A male client, admitted to the mental health unit for a somatoform disorder, becomes angry because he cannot have his pain medication. He demands that the nurse call the healthcare provider and threatens to leave the hospital. What action should the nurse take?
- A. Place the client in seclusion per unit guidelines
- B. Administer a PRN prescription for lorazepam (Ativan)
- C. Call security to help ensure staff and client safety
- D. Ask what other methods he uses to deal with pain
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In this scenario, the nurse should prioritize ensuring safety. When a client becomes aggressive and threatens to leave, calling security is crucial to help maintain a safe environment for both staff and the client. Placing the client in seclusion (choice A) is not the appropriate initial action as it may escalate the situation further. Administering lorazepam (choice B) should not be the first response to behavioral issues. Asking about other pain management methods (choice D) is not the immediate priority when safety is at risk.
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A female client on the mental health unit tells the nurse that her roommate is sitting on the bathroom floor with superficial cuts on her wrists. The nurse cleans and assesses the client's wrists and asks what happened. She doesn't respond. What should the nurse do next?
- A. Find supplies to put a dressing on the client's wrists
- B. Take the client to a room for supervision by staff
- C. Call the healthcare provider to report the client's behavior
- D. Go find a staff member to stay in the room with the client
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In this situation, the nurse's priority is to ensure the safety and supervision of the client. Moving the client to a room for direct supervision by staff is crucial to prevent further harm and provide immediate support. While cleaning and assessing the client's wrists are important, ensuring ongoing supervision is vital in this scenario. Calling the healthcare provider to report the behavior may be necessary but is not the immediate action required. Finding supplies to dress the client's wrists is important but not as urgent as ensuring constant supervision by staff.
The mother of a teenager is told that her son has recently been found stealing from other students at school. The mother's response is, 'I cannot think about that today.' The nurse determines that this mother is using which defense mechanism?
- A. Suppression
- B. Repression
- C. Sublimation
- D. Undoing
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, Suppression. Suppression involves a conscious effort to avoid dealing with distressing thoughts or feelings. In this case, the mother is consciously choosing not to think about her son's behavior. Choice B, Repression, involves unconsciously blocking out distressing thoughts or feelings. Choice C, Sublimation, is the channeling of unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable behaviors, which is not demonstrated in this scenario. Choice D, Undoing, is a defense mechanism where a person tries to undo or reverse a negative thought or action by performing a contrary behavior, which is not applicable here.
A client who is scheduled to have surgery in two hours tells the nurse, 'My doctor was here and used a lot of big words about the surgery, then asked me to sign a paper.' What action should the nurse take?
- A. Reassure the client that pre-surgery anxiety is a normal experience
- B. Explain the surgery in clear terms that the client can understand
- C. Call the surgeon back to clarify the information with the client
- D. Redirect the client's thoughts by teaching relaxation techniques
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take in this situation is to explain the surgery to the client in clear terms that they can understand. This will help alleviate the client's anxiety and ensure they are well-informed about the procedure they are about to undergo. Choice A is incorrect because while reassurance is important, it does not address the client's specific concern about understanding the surgery. Choice C is not the initial step; the nurse should first attempt to clarify the information themselves. Choice D is not the priority when the client is seeking clarification about the surgery.
A client presents to the healthcare provider with fatigue, poor appetite, general malaise, and vague joint pain that improves mid-morning. The client has been using over-the-counter ibuprofen for several months. The healthcare provider makes an initial diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Which laboratory test should the nurse report to the healthcare provider?
- A. Sedimentation rate
- B. White blood cell count
- C. Anti-CCP antibodies
- D. Activated Clotting Time
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Sedimentation rate. Sedimentation rate, Anti-CCP antibodies, and C-reactive protein are commonly used laboratory tests to indicate inflammation and help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. An elevated sedimentation rate is a nonspecific indicator of inflammation in the body, which is often seen in RA. White blood cell count is not specific for RA and is not typically significant in the diagnosis. Anti-CCP antibodies are specific to RA and are useful in confirming the diagnosis. Activated Clotting Time is not relevant to the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis as it is not specific to this condition.
A young adult woman visits the clinic and learns that she is positive for BRCA1 gene mutation and asks the nurse what to expect next. How should the nurse respond?
- A. Explain that counseling will be provided to give her information about her cancer risk.
- B. Gather additional information about the client's family history for all types of cancer.
- C. Offer assurance that there are a variety of effective treatments for breast cancer.
- D. Provide information about survival rates for women who have this genetic mutation.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because counseling will help the woman understand her risk and options for surveillance or preventive measures. At this point, it is crucial to address the woman's immediate concerns related to the BRCA1 gene mutation. Choice B is incorrect as the focus should be on the woman's individual risk due to the specific gene mutation she carries. Choice C is not the priority as treatment options come after assessing the risk and deciding on surveillance or preventive measures. Choice D is incorrect because discussing survival rates is not the immediate need for someone who has just received information about having a genetic mutation.