Nursing Elites

1. While receiving a preoperative enema, a client starts to cry and says, 'I'm sorry you have to do this messy thing for me.' Which is the nurse's best response?

• A. I don't mind it.'
• B. 'You seem upset.'
• C. 'This is part of my job.'
• D. 'Nurses get used to this.'

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The nurse's best response in this situation is to acknowledge the client's emotional state, as it shows empathy and encourages further expression of feelings. Choice A, 'I don't mind it,' dismisses the client's emotions and does not address the underlying issue. Choice C, 'This is part of my job,' focuses on the task rather than the client's emotional needs. Choice D, 'Nurses get used to this,' minimizes the client's feelings and lacks empathy. By selecting choice B, 'You seem upset,' the nurse acknowledges the client's distress and opens the door for further communication and support.

2. The nurse observes a UAP taking a client's blood pressure in the lower extremity. Which observation of this procedure requires the nurse's intervention?

• A. The cuff wraps around the girth of the leg.
• B. The UAP auscultates the popliteal pulse with the cuff on the lower leg.
• C. The client is placed in a prone position.
• D. The systolic reading is 20 mm Hg higher than the blood pressure in the client's arm.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When obtaining blood pressure in the lower extremities, the popliteal pulse should be auscultated when the blood pressure cuff is applied around the thigh. The nurse should intervene when the UAP is auscultating the popliteal pulse with the cuff on the lower leg because this is incorrect placement. Option A, wrapping the cuff around the girth of the leg, ensures an accurate assessment. Option C, placing the client in a prone position, provides the best access to the artery. The systolic pressure in the popliteal artery is typically 10 to 40 mm Hg higher than in the brachial artery, so a systolic reading 20 mm Hg higher than the blood pressure in the client's arm is within the expected range and does not require intervention.

3. By rolling contaminated gloves inside-out, the nurse is affecting which step in the chain of infection?

• A. Mode of transmission
• B. Portal of entry
• C. Reservoir
• D. Portal of exit

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When the nurse rolls contaminated gloves inside-out, they are manipulating the mode of transmission in the chain of infection. The gloves, which are contaminated, act as a vehicle for transferring pathogens from the reservoir's portal of exit to a potential portal of entry. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the action of rolling contaminated gloves does not directly relate to the portal of entry, reservoir, or portal of exit in the chain of infection.

4. Which basic principle of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) should a client with alcohol use disorder follow?

• A. Spouses should attend Al-Anon meetings.
• B. It is a commitment to focus on long-term goals.
• C. Amends must be made to each person who has been harmed.
• D. People have the power to overcome alcoholism if they truly want to stop drinking.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is that amends must be made to each person who has been harmed. This principle is reflected in the eighth step of the 12 steps of AA, which involves making a list of all persons harmed and being willing to make amends to them. It is a fundamental principle of AA to address past harms and seek to rectify them. Choice A is incorrect because spouses attending Al-Anon meetings is not a basic principle of AA; it is a support group for family members of individuals with alcohol use disorder. Choice B is incorrect because while focusing on long-term goals can be beneficial, AA emphasizes taking one day at a time rather than committing to long-term goals. Choice D is incorrect because AA teaches that individuals struggling with alcoholism are powerless over their addiction and need to rely on a higher power rather than solely their willpower to overcome it.

5. A patient with major depression who has lost 20 pounds in one month, has chronic low self-esteem, and a plan for suicide. The patient has taken an antidepressant medication for 1 week. Which nursing intervention is most directly related to this outcome: 'Patient will refrain from gestures and attempts to harm self'?

• A. Implement suicide precautions.
• B. Frequently offer high-calorie snacks and fluids.
• C. Assist the patient to identify three personal strengths.
• D. Observe patient for therapeutic effects of antidepressant medication.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Implementing suicide precautions is the most critical intervention in this scenario as it directly addresses the patient's safety and the prevention of self-harm. The patient's significant weight loss, chronic low self-esteem, suicide plan, and recent initiation of an antidepressant medication indicate a high risk of self-harm. Suicide precautions involve close monitoring, removing harmful objects, and ensuring a safe environment to prevent the patient from acting on suicidal thoughts. While offering high-calorie snacks and fluids, assisting the patient in identifying personal strengths, and observing for therapeutic effects of the antidepressant are important aspects of care, they do not directly address the immediate risk of self-harm that implementing suicide precautions does.

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