what is the most important action for the nurse to take before administering digoxin to a patient
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Nursing Elites

ATI RN

RN ATI Capstone Proctored Comprehensive Assessment A

1. What is the most important action for the nurse to take before administering digoxin to a patient?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to check the patient's heart rate before administering digoxin. Digoxin is a medication that primarily affects cardiac function. Monitoring the heart rate is crucial because digoxin can cause arrhythmias or worsen existing heart rhythm abnormalities. Assessing blood pressure may also be important but is secondary to evaluating the heart rate when administering digoxin. Ensuring the patient has eaten before administration is not directly related to the safe administration of digoxin. Monitoring the patient's weight is not a priority action before administering digoxin.

2. The nurse is preparing a care plan for a patient who is immobile. Which psychosocial aspect will the nurse assess for?

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When a patient is immobile, the nurse should assess for psychosocial aspects, including a loss of hope and increased risk of depression. While issues like weight loss (choice A), loss of bone mass (choice B), and loss of strength (choice D) can also occur due to immobility, the primary concern in this scenario is the patient's mental and emotional well-being, making 'Loss of hope' the correct answer.

3. A nurse is assessing the skin of an immobilized patient. What will the nurse do?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. When assessing the skin of an immobilized patient, it is essential to use a standardized tool such as the Braden Scale to identify patients at high risk for impaired skin integrity. This tool helps in early identification and appropriate intervention. Choice B, limiting fluid intake, is not directly related to skin assessment. Choice C, having special times for inspection, may not ensure timely identification of skin issues. Choice D, assessing the skin every 4 hours, lacks specificity regarding the use of a validated tool for risk assessment.

4. What are the key nursing interventions for a patient experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Positioning the patient in a prone position. Prone positioning is a key nursing intervention for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as it helps improve oxygenation by allowing better lung ventilation. Choice B, monitoring vital signs and lung sounds, is important but not a key intervention specific to ARDS. Choice C, preparing for mechanical ventilation, may be necessary in severe cases of ARDS but is not a primary nursing intervention. Choice D, administering supplemental oxygen, is a common supportive measure but is not specific to ARDS interventions.

5. The family member is observing a family member changing a dressing for a patient in the home health environment. Which observation indicates the family member has a correct understanding of how to manage contaminated dressings?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct way to manage contaminated dressings is to place them in plastic bags for proper disposal. This helps prevent the spread of infection. Choice A is incorrect because saving part of the dressing is not a recommended practice. Choice C is not directly related to managing contaminated dressings. Choice D is incorrect as wrapping the used dressing in toilet tissue is not the appropriate way to dispose of contaminated dressings.

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