Nursing Elites

1. What is the most important action for the nurse to take when caring for a client with a spinal cord injury experiencing autonomic dysreflexia?

• A. Elevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees.
• B. Monitor the client's respiratory rate.
• C. Administer an antihypertensive medication.
• D. Assess the client's blood glucose level.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In a client with autonomic dysreflexia, the most critical action is to elevate the head of the bed to 45 degrees (A). This positioning helps reduce blood pressure, which is essential in managing autonomic dysreflexia. Monitoring the client's respiratory rate (B) is important for overall assessment but not the priority in this situation. Administering an antihypertensive medication (C) without addressing the positioning issue first can lead to further complications. Assessing the client's blood glucose level (D) is not directly related to autonomic dysreflexia and is not the initial priority in this scenario.

2. The healthcare professional retrieves hydromorphone 4mg/mL from the Pyxis MedStation, an automated dispensing system, for a client who is receiving hydromorphone 3 mg IM 6 hours PRN for severe pain. How many mL should the healthcare professional administer to the client? (Enter the numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth)

• A. 0.8 mL
• B. 0.75 mL
• C. 0.7 mL
• D. 0.9 mL

Correct answer: A

Rationale: To calculate the mL to administer, divide the ordered dose (3 mg) by the concentration (4 mg/mL). 3 mg ÷ 4 mg/mL = 0.75 mL. Rounding to the nearest tenth, the correct dose to administer is 0.8 mL.

3. While suctioning a tracheostomy tube, the client starts to cough. What is the best action for the nurse to take?

• A. Suction deeper to remove secretions.
• B. Gently withdraw suction tubing to allow suction or coughing out of mucus.
• C. Remove the suction as quickly as possible.
• D. Insert and remove the suction multiple times to clear secretions.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When a client coughs during tracheostomy tube suctioning, the nurse should gently withdraw the suction tubing. This action allows the client to cough out mucus naturally, reducing the risk of further irritation and promoting effective airway clearance. Choice A is incorrect because suctioning deeper can cause trauma and increase the risk of complications. Choice C is incorrect as removing the suction quickly may not allow the client to clear the mucus adequately. Choice D is incorrect as inserting and removing the suction multiple times can lead to unnecessary trauma and discomfort for the client.

4. When making the bed of a client who needs a bed cradle, which action should the nurse include?

• A. Teach the client to call for help before getting out of bed.
• B. Keep both the upper and lower side rails in a raised position.
• C. Keep the bed in the lowest position while changing the sheets.
• D. Drape the top sheet and covers loosely over the bed cradle.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A bed cradle is used to keep the top bedclothes off the client, so the nurse should drape the top sheet and covers loosely over the cradle. This helps in maintaining the proper positioning and function of the bed cradle to ensure the client's comfort and safety during bed making.

5. The healthcare professional is preparing to administer 10 mL of liquid potassium chloride through a feeding tube, followed by 10 mL of liquid acetaminophen. Which action should the healthcare professional include in this procedure?

• A. Dilute each of the medications with sterile water prior to administration.
• B. Mix the medications in one syringe before opening the feeding tube.
• C. Administer water between the doses of the two liquid medications.
• D. Withdraw any fluid from the tube before instilling each medication.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: To maintain patency and ensure proper medication delivery, water should be instilled into the feeding tube between administering the two medications. This helps prevent clogging of the tube and ensures that both medications are delivered effectively without interference from remnants of the previous medication. Diluting the medications with sterile water before administration (choice A) is unnecessary and may alter the medication concentration. Mixing the medications in one syringe (choice B) could lead to interactions or chemical reactions between the medications. Withdrawing fluid from the tube before instilling each medication (choice D) is not required and may increase the risk of tube displacement or misplacement.

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