which of the following is the most important nursing action when administering a blood transfusion
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Nursing Elites

HESI RN

HESI Medical Surgical Exam

1. Which of the following is the most important nursing action when administering a blood transfusion?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The most important nursing action when administering a blood transfusion is monitoring the patient's blood pressure. This is crucial because monitoring blood pressure allows for the prompt identification of any signs of adverse transfusion reactions, such as transfusion reactions or fluid overload. Immediate intervention can be initiated if any complications arise. While monitoring temperature, heart rate, and oxygen saturation are also essential aspects of patient care, they are not as critical as blood pressure monitoring during a blood transfusion. Therefore, the correct answer is to monitor the patient's blood pressure.

2. A healthcare professional reviews the allergy list of a client scheduled for an intravenous urography. Which client allergy should prompt urgent contact with the healthcare provider?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Clients with seafood allergies should alert healthcare professionals to urgently contact the healthcare provider before an intravenous urography. The standard dyes used in this procedure can trigger severe allergic reactions in individuals with seafood allergies. Penicillin, bee stings, and red food dye allergies do not pose a direct threat during intravenous urography, making them less critical for immediate intervention.

3. A young adult client, admitted to the Emergency Department following a motor vehicle collision, is transfused with 4 units of PRBCs (packed red blood cells). The client's pretransfusion hematocrit is 17%. Which hematocrit value should the nurse expect the client to have after all the PRBCs have been transfused?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The expected increase in hematocrit after transfusion is approximately 3% per unit of PRBCs. Since the client received 4 units, the expected increase would be 4 x 3% = 12%. Therefore, adding this to the pretransfusion hematocrit of 17% would result in an expected post-transfusion hematocrit of 29%. Choice A (0.19) is incorrect as it doesn't consider the incremental increase per unit of PRBCs. Choices B (0.09) and C (0.39) are also incorrect as they do not align with the expected increase in hematocrit following the transfusion of 4 units of PRBCs.

4. The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving an intravenous antibiotic. The nurse notes that the provider has ordered serum drug peak and trough levels. The nurse understands that these tests are necessary for which type of drugs?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Medications with a narrow therapeutic index have a limited range between the therapeutic dose and a toxic dose. It is important to monitor these medications closely by evaluating regular serum peak and trough levels. Drugs with a narrow spectrum (Choice B) are antibiotics that target only a limited group of bacteria, not related to the need for peak and trough monitoring. Drugs with a broad spectrum (Choice A) cover a wide range of bacteria, but this characteristic does not determine the need for peak and trough monitoring. Drugs with a broad therapeutic index (Choice C) have a wide safety margin between therapeutic and toxic doses, so they typically do not require peak and trough level monitoring.

5. After the administration of t-PA, what should the nurse do?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: After the administration of t-PA, the nurse should observe the client for chest pain. Chest pain post t-PA administration could indicate reocclusion of the coronary artery, a serious complication that requires immediate intervention. Monitoring for fever (choice B) is not specifically associated with t-PA administration. While reviewing the 12-lead ECG (choice C) is important for assessing cardiac function, it may not be the immediate priority right after t-PA administration. Auscultating breath sounds (choice D) is important for assessing respiratory status but is not the most crucial assessment following t-PA administration.

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