Nursing Elites

1. When assessing a 75-year-old patient who has asthma, the nurse notes that the patient assumes a tripod position, leaning forward with arms braced on the chair. How would the nurse interpret these findings?

• A. Interpret that the patient is eager and interested in participating in the interview.
• B. Evaluate the patient for abdominal pain, which may be exacerbated in the sitting position.
• C. Interpret that the patient is having difficulty breathing and assist them to a supine position.
• D. Recognize that a tripod position is often used when a patient is having respiratory difficulties.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Assuming a tripod position"?leaning forward with arms braced on chair arms"?occurs with chronic pulmonary diseases like asthma. This position helps improve breathing by allowing better use of respiratory muscles. Option A is incorrect because assuming the tripod position is not related to being eager or interested in participating in an interview. Option B is incorrect as abdominal pain is not typically associated with the tripod position in this context. Option C is incorrect as assisting the patient to a supine position would not address the underlying respiratory difficulty indicated by the tripod position. Therefore, the correct interpretation is to recognize that the patient is likely experiencing respiratory difficulties when assuming the tripod position.

2. A client who complains of nausea and seems anxious is admitted to the nursing unit. The nurse should take which of the following actions regarding completion of the admission interview?

• A. Help the client to get settled and conduct the interview the next morning when the client is rested
• B. Conduct the interview immediately, directing the majority of the questions to the client
• C. Conduct the interview as soon as uninterrupted time is available to address the client's concerns
• D. Ask the charge nurse to interview the client while the admitting nurse calls the doctor for anti-nausea and anti-anxiety medication

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When dealing with a client who is experiencing nausea and anxiety, it is important to promptly conduct the admission interview to address their concerns. This allows for the collection of accurate data while attending to the client's immediate needs. Delaying the interview until the next morning (Choice A) may not be in the best interest of the client as timely assessment and intervention are essential. Directing questions to the client's spouse (Choice B) may not provide accurate information from the client themselves. Asking another nurse to conduct the interview while administering medications (Choice D) does not prioritize building a therapeutic relationship with the client, which is crucial in addressing their concerns and providing holistic care.

3. When performing a physical examination, safety must be considered to protect the examiner and the patient against the spread of infection. Which of these statements describes the most appropriate action the nurse would take when performing a physical examination?

• A. Washing one's hands after removing gloves is necessary, even if the gloves are still intact
• B. Hands are washed before and after every physical patient encounter
• C. Hands are washed before the examination of each body system to prevent the spread of bacteria from one part of the body to another
• D. Gloves are worn throughout the entire examination to demonstrate concern regarding the spread of infectious diseases

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The most appropriate action for the nurse to take when performing a physical examination is to wash their hands before and after every physical patient encounter. This practice helps prevent the spread of infection. Hands should also be washed after contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions, and after contact with any equipment contaminated with body fluids. It is crucial to wash hands after removing gloves, even if the gloves appear intact. Choice A is incorrect because washing hands after removing gloves is necessary to ensure thorough hygiene. Choice C is incorrect because hands should be washed before and after every patient encounter, not just before examining each body system. Choice D is incorrect because gloves should be worn when there is potential contact with body fluids, but they do not need to be worn throughout the entire examination.

4. A 30-year-old woman has recently moved to the United States with her husband. They are living with the woman's sister until they can get a home of their own. When company arrives to visit the woman's sister, the woman feels suddenly shy and retreats to the back bedroom to hide until the company leaves. She explains that her reaction to guests is simply because she does not know how to speak "perfect English."? What is this woman likely experiencing?

• A. Culture shock
• B. Cultural taboos
• C. Cultural unfamiliarity
• D. Culture disorientation

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The woman in the scenario is likely experiencing culture shock. Culture shock is a term used to describe the state of disorientation or inability to respond to the behavior of a different cultural group due to sudden strangeness, unfamiliarity, and incompatibility with the individual's perceptions and expectations. In this case, the woman's feelings of shyness and retreating due to not feeling confident in speaking 'perfect English' align with symptoms of culture shock. The other choices are incorrect: Cultural taboos refer to behaviors or actions that are prohibited within a particular culture; cultural unfamiliarity suggests a lack of knowledge about a specific culture, which is not the case here; and culture disorientation is not a commonly used term in cultural psychology, making it an incorrect option.

5. The healthcare professional has collected the following information on a patient: palpated blood pressure"?180 mm Hg; auscultated blood pressure"?170/100 mm Hg; apical pulse"?60 beats per minute; radial pulse"?70 beats per minute. What is the patient's pulse pressure?

• A. 10
• B. 70
• C. 80
• D. 100

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Pulse pressure is the numerical difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. In this case, the systolic blood pressure is 170 mm Hg, and the diastolic blood pressure is 100 mm Hg. Therefore, the pulse pressure is calculated as 170 - 100 = 70 mm Hg. Pulse pressure reflects the stroke volume, the amount of blood ejected from the heart with each beat. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately represent the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings provided.

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