What is the primary action a healthcare professional should take when a patient with a suspected myocardial infarction (MI) arrives in the emergency department?
- A. Apply a cold compress to the chest
- B. Administer oxygen and obtain an electrocardiogram (ECG)
- C. Encourage the patient to walk to reduce anxiety
- D. Provide a high-carbohydrate meal
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Administering oxygen and obtaining an ECG are crucial initial steps when managing a suspected myocardial infarction (MI). Oxygen helps improve oxygenation to the heart muscle, while an ECG is essential to diagnose an MI promptly. Applying a cold compress, encouraging the patient to walk, or providing a high-carbohydrate meal are not appropriate actions in the initial management of a suspected MI. Applying a cold compress can delay necessary interventions, encouraging the patient to walk may worsen the condition, and providing a high-carbohydrate meal is irrelevant to the immediate needs of a patient with a suspected MI.
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When a small fire breaks out in the kitchen of a long-term care facility, which task is most important for the nurse to perform instead of assigning to a UAP?
- A. Close the doors to all residents' rooms
- B. Offer comfort and reassurance to each resident
- C. Identify the method for transporting and evacuating each resident
- D. Provide blankets to each resident for use during evacuation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: During a fire emergency in a long-term care facility, the most critical task for the nurse is to identify the method for transporting and evacuating each resident. This task requires quick decision-making and critical thinking, which are essential in ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents. Closing the doors to residents' rooms (Choice A) can help contain the fire but should not be the nurse's top priority. While offering comfort and reassurance (Choice B) is important, the immediate focus should be on ensuring safe evacuation. Providing blankets (Choice D) is also important but comes after ensuring safe transportation and evacuation plans are in place.
A nurse is assisting in the admission of a young adult female Korean exchange student with acute abdominal pain. When asked about her sexual activity, she looks away. What should the nurse do?
- A. Omit this question from the assessment form
- B. Ask her if she would like an interpreter present to assist with communication
- C. Reword the question to ensure the client's understanding
- D. Watch the client's response when asked a different question
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Observing the client's response to a different question can help gauge her comfort level and understanding, which is essential in culturally sensitive care. By watching her response to a different question, the nurse can assess if the discomfort is related to the specific question or a broader issue. Omitting the question may result in missing crucial information. Asking about an interpreter assumes that the language barrier is the only issue, which may not be the case. Rewording the question may not address the underlying discomfort and could still lead to misinterpretation.
A client who is post-operative from a spinal fusion surgery reports a sudden onset of severe headache when sitting up. What is the nurse's priority action?
- A. Administer pain medication.
- B. Lay the client flat and notify the healthcare provider.
- C. Encourage the client to drink more fluids.
- D. Assess the client's surgical site for drainage.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In this scenario, the correct action is to lay the client flat and notify the healthcare provider. A severe headache in a post-operative spinal fusion patient can indicate a spinal fluid leak, which is a medical emergency. By laying the client flat, the nurse helps reduce symptoms by decreasing pressure differentials. Administering pain medication without further assessment or intervention is inappropriate before identifying the cause of the headache. Encouraging the client to drink more fluids is not the priority when a serious complication like a spinal fluid leak is suspected. While assessing the surgical site is important, it is not the priority when a potentially life-threatening complication is suspected.
What is the function of the epiglottis during swallowing?
- A. Prevents food from entering the trachea
- B. Aids in food propulsion
- C. Enhances taste sensation
- D. Lubricates the esophagus
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The epiglottis is a flap of tissue that closes over the trachea during swallowing to prevent food and liquids from entering the airway. Choice A is correct because the primary function of the epiglottis is to act as a lid over the trachea, ensuring that food goes down the esophagus and not into the windpipe. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not describe the specific role of the epiglottis during swallowing.
In a group therapy setting, one member is very demanding, repeatedly interrupting others and taking most of the group time. The nurse's best response would be:
- A. Will you briefly summarize your point because others need time as well?
- B. Your behavior is obnoxious and drains the group.
- C. I am so frustrated with your behavior.
- D. To ignore the behavior and allow him to vent
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In a group therapy setting, where each member should have the opportunity to participate, it is essential for the nurse to manage disruptive behavior assertively yet respectfully. Choice A is the best response as it addresses the issue of one member dominating the group time by asking them to summarize their point briefly, allowing others to contribute. Choice B is confrontational and may alienate the individual, hindering the therapeutic process. Choice C expresses personal frustration, which is not constructive in managing the situation. Choice D of ignoring the behavior is not effective as it allows the disruptive behavior to continue, impacting the group dynamics negatively.