A nurse on the night shift is making client rounds. When the nurse checks a client who is 97 years old and has successfully been treated for heart failure, he notes that the client is not breathing. If the client does not have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order, the nurse should take which action?
- A. Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- B. Call the client's health care provider
- C. Administer oxygen to the client and call the health care provider
- D. Contact the nursing supervisor for directions
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the appropriate action when a client is not breathing and does not have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. CPR is considered an emergency treatment that can be provided without client consent in life-threatening situations. Calling the health care provider or nursing supervisor for directions, as well as administering oxygen without addressing the lack of breathing, would delay critical life-saving interventions. Therefore, administering CPR is the most urgent and necessary action to perform in this scenario.
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The LPN needs to delegate a task to the nurse aide who is new to the unit. Which of these is the best option for the nurse to choose in proceeding?
- A. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, confirm understanding, and follow up to ensure the task was safely and correctly done.
- B. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, watch them perform the task without them seeing you, and follow up to ensure the task was done safely and accurately.
- C. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, supervise if needed, and check in after the task to see if help is needed.
- D. Delegate the task to the nurse aide, ensure understanding of the task, and supervise the task being performed.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Delegation is transferring responsibility for a task but sharing its accountability. It is the delegator's responsibility to ensure that the delegatee understands the task before it is performed and to follow up afterward to ensure it was completed correctly and safely. Option B is the best choice because it allows the nurse to observe the nurse aide performing the task without pressure, which can provide insights into the aide's abilities and understanding. This method also allows for immediate feedback and correction if needed.
Choice A is incorrect because confirming understanding alone may not provide a complete picture of the aide's competence in performing the task. Choice C is incorrect as it suggests supervising only if needed, which may not provide adequate oversight for a new nurse aide. Choice D is incorrect because supervising the task being performed does not allow for an objective assessment of the aide's abilities and understanding.
The nurse is caring for a client recovering from a stroke who recently regained consciousness. The client is having difficulty communicating verbally with the team. Which of the following actions would be least appropriate?
- A. Begin client data collection before receiving the physician's order for the referral.
- B. Use documents to provide information for the referral.
- C. Wait for the physician's order for speech therapy before assisting with the appropriate documentation.
- D. Participate in the client referral process.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In this scenario, the least appropriate action would be to wait for the physician's order for speech therapy before assisting with the appropriate documentation. The nurse should start by collecting client data without needing the physician's order, use documents to provide information for the referral, and actively participate in the client referral process. Waiting for the physician's order unnecessarily delays potentially crucial therapy for the client's recovery, affecting the timeliness and effectiveness of care. Therefore, choice C is the least appropriate as immediate action is required in such situations.
A client scheduled for surgery tells the nurse that he signed an informed consent for the surgical procedure but was never told about the risks of the surgery. The nurse serves as the client's advocate by undertaking which action?
- A. Reassuring the client that the risks are minimal
- B. Noting in the client's record that the client was not told about the risks of the surgery
- C. Writing a note on the front of the client's record so that the surgeon will see it when the client arrives in the operating room
- D. Informing the surgeon verbally about the lack of information provided to the client
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A nurse serves as a client advocate by protecting the client's right to be informed and to participate in decisions regarding care. In this scenario, the nurse should document in the client's record that the client was not informed about the risks of the surgery. This action ensures that the issue is officially noted and can be addressed by the healthcare team. Reassuring the client that the risks are minimal is incorrect because it dismisses the client's concerns and does not address the lack of information provided. Writing a note on the client's chart to inform the surgeon is not as effective as ensuring that the issue is officially documented in the client's record, where it can be reviewed and addressed by the healthcare team. Informing the surgeon verbally is not as reliable as documenting the concern in the client's record, which provides a formal and lasting record for review and follow-up.
During an emergency procedure, is the surgical timeout a requirement?
- A. The surgical timeout should be performed by the surgical team unless it would cause a delay leading to injury or death.
- B. No, the timeout is not necessary during an emergency procedure.
- C. No, the surgical timeout is not required in emergency procedures.
- D. Yes, the surgical timeout must be performed in all cases.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: During an emergency procedure, the surgical timeout should be performed unless doing so would cause a delay leading to injury or death. This is because the primary goal during an emergency is to swiftly address the critical situation. Choice B is incorrect as it implies that the timeout is not necessary, which is not accurate. Choice C is also incorrect as it suggests that the timeout is not required in emergency procedures, disregarding safety protocols. Choice D is incorrect as it wrongly states that the timeout must be performed in all cases without considering the potential risks associated with delays during emergencies.
A nurse monitoring a client with a chest tube notes that there is no tidaling of fluid in the water seal chamber. After further assessment, the nurse suspects that the client's lung has reexpanded and notifies the healthcare provider. The healthcare provider verifies with the use of a chest x-ray that the lung has reexpanded, then calls the nurse to ask that the chest tube be removed. Which action should the nurse take first?
- A. Explain the procedure to the client, then remove the chest tube.
- B. Call the nursing supervisor.
- C. Inform the healthcare provider that removal of a chest tube is not a nursing procedure.
- D. Obtain petrolatum-impregnated gauze and ask another nurse to assist in removing the chest tube.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take first is to inform the healthcare provider that removal of a chest tube is not a nursing procedure. Actual removal of a chest tube is the duty of a healthcare provider. If the healthcare provider insists that the nurse remove the tube, the nurse must contact the nursing supervisor. Some agencies' policies and procedures may permit an advanced practice nurse to remove a chest tube, but there is no information in the question to indicate that the nurse is an advanced practice nurse. Choice A is incorrect because the nurse should not proceed with removing the chest tube without proper authorization. Choice B is incorrect as calling the nursing supervisor should come after clarifying with the healthcare provider. Choice D is incorrect as the nurse should not begin the process of removing the chest tube without proper guidance and authorization.