Nursing Elites

1. The nurse is preparing to administer an oral antibiotic to a client with unilateral weakness, ptosis, mouth drooping, and aspiration pneumonia. What is the priority nursing assessment that should be done before administering this medication?

• A. Ask the client about soft food preferences
• B. Auscultate the client’s breath sounds
• C. Obtain and record the client’s vital signs
• D. Determine which side of the body is weak

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to auscultate the client’s breath sounds. Assessing breath sounds is crucial in this scenario as it helps ensure that the client can safely swallow the oral antibiotic without aspirating. Unilateral weakness, ptosis, mouth drooping, and aspiration pneumonia indicate potential swallowing difficulties, making it essential to assess breath sounds for any signs of respiratory issues. Asking about food preferences (choice A) may be relevant later but is not the priority before administering the medication. While obtaining vital signs (choice C) is important, assessing breath sounds takes precedence in this case. Determining which side of the body is weak (choice D) is not the priority assessment before administering the oral antibiotic.

2. After learning that she has terminal pancreatic cancer, a female client becomes very angry and says to the nurse, 'God has abandoned me. What did I do to deserve this?' Based on this response, the nurse decides to include which nursing problem in the client’s plan of care?

• A. Ineffective coping
• B. Spiritual distress
• C. Acute pain
• D. Complicated grieving

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The client’s expression of feeling abandoned by God indicates spiritual distress, which is a significant issue that needs to be addressed in the plan of care. The individual is questioning their faith and seeking answers in a higher power, which aligns with spiritual distress. Choices A, C, and D are not as directly related to the client's current emotional and spiritual struggle. Ineffective coping may be a consequence of spiritual distress, acute pain is not the primary concern in this scenario, and complicated grieving is premature as the client is still processing the diagnosis and seeking meaning.

3. The client had gastric bypass surgery yesterday. Which intervention is most important for the nurse to implement during the first 24 postoperative hours?

• A. Insert an indwelling urinary catheter
• B. Monitor for the appearance of an incisional hernia
• C. Instruct the client to eat small frequent meals
• D. Measure hourly urinary output

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Monitoring hourly urinary output is crucial during the first 24 postoperative hours to assess kidney function, fluid balance, and early detection of complications like dehydration or inadequate kidney perfusion. Inserting an indwelling urinary catheter is not routinely necessary after gastric bypass surgery unless there are specific indications. Monitoring for an incisional hernia is important but not the highest priority in the immediate postoperative period. Instructing the client to eat small frequent meals is essential for long-term dietary management after gastric bypass surgery, but not the most critical intervention during the initial 24 hours.

4. What actions should the nurse take regarding an older adult male who had an abdominal cholecystectomy and has become increasingly confused and disoriented over the past 24 hours, found wandering into another client’s room and returned to his own room by the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? (Select all that apply)

• A. Apply soft upper limb restraints and raise all four bed rails
• B. Report mental status change to the healthcare provider
• C. Assess the client’s breath sounds and oxygen saturation
• D. Assign the UAP to re-assess the client’s risk for falls

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In this situation, the appropriate action for the nurse to take is to report the mental status change to the healthcare provider. Confusion and disorientation post-surgery can be indicative of various factors, such as electrolyte imbalances or respiratory issues, necessitating comprehensive assessment by the healthcare team. Applying restraints and raising bed rails may not address the underlying cause of the confusion, and assigning the UAP to reassess the client's risk for falls does not directly address the cognitive changes observed.

5. The nurse assesses an older adult who is newly admitted to a long-term care facility. The client has dry, flaky skin and long thickened fingernails. The client has a medical history of a stroke which resulted in left-sided paralysis and dysphagia. In planning care for the client, which task should the nurse delegate to the unlicensed personnel (UAP)?

• A. Soak and file fingernails
• B. Offer fluids frequently
• C. Monitor skin elasticity
• D. Ambulate in the hallway

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Soaking and filing fingernails is a task that can be delegated to UAP. This task does not require specialized nursing skills and can be safely performed by unlicensed personnel. Offering fluids frequently, monitoring skin elasticity, and ambulating require more skilled assessments and interventions, which are responsibilities of the nurse. The client's dry, flaky skin and long thickened fingernails indicate the need for basic hygiene care, making it appropriate for delegation to unlicensed personnel.

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