Nokea
A client is brought into the emergency department after sustaining a possible closed head injury. Which assessment will the nurse perform first?
- A. Level of consciousness
- B. Pulse and blood pressure
- C. Respiratory rate and depth
- D. Ability to move extremities
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The first action of the nurse is to ensure that the client has an adequate airway and respiratory status. In rapid sequence, the client's circulatory status is evaluated (option 2), followed by evaluation of the status of the cardiovascular and neurological systems.
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A client at risk for respiratory failure is receiving oxygen via nasal cannula at 6 L per minute. Arterial blood gas (ABG) results indicate pH 7.29, PcO2 49 mm Hg, Po2 58 mm Hg, and HCO3 18 mEq/L. What intervention should the nurse anticipate that the primary health care provider will prescribe for respiratory support for this client?
- A. Intubating for mechanical ventilation
- B. Keeping the oxygen at 6 L per minute via nasal cannula
- C. Lowering the oxygen to 4 L per minute via nasal cannula
- D. Adding a partial rebreather mask to the current prescription
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: If respiratory failure occurs and supplemental oxygen cannot maintain acceptable PaO2 and PaCO2 levels, endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation are necessary. The client is exhibiting respiratory acidosis, metabolic acidosis, and hypoxemia. Lowering or keeping the oxygen at the same liter flow will not improve the client's condition. A partial rebreather mask will raise CO2 levels even further.
The newborn nursery nurse is performing an admission assessment on a newborn with the diagnosis of subdural hematoma. Which intervention should the nurse implement to assess for the primary symptom associated with subdural hematoma?
- A. Monitor the urine for blood.
- B. Monitor the urinary output pattern.
- C. Test for contractures of the extremities.
- D. Test for equality of extremity reflexes.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A subdural hematoma can cause pressure on a specific area of the cerebral tissue. This can cause changes in the stimuli responses in the extremities on the opposite side of the body, especially if the newborn is actively bleeding. Options 1 and 2 are incorrect. After delivery, a newborn would normally be incontinent of urine. Blood in the urine would indicate abdominal trauma and would not be a result of the hematoma. Option 3 is incorrect because contractures would not occur this soon after delivery.
The nurse hangs an intravenous (IV) bag of 1000 mL of 5% dextrose in water (D5W) at 3 pm and sets the flow rate to infuse at 75 mL/hour. At 11 pm, the nurse should expect the fluid remaining in the IV bag to be at approximately which level?
Correct Answer: 400 mL
Rationale: In an 8-hour period, 600 mL would infuse if an IV is set to infuse at 75 mL/hour. Therefore, 400 mL would remain in the IV bag.
A client is admitted after attempting suicide by ingesting a prescribed antipsychotic medication. What is the most important piece of information the nurse should obtain initially?
- A. Where and when the medication was ingested
- B. The name and amount of ingested medication
- C. If the client continues to have suicidal ideations
- D. If there is a history of previous suicidal attempts
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In an emergency, lifesaving facts are obtained first. The name of and the amount of medication ingested is of utmost importance in treating this potentially life-threatening situation. The remaining data can be assessed once the client's physical condition is stabilized.
The nurse instructs a mother of a child who had a plaster cast applied to the arm about measures that will help the cast dry. Which instructions should the nurse provide to the mother? Select all that apply.
- A. Lift the cast using the fingertips.
- B. Place the child on a firm mattress.
- C. Direct a fan toward the cast to facilitate drying.
- D. Support the cast and adjacent joints with pillows.
- E. Place the extremity with the cast in a dependent position.
- F. Reposition the extremity with the cast every 2 to 4 hours.
Correct Answer: B,C,D,F
Rationale: To help the cast dry, the child should be placed on a firm mattress. A fan may be directed toward the cast to facilitate drying. Once the cast is dry, the cast should sound hollow and be cool to touch. The cast and adjacent joints should be elevated and supported with pillows. To ensure thorough drying, the extremity with the cast should be repositioned every 2 to 4 hours. The cast is lifted by using the palms of the hands (not the fingertips) to prevent indentation in the wet cast surface. Indentations could possibly cause pressure on the skin under the cast.