Nursing Elites

1. What is the most important action to prevent complications while caring for a client receiving enteral nutrition via a nasogastric tube?

• A. Check tube placement before each feeding
• B. Flush the tube with water before and after each feeding
• C. Elevate the head of the bed to 30 degrees
• D. Administer the feeding at room temperature

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Checking tube placement before each feeding is crucial to prevent aspiration, a serious complication of enteral nutrition. Ensuring the tube is correctly positioned in the stomach helps avoid the risk of the feeding going into the lungs, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia. Flushing the tube with water (Choice B) is important for maintaining tube patency but is not the most critical action to prevent complications. Elevating the head of the bed (Choice C) helps reduce the risk of aspiration but is not as crucial as verifying tube placement. Administering the feeding at room temperature (Choice D) is more related to patient comfort and does not directly address the prevention of complications associated with enteral nutrition via a nasogastric tube.

2. The nurse is monitoring a client who started taking a new medication for rheumatoid arthritis. What is the most important aspect to monitor?

• A. Signs of gastrointestinal bleeding
• B. Liver function tests
• C. Renal function tests
• D. All necessary monitoring based on the medication prescribed

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When a client starts a new medication for rheumatoid arthritis, it is crucial to monitor all necessary aspects based on the specific medication prescribed. Different medications can have varying side effects and impacts on different organ systems. Monitoring all relevant parameters ensures the early detection of any adverse effects and helps to maintain the client's safety. While monitoring for signs of gastrointestinal bleeding, liver function tests, and renal function tests are all important in certain situations, the priority is to conduct comprehensive monitoring based on the medication's known effects.

3. When counting a client's radial pulse, the nurse notes the pulse is weak and irregular. To record the most accurate heart rate, what should the nurse do?

• A. Recheck the radial pulse in thirty minutes
• B. Palpate the radial pulse for thirty seconds and double the rate
• C. Count the apical pulse rate for sixty seconds
• D. Compare the radial pulse rate bilaterally and record the higher rate

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to count the apical pulse rate for sixty seconds. The apical pulse is more accurate, especially when peripheral pulses are weak or irregular. Counting the apical pulse for a full minute provides a more precise heart rate measurement. Option A is incorrect because waiting for thirty minutes is unnecessary and could delay potential interventions. Option B is incorrect because doubling the radial pulse rate may not provide an accurate representation of the heart rate. Option D is incorrect because comparing radial pulses bilaterally does not give the most accurate heart rate measurement; the apical pulse is preferred in this situation.

4. A client with a history of pulmonary embolism is on anticoagulant therapy. What should the nurse monitor regularly?

• A. International Normalized Ratio (INR)
• B. Blood glucose levels
• C. Blood pressure
• D. Temperature

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Correct! Monitoring INR is essential in clients on anticoagulant therapy to ensure the blood's clotting time is within the therapeutic range, preventing further embolic events or excessive bleeding. Monitoring blood glucose levels (Choice B), blood pressure (Choice C), and temperature (Choice D) is important for various other conditions but is not directly related to anticoagulant therapy for a client with a history of pulmonary embolism.

5. A client with a history of asthma is experiencing wheezing and shortness of breath. What is the priority nursing intervention?

• A. Administer a bronchodilator as prescribed
• B. Encourage the client to drink fluids
• C. Place the client in an upright position
• D. Assess the client's peak flow rate

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Administering a bronchodilator as prescribed is the priority nursing intervention for a client experiencing wheezing and shortness of breath due to asthma. Bronchodilators help relieve bronchoconstriction, allowing better airflow and improving breathing. Encouraging the client to drink fluids may be beneficial in certain situations, but it is not the priority when the client is in respiratory distress. Placing the client in an upright position, not supine, can facilitate easier breathing by allowing the chest to expand fully. While assessing the client's peak flow rate is important in asthma management, in this acute situation, the priority is to provide immediate relief by administering the bronchodilator.

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