Nursing Elites

1. You are attempting to teach the wife of a Greek patient how to administer his gastrostomy tube feedings once he returns home. She smiles and nods through your explanations, but when you ask her for a return demonstration, she looks confused and shakes her head. Her daughter enters the room and states that she does not speak English. What would be most helpful in this situation?

• A. Teach the daughter instead
• B. Teach both and ask the daughter to translate for you
• C. Contact a home health agency to provide care
• D. Provide a pamphlet with detailed instructions

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Teaching both the patient's wife and the daughter is the best option in this situation. The daughter may not always be available, and the wife is eager to care for her husband at home. While a hospital interpreter is often preferred, asking the daughter to interpret is a good alternative. This approach allows the daughter to receive instruction and reinforce it for herself as she translates it to her mother. Contacting a home health agency may not be necessary if family members are willing and able to assist. Providing a pamphlet with detailed instructions would not be as effective in ensuring the wife fully understands the procedure and can carry it out correctly.

2. Because of budget cuts in the hospital, the nursing manager informs the staff that they must either rotate to other units more often or take their turns staying home from work. Which principle is this nurse manager demonstrating?

• A. Justice
• B. Paternalism
• C. Veracity
• D. Fraternity

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Veracity involves truth-telling, even in challenging situations. In this scenario, the nurse manager is being transparent about the need for staff to rotate units or take turns staying home due to budget cuts. This allows the staff to make informed decisions about their work schedules and potential impact on their pay and work areas. Option A, Justice, does not apply as the focus is on communication and transparency, not fairness. Option B, Paternalism, does not fit as it involves decisions made for others' well-being without their input, which is not the case here. Option D, Fraternity, pertains to unity among individuals, which is not the principle demonstrated by the nurse manager in this situation.

3. A client is diagnosed with schizophrenia. A physician orders haloperidol (Haldol) 50 mg bid, benztropine (Cogentin) 1 mg prn, and zolpidem (Ambien) 10 mg HS. Which client behavior would warrant the nurse to administer benztropine?

• A. Tactile hallucinations
• B. Tardive dyskinesia
• C. Restlessness and muscle rigidity
• D. Reports of hearing disturbing voices

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Benztropine (Cogentin) is an anticholinergic medication used to treat extrapyramidal symptoms, such as restlessness and muscle rigidity, which are common side effects of antipsychotic medications like haloperidol. Tactile hallucinations and reports of hearing disturbing voices are symptoms of schizophrenia that would typically be addressed by the antipsychotic medication (haloperidol) itself. Tardive dyskinesia, a potential side effect of long-term antipsychotic use, would require discontinuation of the antipsychotic medication rather than administration of benztropine.

4. During an adolescent examination, the nurse asks a 13-year-old female to bend forward at the waist with arms hanging freely. Which of the following assessments is the nurse most likely conducting?

• A. Spinal flexibility
• B. Leg length disparity
• C. Hypostatic blood pressure
• D. Scoliosis

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is scoliosis. During the assessment for scoliosis, the nurse asks the adolescent to bend forward at the waist with arms hanging freely to observe for any lateral deviation of the spine, uneven rib levels, or asymmetry. This assessment is a routine part of an adolescent examination, especially in females, as scoliosis is more common in this population. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Spinal flexibility is usually assessed through different maneuvers, leg length disparity is evaluated by measuring the length of the legs, and hypostatic blood pressure refers to a decrease in blood pressure due to immobility.

5. A nurse is using active listening as a form of therapeutic communication when:

• A. She uses humor to put the client at ease in a situation
• B. She restates what the client said in slightly different words
• C. She uses eye contact and maintains an open stance while the client is talking
• D. She provides personal information to show the client she can relate to him

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Active listening is a form of therapeutic communication that involves the nurse encouraging a client to express their thoughts and feelings. Maintaining eye contact and an open stance while the client is talking demonstrates active listening and shows the client that they are being heard and understood. Using humor (Choice A) may not always be appropriate or therapeutic in all situations. Restating what the client said (Choice B) is a technique known as paraphrasing and is also a form of active listening. Providing personal information (Choice D) can shift the focus from the client to the nurse, which is not the intention of active listening.

Similar Questions