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A client receiving prescribed heparin therapy for a diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction has an activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) value of 100 seconds. Before reporting the results to the primary health care provider, the nurse verifies that which medication is available for use if prescribed?
- A. Vitamin \mathrm{K
- B. Vitamin B_{12
- C. Methylene blue
- D. Protamine sulfate
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Heparin is an anticoagulant. Therapeutic values of the aPTT for clients on heparin range between 60 and 70 seconds, depending on the control value. A value of 100 seconds indicates that the client has received too much heparin and is at risk for bleeding. The antidote for heparin overdosage is protamine sulfate and may be prescribed. Vitamin \mathrm{K is the antidote for warfarin sodium overdosage. Methylene blue is an antidote for cyanide poisoning. Vitamin \mathrm{B}_{12 is used to treat clients with pernicious anemia.
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The nurse has a prescription to administer foscarnet sodium intravenously to a client with a diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Before administering this medication, which measure should the nurse implement?
- A. Obtain a sputum culture.
- B. Obtain folic acid as an antidote.
- C. Place the solution on a controlled infusion pump.
- D. Ensure that liver enzyme levels have been drawn as a baseline.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Foscarnet sodium is an antiviral agent used to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in clients with AIDS. Because of the potential toxicity of the medication, it is administered with the use of a controlled infusion device. A sputum culture is not necessary. Folic acid is not an antidote. Foscarnet sodium is highly toxic to the kidneys, and serum creatinine levels are measured frequently during therapy, not liver enzymes.
The nurse manager is developing an educational session for nursing staff on the components of informed consent and the information to be shared with a client to obtain informed consent. Which information should the nurse manager include in the session? Select all that apply.
- A. The client needs to be informed of the prognosis if the test, procedure, or treatment is refused.
- B. The client cannot refuse a test, procedure, or treatment once the test, procedure, or treatment is started.
- C. The name(s) of the persons performing the test or procedure or providing treatment should be documented on the informed consent form.
- D. A description of the complications and risks of the test, procedure, or treatment, as well as anticipated pain or discomfort, needs to be explained to the client.
- E. The nurse is responsible for obtaining the client's signature on an informed consent form even if the client has questions about the test, procedure, or treatment to be performed.
Correct Answer: A,C,D
Rationale: Informed consent is a person's agreement to allow something to happen based on full disclosure of risks, benefits, alternatives, and consequences of refusal. The primary health care provider (HCP) is responsible for conveying information and obtaining the informed consent. The nurse may be the person who actually ensures that the client signs the informed consent form; however, the nurse does this only after the HCP has instructed the client, and it has been determined that the client has understood the information. The following factors are required for informed consent: a brief, complete explanation of the test, procedure, or treatment; names and qualifications of persons performing and assisting in the test, procedure, or treatment; a description of the complications and risks, as well as anticipated pain or discomfort; an explanation of alternative therapies to the proposed test, procedure, or treatment, as well as the risks of doing nothing; and the client's right to refuse the test, procedure, or treatment even after it has been started.
A client asks the home care nurse to witness the client's signature on a living will with the client's attorney in attendance. Which action is most appropriate for the nurse to implement?
- A. Decline to witness the signature on the living will.
- B. Sign the living will as a witness to the signature only.
- C. Notify the supervisor that a living will is being witnessed.
- D. Sign the living will with identifying credentials and employment agency.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Living wills are written documents and need to be signed by the client. The client's signature must be either witnessed by nonagency individuals or notarized; thus, the nurse should decline to sign the will to avoid a conflict of interest. There is no need to contact the supervisor or sign the living will with or without credentials because the nurse cannot sign this document as a witness. Therefore, options 2, 3, and 4 are incorrect.
The nurse receives a telephone call from a client who states that he wants to kill himself and has a loaded gun on the table. Which intervention best assures the client's safety?
- A. Encouraging him to unload the gun and go to the hospital
- B. Telling the client that suicide is not the way to deal with his problem
- C. Using therapeutic communication techniques, especially the reflection of feelings
- D. Engaging the client while another staff member contacts the police for their assistance
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In a crisis, the nurse must take an authoritative, active role to promote the client's safety. A loaded gun in the home of the client who says that he wants to kill himself is a crisis. The client's safety is of prime concern. Keeping the client on the phone and getting help to the client is the best intervention. Option 1 lacks the authoritative action stance of securing the client's safety. Option 2 is not a helpful strategy and may block communication. Using therapeutic communication techniques is important, but overuse of reflection may sound uncaring or superficial and is lacking direction and a solution to the immediate problem of the client's safety.
After receiving detailed information about a colonoscopy from the primary health care provider (HCP), the nurse asks the client to sign the informed consent form and discovers that the client cannot write. Which is the best intervention for the nurse to implement?
- A. Contact the provider to obtain informed consent.
- B. Obtain a verbal informed consent from the client.
- C. Have two nurses witness the client sign with an X.
- D. Clarify information to the client with another nurse.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Nurses are responsible to ensure that the signed informed consent form is in the client's medical record before a procedure and for clarifying facts that have already been presented by the HCP. Nonetheless, the person performing the procedure obtains informed consent and provides the explanations to the client. Informed consent can be obtained verbally, but that is also the responsibility of the HCP. Clients who cannot write may sign an informed consent with an X in the presence of two witnesses. Nurses can serve as a witness to the client's signature but not to the fact that the client is informed.