Nokea
A nurse is planning care for a group of postoperative clients. Which of the following interventions should the nurse identify as the priority?
- A. Administer IV pain medication to a client who reports pain as a 6 on a scale of 0 to 10
- B. Administer oxygen to a client who has an oxygen saturation of 91%
- C. Instruct a client who is 1 hr postoperative about coughing and deep breathing exercises
- D. Initiate an infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride for a client who has just had abdominal surgery
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The priority intervention is administering oxygen. Postoperatively, the client's oxygen saturation should be at or above 95%. Oxygen is essential for tissue perfusion and cellular oxygenation. While managing pain is important, oxygenation takes precedence. Instructing a client about coughing and deep breathing exercises is important for preventing respiratory complications but is not as urgent as addressing low oxygen saturation. Initiating an infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride is a routine postoperative intervention for fluid balance but is not the priority when oxygen saturation is low.
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A nurse is admitting a client who has suspected appendicitis. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately?
- A. Distended, board-like abdomen
- B. WBC count of 15,000/mm3
- C. Rebound tenderness over McBurney's point
- D. Temperature of 37.3°C (99.1°F)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A distended, board-like abdomen should be reported to the provider immediately because it indicates peritonitis, a serious complication of appendicitis resulting from a ruptured appendix. Option B, an elevated WBC count, may indicate infection but is not as urgent as a board-like abdomen. Option C, rebound tenderness over McBurney's point, is a classic sign of appendicitis but does not indicate immediate life-threatening complications. Option D, a slightly elevated temperature, is not as concerning as a distended, board-like abdomen.
A client is to undergo a liver biopsy. Which of the following instructions should the nurse provide to the client following the procedure?
- A. Lie on your left side.
- B. Lie on your right side.
- C. Increase your fluid intake.
- D. Decrease your fluid intake.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: After a liver biopsy, the nurse should instruct the client to lie on the right side. This position helps apply pressure to the biopsy site, promoting hemostasis and reducing the risk of bleeding. Lying on the left side may not provide adequate pressure to the site. Increasing fluid intake is generally beneficial to prevent dehydration and aid in the recovery process, whereas decreasing fluid intake could lead to dehydration and possible complications. Therefore, the correct instruction is to lie on the right side.
A nurse is assessing a client who has a sodium level of 122 mEq/L. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
- A. Decreased deep tendon reflexes
- B. Positive Chvostek's sign
- C. Hyperactive bowel sounds
- D. Dry mucous membranes
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Corrected deep tendon reflexes occur with hyponatremia. Other manifestations of hyponatremia include headache, confusion, lethargy, fatigue, seizures, and muscle weakness. Positive Chvostek's sign is associated with hypocalcemia, hyperactive bowel sounds are not typically related to hyponatremia, and dry mucous membranes are more commonly seen with dehydration.
A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client who has sustained multiple injuries. The nurse observes the client's thorax moving inward during inspiration and outward during expiration. The nurse should suspect which of the following injuries?
- A. Flail chest
- B. Hemothorax
- C. Pulmonary contusion
- D. Pneumothorax
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Flail chest. Flail chest results from multiple rib fractures, causing paradoxical chest movement where the injured part moves inward during inspiration and outward during expiration, interfering with ventilation. Choice B, Hemothorax, involves blood in the pleural cavity and does not typically cause paradoxical chest movement. Choice C, Pulmonary contusion, is a bruise to the lung tissue and does not present with paradoxical chest movement. Choice D, Pneumothorax, is the presence of air in the pleural space, leading to lung collapse, but it does not demonstrate paradoxical chest movement like in flail chest.
While administering a blood transfusion, a nurse suspects that the client is having an adverse reaction. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
- A. Maintain IV access
- B. Obtain the client's vital signs
- C. Contact the provider
- D. Stop the transfusion
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct first action for the nurse to take when suspecting an adverse reaction to a blood transfusion is to stop the transfusion immediately. Stopping the transfusion helps prevent further harm to the client. Maintaining IV access and obtaining vital signs are important steps but come after stopping the transfusion in this situation. Contacting the provider can be done after ensuring the client's safety by stopping the transfusion.