A client is admitted to the ICU, which laboratory result must be reported immediately to the physician?
- A. Hematocrit 48%
- B. paCO2 38 mm Hg
- C. platelets 18,000
- D. WBC count 8000
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: platelets 18,000. A critically low platelet count can lead to life-threatening bleeding in the ICU. Normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000. A count of 18,000 indicates severe thrombocytopenia. Immediate reporting is crucial for prompt intervention.
Rationale for why other choices are incorrect:
A: Hematocrit of 48% is within normal range (male: 42-52%, female: 37-47%).
B: paCO2 of 38 mm Hg is within normal range (35-45 mm Hg).
D: WBC count of 8000 is within normal range (4000-11000/uL).
In critical care settings, it is vital to prioritize and address life-threatening conditions promptly, hence the urgent need to report the critically low platelet count.
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The nurse is instructing a premenopausal woman about breast self-examination. The nurse should tell the client to do her self-examination:
- A. at the end of her menstrual cycle
- B. on the 1st day of the menstrual cycle
- C. on the same day each month
- D. immediately after her menstrual period
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Correct Answer: C - The nurse should tell the client to do her self-examination on the same day each month to establish a routine, making it easier to remember and detect any changes. This consistency helps in early detection of abnormalities.
Incorrect Choices:
A: Doing it at the end of the menstrual cycle may not be consistent due to varying cycle lengths.
B: Doing it on the 1st day of the menstrual cycle may not be practical and could lead to missing potential abnormalities.
D: Doing it immediately after her menstrual period may not provide a consistent schedule for self-examination.
What part of the nursing diagnosis statement suggests the nursing interventions to be included in the plan of care?
- A. Problem statement
- B. Defining characteristics
- C. Etiology of the problem
- D. Outcomes criteria
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Etiology of the problem. In a nursing diagnosis statement, the etiology describes the underlying cause or contributing factors to the identified problem. This is crucial as it guides the selection of appropriate nursing interventions aimed at addressing the root cause of the issue. By addressing the etiology, nurses can implement interventions that will effectively treat the problem.
Choice A (Problem statement) simply identifies the issue without providing insight into its cause. Choice B (Defining characteristics) lists the signs and symptoms of the problem but doesn't directly inform the interventions needed. Choice D (Outcomes criteria) outlines the expected results of the interventions but doesn't directly suggest which interventions to implement. Thus, C is the correct choice as it directly influences the selection of appropriate nursing interventions.
The nurse is reviewing the medication history of a new preoperative patient who is nil by mouth (NPO). The nurse notes that the patient has been on long-term oral steroid therapy. The nurse understands that which of the following is the reason that steroids cannot be abruptly stopped?
- A. Higher steroid levels are needed during
- B. Malignant hypertension will occur.
- C. Respiratory failure will result.
- D. Malignant hyperthermia will result.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because abruptly stopping steroids can lead to adrenal insufficiency due to suppression of the adrenal glands. This can result in a sudden drop in cortisol levels, which are essential for various physiological functions. Patients on long-term steroid therapy need a gradual taper to allow the adrenal glands to resume cortisol production. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not directly relate to the physiological effects of stopping steroids abruptly.
The nurse is explaining the action of insulin to a newly diagnosed diabetic client. During the teaching, the nurse reviews the process of insulin secretion in the body. The nurse is correct when stating that insulin is secreted from the:
- A. adenohypohysis.
- B. alpha cells of the pancreas.
- C. beta cells of the pancreas.
- D. parafollicular cells of the thyroid.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Rationale:
1. Insulin is a hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreas.
2. Beta cells are responsible for monitoring blood glucose levels and secreting insulin in response to high glucose levels.
3. Insulin helps regulate blood glucose by facilitating glucose uptake into cells.
4. Adenohypophysis secretes other hormones, not insulin.
5. Alpha cells of the pancreas secrete glucagon, not insulin.
6. Parafollicular cells of the thyroid secrete calcitonin, not insulin.
Summary:
Choice C is correct because insulin is indeed secreted from the beta cells of the pancreas. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect as they do not secrete insulin or are related to other hormones.
Which scenario best illustrates the nurse using data validation when making a nursing clinical decision for a patient? The nurse determines to remove a wound dressing when the patient reveals the time
- A. of the last dressing change and notices old and new drainage. The nurse administers pain medicine due at 1700 at 1600 because the patient reports
- B. increased pain and the family wants something done. The nurse immediately asks the health care provider for an order of potassium when a
- C. patient reports leg cramps.
- D. The nurse elevates a leg cast when the patient reports decreased mobility.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because it demonstrates data validation in making a nursing clinical decision. The nurse assesses the time of the last dressing change and compares it with the appearance of old and new drainage. This process ensures that the decision to remove the wound dressing is based on accurate and validated data, leading to appropriate patient care.
Choice B is incorrect because it does not involve data validation. The decision is driven by increased pain and family requests, without verifying the underlying cause.
Choice C is incorrect as it involves responding to a patient's reported symptom (leg cramps), but it does not involve data validation in making the clinical decision.
Choice D is incorrect as it relies solely on the patient's report of decreased mobility without further data validation.