Nursing Elites

1. Social support systems include all of the following except:

• A. call-in help lines
• B. emotional assistance provided by others
• C. community support groups
• D. use of coping skills and verbalization for anger management

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Social support systems involve external sources of support like call-in help lines, emotional assistance from others, and community support groups. These external resources provide individuals with assistance and comfort. Coping skills and verbalization for anger management are personal strategies that individuals use to manage emotions internally. While these skills can be beneficial, they are not considered part of external social support systems.

2. The nurse is caring for a client with epilepsy who is being treated with carbamazepine (Tegretol). Which laboratory value might indicate a serious side effect of this drug?

• A. Uric acid of 5 mg/dL
• B. Hematocrit of 33%
• C. WBC 2,000 per cubic millimeter
• D. Platelets 150,000 per cubic millimeter

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Carbamazepine (Tegretol) can suppress the bone marrow, leading to a decrease in the white blood cell count. A laboratory value of WBC 2,000 per cubic millimeter indicates a serious side effect of the drug. Choices A and D are within normal limits, while choice B is at the lower limit of normal. Therefore, choices A, B, and D are incorrect.

3. The nurse is caring for a dying client who has persistently requested that the nurse 'help her to die and be in peace.' According to the Code of Ethics for Nurses, the nurse should:

• A. Ask the client if she has signed an advance directives document.
• B. Tell the client that another nurse will be assigned to care for her.
• C. Instruct the client that only a physician can legally assist in suicide.
• D. Try to make the client as comfortable as possible, but refuse to assist in death.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: According to the Code of Ethics for Nurses, the nurse should try to make the client as comfortable as possible but refuse to assist in death. It is not within the scope of nursing practice to assist in death, even if requested by the client. Choice A is incorrect as advance directives do not directly relate to the client's request for assistance in dying. Choice B is inappropriate as passing the responsibility to another nurse does not address the ethical dilemma at hand. Choice C is incorrect because instructing the client that only a physician can legally assist in suicide does not address the ethical considerations involved in the request. Therefore, the most appropriate action for the nurse is to provide comfort measures while upholding ethical standards and not participating in ending the client's life.

4. Using clich�s in therapeutic communication leads the client to:

• A. viewing the nurse as less understanding.
• B. accepting themselves as human.
• C. self-disclosing.
• D. feeling discounted.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The use of clich�s in therapeutic communication is commonly construed by the client as the nurse's lack of understanding, involvement, and caring, which can lead the client to feel demeaned and discounted. Choice A is incorrect because clich�s do not make the client view the nurse as less understanding but rather as lacking depth in communication. Choice B is incorrect as clich�s do not directly lead the client to accepting themselves as human. Choice C is incorrect because clich�s usually hinder self-disclosure rather than encourage it.

5. A primary belief of psychiatric mental health nursing is:

• A. Most people have the potential to change and grow.
• B. Every person is worthy of dignity and respect.
• C. Human needs are individual to each person.
• D. Some behaviors have no meaning and cannot be understood.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is that every person is worthy of dignity and respect. This is a fundamental principle in psychiatric mental health nursing, emphasizing the importance of treating individuals with dignity and respect regardless of their condition. This belief forms the basis of establishing a therapeutic nurse-client relationship. Choice A is a positive belief, but the primary focus in psychiatric mental health nursing is on respecting the worth and dignity of each individual. Choice C is related to understanding individual human needs but does not encompass the core value of dignity and respect. Choice D is incorrect as psychiatric nursing emphasizes the importance of interpreting and understanding all behaviors as meaningful expressions of the client's experience.

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