An alarm beeps notifying you that one of your patient's oxygen saturation is reading $89 \%$. You arrive to the patient's room, and see the patient comfortably resting in bed watching television. The patient is already on $2 \mathrm{~L}$ of oxygen via nasal cannula. The patient is admitted for COPD exacerbation. Your next nursing action would be:
- A. Continue to monitor the patient
- B. Increase the patient's oxygen level to $3 \mathrm{~L}$
- C. Notify the doctor for further orders
- D. Turn off the alarm settings
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In COPD, oxygen saturation of 88-92% is acceptable to avoid suppressing the hypoxic drive. Since the patient is comfortable, continue monitoring . Increasing oxygen or notifying the doctor is unnecessary unless symptoms worsen.
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When the client asks why the physician chose this particular drug to treat the pneumonia, which response by the nurse is best?
- A. The sensitivity report showed the organism is often killed by penicillin.
- B. Most viral infections respond well when treated with penicillin drugs.
- C. Penicillin is one of the safest yet most effective antibiotics.
- D. All antibiotics are similar; the choice of drug is not that important.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Penicillin is chosen based on the sensitivity report, indicating that the pneumococcal bacteria are susceptible to it.
An adult is admitted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]. The nurse notes that he has neck vein distention and slight peripheral edema. The practical nurse notifies the registered nurse and continues frequent assessments because the nurse knows that these signs signal the onset of which of the following?
- A. Pneumothorax
- B. Cor pulmonale
- C. Cardiogenic shock
- D. Left-sided heart failure
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Neck vein distention and peripheral edema indicate right-sided heart failure, or cor pulmonale, caused by pulmonary hypertension in COPD.
When the nurse obtains the nasal swab, which action is most accurate?
- A. The nurse dons sterile gloves before obtaining the specimen.
- B. The swab is placed in the anterior portion of the nare and swept superiorly.
- C. The client is asked to blow the nose before the specimen is collected.
- D. The nurse uses separate applicators for each nare.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Using separate applicators for each nare prevents cross-contamination and ensures an accurate sample for MRSA screening.
A patient is taking Streptomycin. Which finding below requires the nurse to notify the physician?
- A. Patient reports a change in vision.
- B. Patient reports a metallic taste in the mouth.
- C. The patient has ringing in their ears.
- D. The patient has a persistent dry cough.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Streptomycin can cause ototoxicity, leading to symptoms like ringing in the ears (tinnitus). This requires immediate physician notification to prevent further hearing damage.
If the client develops a severe allergic reaction, which drug should the nurse have available?
- A. Codeine sulfate
- B. Morphine sulfate (Roxanol)
- C. Dopamine (Intropin)
- D. Epinephrine (Adrenalin)
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) as it reverses airway constriction and stabilizes blood pressure.
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