A client with a spinal cord injury is preparing to return home from the rehabilitation unit. Which of the following statements by a family member indicates a need for further teaching regarding autonomic dysreflexia?
- A. "I should raise him to a sitting position."?
- B. "I should check for a fecal impaction."?
- C. "I should look for a kink in the urinary catheter tubing."?
- D. "I should observe whether symptoms worsen."?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: If the client develops signs or symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia, they need to be addressed immediately. If the family member is not able to relieve them, a healthcare provider needs to be notified immediately. The statement 'I should observe whether symptoms worsen' indicates a passive approach and does not address the urgency of the situation. Choices A, B, and C are correct as they involve active measures to address autonomic dysreflexia, such as raising the client to a sitting position, checking for a fecal impaction, and looking for a kink in the urinary catheter tubing.
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A nurse is assigned to care for four clients. Which client should the nurse assess first?
- A. A client scheduled for a colonoscopy
- B. A client with a tracheostomy who is receiving humidified oxygen via a tracheostomy mask
- C. A client preparing for discharge after surgery
- D. A client requiring a tube feeding through a gastrostomy tube
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is a client with a tracheostomy who is receiving humidified oxygen via a tracheostomy mask. Airway management is always the priority in nursing care. Assessing this client first ensures that their airway is clear and oxygenation is adequate. Clients with compromised airways need immediate attention to prevent respiratory distress or failure. The other clients do not have immediate airway concerns and represent lower priorities in this scenario. Therefore, the nurse should prioritize assessing the client with the tracheostomy and oxygen therapy to maintain airway patency and adequate oxygenation.
A health care provider repeatedly asks a nurse to write his verbal prescriptions in his clients' charts after he makes his rounds. The nurse is uncomfortable with writing the prescriptions and explains this to the health care provider, but the health care provider tells the nurse that she will be reported if she does not write the prescriptions. How should the nurse manage this conflict?
- A. Stating to the health care provider, 'I don't really care whether you report me. I am not writing your prescriptions.'
- B. Fulfilling the health care provider's request
- C. Discussing the situation with the nurse manager
- D. Reporting the health care provider to the chief of medicine at the hospital
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When a conflict arises, it is most appropriate to try resolving the conflict directly. In this situation, the nurse has tried to explain why she is uncomfortable with the health care provider's request but has been unable to resolve the conflict. The nurse would then most appropriately use organizational channels of communication and discuss the issue with the nurse manager, who would then proceed to resolve the conflict. The nurse manager may attempt to discuss the situation with the health care provider or seek assistance from the nursing supervisor. Fulfilling the health care provider's request and writing the prescriptions in the clients' charts ignores the issue. Reporting the health care provider to the chief of medicine is inappropriate because the nurse should use the appropriate organizational channels of communication to resolve the conflict. Stating 'I don't really care whether you report me. I am not writing your prescriptions.' is an inappropriate statement and will result in further conflict between the nurse and health care provider.
A licensed practical nurse arrives at work at the long-term care center and is immediately faced with several activities that require attention. Which activity will the nurse attend to first?
- A. Task assignments for the day
- B. Stocking the medication closet
- C. A phone message from employee health services
- D. A phone message from a client's wife
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse's priority should be attending to task assignments for the day. This ensures that client care can begin promptly and efficiently. Stocking the medication closet is important but can be done after ensuring task assignments are clear. Phone messages from employee health services and a client's wife, although important, can be addressed after organizing the staff for client care.
In a community hospital, a nurse is employed as a staff nurse and is supervised by a nurse manager. The nurse understands that in this position, the term authority most appropriately refers to which description?
- A. Accepting responsibility for the actions of others
- B. The official power to ensure that an organizational decision is enforced
- C. Bearing the legal responsibility for others' performance of tasks
- D. Taking responsibility for what staff members do
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The term authority refers to the official power of an individual to approve or command an action or to ensure that a decision is enforced. In the context of the nurse's position supervised by a nurse manager, having authority means having the official power to ensure that organizational decisions are carried out. Choice A, accepting responsibility for the actions of others, is more related to accountability rather than authority. Choice C, bearing the legal responsibility for others' performance of tasks, is more about legal liability rather than authority. Choice D, taking responsibility for what staff members do, is similar to choice A and is more about accountability rather than having the official power to enforce decisions. Therefore, the correct answer is B as it directly relates to the concept of authority in the context described.
A director of nursing at a long-term care center has announced a change to computerized documentation of nursing care. A certified nursing assistant (CNA) on the team, resistant to the change, is not taking an active part in facilitating the implementation of the new procedure. Which strategy would be the best approach to dealing with the conflict?
- A. Meeting with the CNA and encouraging him to express his feelings regarding the change
- B. Ignoring the resistance
- C. Telling the CNA that a licensed practical nurse (LPN) will perform all computer documentation while he documents intake and output and vital signs
- D. Telling the CNA that noncompliance will be documented in the personnel record
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The best approach to dealing with resistance to change is through open communication and understanding. Meeting with the CNA and encouraging him to express his feelings regarding the change allows for a constructive dialogue where issues can be addressed, and alternative solutions can be explored. Ignoring the resistance does not help in resolving the conflict and may lead to further issues. Telling the CNA that a licensed practical nurse (LPN) will perform all computer documentation while he documents intake and output and vital signs does not address the underlying concerns of the CNA and may create more resistance. Threatening the CNA with noncompliance consequences may escalate the resistance and create a negative work environment.