to ensure proper immobilization and increase client comfort when using a rigid splint

NCLEX-PN

Nclex Questions Management of Care

1. To ensure proper immobilization and increase client comfort when using a rigid splint, what should be done?

A. Place the client on a stretcher before splinting.
B. Place the client on a long spine board before splinting.
C. Pad the spaces between the body part and the splint.
D. Ensure that the splint conforms to the body curves.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Correct. When using a rigid splint, it is essential to pad the spaces between the body part and the splint to ensure proper immobilization and increase client comfort. This padding helps prevent pressure points and ensures a proper fit of the splint without causing discomfort. Placing the client on a stretcher or a long spine board before splinting (choices A and B) may be necessary for transportation but does not directly relate to the proper use of a rigid splint. Ensuring that the splint conforms to the body curves (choice D) is important but not as crucial as padding the spaces to prevent discomfort and ensure proper immobilization.

2. When the healthcare provider is determining the appropriate size of an oropharyngeal airway to insert, what part of a client's body should they measure?

A. corner of the mouth to the tragus of the ear
B. corner of the eye to the top of the ear
C. tip of the chin to the sternum
D. tip of the nose to the earlobe

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When selecting the correct size of an oropharyngeal airway, the healthcare provider should measure from the corner of the client's mouth to the tragus of the ear. This measurement ensures that the airway is the appropriate length to maintain a clear air passage for exchange. Measuring from the corner of the eye to the top of the ear (Choice B) is inaccurate and not a standard measurement for selecting the size of an oropharyngeal airway. Measuring from the tip of the chin to the sternum (Choice C) is irrelevant to determining the correct size of the airway. Similarly, measuring from the tip of the nose to the earlobe (Choice D) is also incorrect and does not provide the necessary measurement for selecting an oropharyngeal airway size.

3. While working the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift at the long-term care unit, the nurse gathers the nursing staff to listen to the 3 to 11 p.m. intershift report. The nurse notes that a staff member has an odor of alcohol on her breath, slurred speech, and an unsteady gait, suspecting alcohol intoxication. What is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?

A. Contact the nursing supervisor.
B. Tell the staff member that she is not allowed to administer medications.
C. Ask the staff member how much alcohol she has consumed.
D. Ask the staff member to rest in the nurses' lounge until the effects of the alcohol wear off.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When a staff member reports to work showing signs of alcohol intoxication, the nurse should objectively note the symptoms and ask a second person to confirm these observations. It is crucial to contact the nursing supervisor immediately. An odor of alcohol, slurred speech, unsteady gait, and errors in judgment are indicators of intoxication, posing a risk to client safety. The staff member should be removed from the client care area. Detailed documentation of the incident is essential, including observations, actions taken, future plans, and the staff member's signature and date on the recorded incident memo. If the staff member refuses to sign, this should be noted by the nurse and a witness. Asking the staff member to rest in the nurses' lounge or restricting medication administration does not ensure client safety, as the staff member could still jeopardize it. Inquiring about the amount of alcohol consumed is confrontational and not relevant to the immediate need of ensuring safety.

4. After assigning tasks, what is the nurse's primary responsibility?

A. Assigning any tasks that were not completed to the next nursing shift
B. Documenting completion of each task
C. Allowing each staff member to make judgments when performing the tasks
D. Following up with each staff member regarding the performance of the task and the outcomes related to implementation of the task

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The nurse's primary responsibility after assigning tasks is to follow up with each staff member regarding the task's performance and outcomes. This ensures accountability and quality care delivery. Allowing staff members to make judgments independently can compromise patient safety if they lack the necessary knowledge or experience. While documenting task completion is important, it should follow the follow-up to assess outcomes. Assigning incomplete tasks to the next shift is not ideal as it may result in unmet patient needs and increased workload for the next shift.

5. A health care provider repeatedly asks a nurse to write his verbal prescriptions in his clients' charts after he makes his rounds. The nurse is uncomfortable with writing the prescriptions and explains this to the health care provider, but the health care provider tells the nurse that she will be reported if she does not write the prescriptions. How should the nurse manage this conflict?

A. Stating to the health care provider, 'I don't really care whether you report me. I am not writing your prescriptions.'
B. Fulfilling the health care provider's request
C. Discussing the situation with the nurse manager
D. Reporting the health care provider to the chief of medicine at the hospital

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When a conflict arises, it is most appropriate to try resolving the conflict directly. In this situation, the nurse has tried to explain why she is uncomfortable with the health care provider's request but has been unable to resolve the conflict. The nurse would then most appropriately use organizational channels of communication and discuss the issue with the nurse manager, who would then proceed to resolve the conflict. The nurse manager may attempt to discuss the situation with the health care provider or seek assistance from the nursing supervisor. Fulfilling the health care provider's request and writing the prescriptions in the clients' charts ignores the issue. Reporting the health care provider to the chief of medicine is inappropriate because the nurse should use the appropriate organizational channels of communication to resolve the conflict. Stating 'I don't really care whether you report me. I am not writing your prescriptions.' is an inappropriate statement and will result in further conflict between the nurse and health care provider.