Nursing Elites

1. Which nursing action is best when managing a client with severe anxiety?

• A. Maintain a calm manner
• B. Help the client identify thoughts prior to the anxiety
• C. Administer anti-anxiety medication
• D. Initiate seclusion if anxiety escalates

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to maintain a calm manner. When managing a client with severe anxiety, the nurse's calm presence can help the client feel more secure and reduce their anxiety levels. It is essential to create a safe and supportive environment. Helping the client identify thoughts prior to anxiety (choice B) may be beneficial in cognitive-behavioral interventions but may not be the initial best action for severe anxiety. Administering anti-anxiety medication (choice C) should be done by a healthcare provider's order and is not the first-line intervention for managing severe anxiety. Initiating seclusion (choice D) should only be considered as a last resort if the client is at risk of harm to themselves or others, as it can further escalate anxiety and should not be the initial action.

2. A client is to start taking furosemide and is being taught about dietary modifications by a nurse. Which of the following foods should the nurse recommend to the client?

• A. Cabbage
• B. Bananas
• C. Carrots
• D. Potatoes

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Bananas. Bananas are high in potassium, which helps counter the potassium-depleting effects of furosemide. Furosemide is a loop diuretic that can lead to potassium loss, so including potassium-rich foods like bananas in the diet can help maintain a healthy potassium level. Choices A, C, and D do not specifically address the potassium needs associated with furosemide therapy and are not the most appropriate recommendations in this context.

3. How should a healthcare provider respond to a patient with a suspected pulmonary embolism?

• A. Administer oxygen and call for emergency assistance
• B. Position the patient in a prone position and give fluids
• C. Administer anticoagulants and elevate the patient's legs
• D. Administer thrombolytics and perform chest physiotherapy

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Administering oxygen and calling for emergency assistance are the immediate priorities when managing a suspected pulmonary embolism. Oxygen helps support the patient's respiratory function, while emergency assistance is crucial for further evaluation and treatment. Positioning the patient in a prone position or giving fluids can worsen the condition by impeding blood flow. Administering anticoagulants may be part of the treatment plan but is not the initial response. Thrombolytics and chest physiotherapy are not first-line treatments for suspected pulmonary embolism and can even be harmful without prior evaluation.

4. A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following a thyroidectomy. The nurse should monitor for which of the following findings as a sign of hypocalcemia?

• A. Nausea
• B. Tingling in the fingers
• C. Numbness in the toes
• D. Sweating

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Tingling in the fingers is a classic sign of hypocalcemia. Following a thyroidectomy, hypocalcemia can occur due to damage to the parathyroid glands, which regulate calcium levels in the body. Nausea, numbness in the toes, and sweating are not specific signs of hypocalcemia. Numbness and tingling usually start in the hands and feet due to their increased nerve sensitivity to low calcium levels.

5. A nurse is collecting data from a client who has multiple fractures following a motor-vehicle crash. For which of the following client statements should the nurse recommend a referral to an occupational therapist?

• A. I am frustrated that I cannot lift my arm to comb my hair.
• B. I am upset that I can't hold a pencil anymore.
• C. I am embarrassed that I cannot open my milk carton.
• D. I am so frustrated that I cannot even open my milk carton for breakfast.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the inability to perform activities of daily living, such as opening a milk carton, suggests difficulties with fine motor skills. Occupational therapists specialize in helping individuals regain independence in such tasks. Choices A, B, and C do not specifically address fine motor skills related to activities of daily living, therefore not warranting an occupational therapy referral. Choice A mentions lifting the arm, which involves gross motor skills rather than fine motor skills. Choice B involves holding a pencil, which is more related to hand dexterity and strength rather than fine motor skills. Choice C, opening a milk carton, could be related to fine motor skills but is not as clear-cut as the inability described in Choice D, where the frustration is explicitly about the inability to perform a daily living task.

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