC's role is to provide support, guidance, and expertise to state health departments. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) primarily focus on biomedical and health-related research, not on mandating disease reporting. Health and Human Services (HHS) is a federal department that oversees various agencies, but the responsibility for mandating disease reporting lies with individual states.

4. A nurse is taking a morning break with the unit secretary in the nurses' lounge. The unit secretary says to the nurse, 'I read in Mr. Gage's medical record that he has gonorrhea.' How should the nurse respond to the secretary?

• A. Yes, he does, but be sure not to discuss this with anyone else.
• B. Yes, that's why we've imposed contact precautions.
• C. We can't discuss a client's medical condition.
• D. Oh, really? I didn't see that!

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A client's medical condition is confidential and should never be discussed with anyone other than the client and the client's healthcare provider. Therefore, the nurse must tell the unit secretary that the client's condition is not to be discussed. Choices A and B confirm the client's disease, which is inappropriate as it breaches patient confidentiality. Choice D promotes further discussion of the client's condition, which is also inappropriate. The correct response is to firmly state, 'We can't discuss a client's medical condition,' to uphold patient privacy and confidentiality.

5. A 10-year-old boy has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Which of the following clinical signs does not indicate CHF?

• A. Increased body weight
• B. Elevated heart rate
• C. Lower extremity edema
• D. Compulsive behavior

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Compulsive behavior is not a clinical sign typically associated with congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF commonly presents with symptoms such as increased body weight due to fluid retention, elevated heart rate as the heart works harder to pump blood effectively, and lower extremity edema caused by fluid buildup. While behavioral changes can occur in response to illness, compulsive behavior is not a typical indicator of CHF. Choices A, B, and C are more commonly linked to CHF and should be monitored in patients with this condition.

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