what are the priority nursing assessments for a patient who has just undergone major surgery
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Nursing Elites

ATI RN

RN ATI Capstone Proctored Comprehensive Assessment 2019 B with NGN

1. What are the priority nursing assessments for a patient who has just undergone major surgery?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor for signs of infection. After major surgery, one of the priority nursing assessments is to watch for signs of infection, such as increased temperature, redness, swelling, or drainage at the surgical site. While providing analgesia is important for pain management, monitoring for infection takes precedence as it can lead to severe complications if not detected early. Assessing the surgical site for bleeding is crucial but is usually more relevant immediately after surgery. Monitoring the patient's vital signs is essential, but the specific focus on infection assessment is crucial in the immediate postoperative period.

2. A nurse is preparing to administer enoxaparin to a client. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct action when administering enoxaparin is not to expel the air bubble in the prefilled syringe. Expelling the air bubble may lead to the loss of medication and result in an incomplete dose. Aspirating for a blood return (Choice A) is not necessary for subcutaneous injections like enoxaparin. Inserting the needle at a 45-degree angle (Choice B) is not specific to administering enoxaparin. Administering the medication 2.54 cm (1 in) from the umbilicus (Choice C) is not a standard guideline for enoxaparin administration.

3. What is the most important nursing intervention for a patient with diarrhea?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to monitor the patient's skin integrity. This is crucial because diarrhea can lead to skin breakdown due to frequent bowel movements and increased moisture in the perineal area. By monitoring skin integrity, nurses can prevent skin breakdown, infection, and other associated issues. Encouraging fluid intake (Choice A) is important but not the most critical intervention. Checking electrolyte levels (Choice C) is essential but may not be the top priority at the onset. Educating the patient about infection control (Choice D) is important but secondary to preventing skin breakdown in a patient with diarrhea.

4. A patient with a urinary tract infection (UTI) requires treatment. What is the most appropriate intervention?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to administer antibiotics as prescribed. Antibiotics are the primary treatment for urinary tract infections as they help eliminate the bacteria causing the infection. Encouraging the patient to increase fluid intake (Choice A) is a supportive measure to help flush out the bacteria but doesn't directly treat the infection. Over-the-counter pain relievers (Choice C) may help with discomfort but do not address the underlying infection. Limiting physical activity (Choice D) may be recommended for some conditions but is not the primary intervention for treating a UTI.

5. A client with a history of falls is being admitted to the unit. What intervention should the nurse implement first?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Use bed alarms to monitor the client's movements.' When a client with a history of falls is admitted, the nurse's initial intervention should focus on fall prevention measures. Using bed alarms to monitor the client's movements can help alert the healthcare team if the client attempts to get out of bed and reduce the risk of falls. Choice A is incorrect because increasing medication should not be the first intervention as it may not address the underlying causes of falls and can have adverse effects. Choice C may be appropriate but is not the priority over implementing safety measures like bed alarms. Choice D is incorrect as assigning the client to a nursing assistant for supervision alone may not be as effective as utilizing bed alarms for continuous monitoring.

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