Nursing Elites

1. What should a healthcare provider monitor in a client with constipation?

• A. Monitor the client's bowel sounds every 4 hours
• B. Increase the client's activity to stimulate bowel movement
• C. Encourage the client to use a stool softener
• D. Encourage the client to rest in bed until constipation resolves

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Encouraging the client to use a stool softener is the appropriate intervention for constipation. Stool softeners help to soften the stool, making it easier to pass and relieving constipation without straining the client. Monitoring bowel sounds (Choice A) may be relevant for other gastrointestinal issues but is not specifically indicated for constipation. Increasing activity (Choice B) can be helpful in some cases, but it is not the first-line intervention for constipation. Encouraging bed rest (Choice D) can worsen constipation by reducing mobility and promoting inactivity.

2. A client who decides not to have surgery despite significant blockages in his coronary arteries is an example of what principle?

• A. Fidelity
• B. Autonomy
• C. Justice
• D. Non-maleficence

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Autonomy. Autonomy in healthcare refers to respecting a patient's right to make decisions about their own care, even if those decisions may not align with healthcare providers' recommendations. In this scenario, the client's decision not to have surgery despite significant blockages in his coronary arteries demonstrates his autonomy in making choices about his own health. Choice A, Fidelity, refers to the concept of keeping promises and being faithful to commitments, which is not applicable in this situation. Choice C, Justice, involves fairness and equal treatment in healthcare, which is not the primary principle at play when a patient exercises autonomy. Choice D, Non-maleficence, relates to the principle of doing no harm, which is important but not directly relevant to the client's decision to refuse surgery.

3. A nurse is caring for a client who has pneumonia and new onset confusion. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

• A. Increase the client's oxygen flow rate
• B. Obtain the client's vital signs
• C. Administer an antibiotic
• D. Notify the provider

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Correct Answer: Increasing the client's oxygen flow rate should be the nurse's first action. Hypoxia is a common complication of pneumonia and can lead to confusion. Providing adequate oxygenation is essential in addressing hypoxia and improving the client's condition.\nOption B: Obtaining vital signs is important but addressing hypoxia takes precedence in the setting of new onset confusion.\nOption C: Administering an antibiotic is important for treating pneumonia but addressing hypoxia and confusion is the priority.\nOption D: Notifying the provider may be necessary but addressing the immediate physiological need of oxygenation should come first.

4. A healthcare professional is managing a client with a wound infection. What is the priority action?

• A. Change the wound dressing every 12 hours
• B. Perform a wound culture before applying antibiotics
• C. Apply a wet-to-dry dressing to the wound
• D. Cleanse the wound with a solution of alcohol and water

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Performing a wound culture before applying antibiotics is crucial to identify the specific pathogen causing the infection. This helps in selecting the most effective antibiotics for treatment. Changing the wound dressing, applying a wet-to-dry dressing, or cleansing the wound are important interventions but should follow the assessment and identification of the infecting organism through a wound culture to guide appropriate treatment.

5. A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following a thyroidectomy and reports tingling and numbness in the hands. The nurse should expect to administer which of the following medications?

• A. Sodium bicarbonate.
• B. Calcium gluconate.
• C. Potassium chloride.
• D. Magnesium sulfate.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Tingling and numbness in the hands can indicate hypocalcemia, a common complication following a thyroidectomy. Hypocalcemia requires immediate intervention to prevent severe complications like tetany and seizures. Calcium gluconate is the drug of choice for rapidly raising serum calcium levels in hypocalcemic patients. Sodium bicarbonate is not indicated for treating hypocalcemia or related symptoms. Potassium chloride is used to correct potassium imbalances, not calcium. Magnesium sulfate is not the appropriate treatment for hypocalcemia; it is commonly used for conditions like preeclampsia or eclampsia.

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