Nursing Elites

1. When interacting with the parents of a SIDS infant, the nurse should attempt to assist the parents with:

• A. Encouraging the parents to have another baby.
• B. Encouraging the parents to remain stoic.
• C. Allaying feelings of guilt and blame.
• D. Learning how the event could have been prevented.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Allaying feelings of guilt and blame. When parents experience the loss of a SIDS infant, they often struggle with intense feelings of guilt and self-blame. The nurse's role is to provide emotional support and help alleviate these feelings. Choices A and B are incorrect as encouraging the parents to have another baby or to remain stoic is not appropriate or helpful in this situation. Choice D is also incorrect because focusing on how the event could have been prevented may exacerbate feelings of guilt and is not the immediate priority in supporting grieving parents.

2. A male client with muscular dystrophy fell in his home and is admitted with a right hip fracture. His right foot is cool, with palpable pedal pulses. Lungs are coarse with diminished bibasilar breath sounds. Vital signs are temperature 101 degrees F, heart rate 128 beats/minute, respirations 28 breaths/minute, and blood pressure 122/82. Which intervention is most important for the nurse to implement first?

• A. Obtain oxygen saturation level.
• B. Encourage incentive spirometry.
• C. Assess lower extremity circulation
• D. Administer PRN oral antipyretic.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Administering an antipyretic is the most important intervention. The client presents with an elevated temperature, tachycardia, and tachypnea, indicating a fever. Lowering the temperature with an antipyretic is crucial to prevent complications like dehydration, altered mental status, and increased oxygen demand. While assessing lower extremity circulation and oxygen saturation are important, addressing the elevated temperature takes priority in this scenario. Incentive spirometry may be beneficial but is not the priority compared to managing the fever.

3. A client is receiving a secondary infusion of erythromycin 1 gram in 100 mL dextrose 5% in water (D5W) to be infused in 45 minutes. How many mL/hour should the nurse program the infusion pump?

• A. 100 mL/hour.
• B. 125 mL/hour.
• C. 133 mL/hour.
• D. 150 mL/hour.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: To infuse 100 mL in 45 minutes, the infusion rate should be set to 133 mL/hour (100 mL / 0.75 hours). This calculation is obtained by dividing the total volume to be infused by the total time for infusion (100 mL / 0.75 hours = 133 mL/hour). Therefore, choice C is the correct answer. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately calculate the infusion rate required to deliver the medication within the specified time frame.

4. What could suddenly occur in a child with acute epiglottitis?

• A. Increased carbon dioxide levels
• B. Airway obstruction
• C. Inability to swallow
• D. Bronchial collapse

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In acute epiglottitis, the infected epiglottis becomes inflamed and can lead to sudden airway obstruction, which is a life-threatening emergency. This can cause difficulty breathing and necessitates immediate intervention to secure the airway. Increased carbon dioxide levels may occur due to inadequate ventilation resulting from airway obstruction, but the primary concern is the obstruction itself, not the carbon dioxide levels. Inability to swallow may be present due to pain and swelling in the throat but is not the immediate life-threatening complication associated with acute epiglottitis. Bronchial collapse is not a typical consequence of acute epiglottitis.

5. Laboratory findings indicate that a client’s serum potassium level is 2.5 mEq/L. What action should the nurse take?

• A. Administer potassium supplements orally.
• B. Increase the client's dietary potassium intake.
• C. Inform the healthcare provider of the need for potassium replacement.
• D. Monitor the client's ECG continuously.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A serum potassium level of 2.5 mEq/L is critically low, indicating severe hypokalemia. In this situation, it is essential for the nurse to inform the healthcare provider promptly about the need for potassium replacement. Administering potassium supplements orally or increasing dietary potassium intake is not appropriate in cases of critically low potassium levels as immediate and precise replacement is necessary. Monitoring the client's ECG continuously is important in severe cases of hypokalemia, but the priority action should be to inform the healthcare provider for further management and treatment.

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