Nurse B arrives for his regular night shift at a care facility for the aged. Due to a family emergency, he has only slept for 3 hours since his last shift. One of Nurse B's aides calls in sick, and there is no one available to replace the aide that night. With no help accessible, Nurse B lifts an obese patient from a wheelchair into a bed alone. Short on time and assistance, Nurse B decides to forgo the patient's evening bath. Legally, what does Nurse B most likely face?
- A. Little risk of liability because he is doing his best under difficult circumstances
- B. Immediate termination for dereliction of duty
- C. Liability if a pattern of negligence is identified in his performance evaluation
- D. A high risk of liability for his actions
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In this scenario, Nurse B faces a high risk of liability for his actions due to several factors. Working with insufficient resources, failing to adhere to policies and procedures, taking shortcuts, and working while highly stressed are all situations that increase the risk of liability. Nurse B's decision to lift an obese patient without assistance and skip the patient's evening bath due to time constraints and lack of help are clear examples of actions that can lead to legal consequences. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because the circumstances described in the scenario indicate a higher likelihood of liability due to the factors mentioned above.
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To minimize liability, what action should nurses take when accepting telephone orders from physicians?
- A. Ask the physician to follow up with a faxed, written order
- B. Clearly communicate the most likely diagnosis to the physician
- C. Have another staff member talk with the physician and audiotape the conversation
- D. Accept only written orders or those communicated orally, in person
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The best action for nurses to take when accepting telephone orders from physicians to minimize liability is to ask the physician to follow up with a faxed, written order and ensure it is signed within 24 hours. This approach helps ensure clarity, accuracy, and documentation of the physician's orders, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or errors. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Communicating a diagnosis is outside the nurse's scope of practice and should be done by the physician. Involving another staff member to audiotape the conversation can introduce legal and practical issues. Accepting only written or orally communicated orders in person may not always be practical or feasible in urgent situations where telephone orders are necessary.
A nurse is working in an assisted living facility that has a culturally diverse older adult population. Which statement by the nurse best demonstrates cultural sensitivity?
- A. We need to ensure that both the minority population and the majority population have their health needs met.
- B. It's important to remember that minority groups do not usually express their pain explicitly.
- C. We need to build our knowledge of clients who belong to cultural and ethnic groups that we're not familiar with.
- D. We need to teach all clients that their health problems are not necessarily the result of punishment.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best demonstration of cultural sensitivity by the nurse is reflected in choice C. Building a knowledge base around cultural and ethnic groups is a crucial component of providing culturally sensitive care. Choice A creates an inaccurate dichotomy between 'minority' and 'majority' populations, which is not a culturally sensitive approach. Choice B incorrectly generalizes that minority groups do not usually express their pain explicitly, which is not true for all cultural groups. Choice D suggests imposing a different belief system on clients, which is not culturally sensitive and can undermine trust and rapport with older adult clients.
A nurse is providing end-of-life care to an older female client who practices Judaism. Which intervention would the nurse identify as potentially problematic for this client and her family?
- A. The client requires transfusions of packed red blood cells during care.
- B. Assessment by a male health care provider was required.
- C. An autopsy was ordered due to the client's unique disease etiology.
- D. A do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order was recommended by the care team.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. Autopsy is often opposed in the context of Jewish religious and cultural beliefs, as it is seen as desecration of the body. While a person who is a Jehovah's Witness would be opposed to blood transfusions (choice A), a Muslim client may prefer to be cared for by someone of the same gender (choice B). A DNR order (choice D) is not noted to be a particular issue in the context of Jewish culture.
A nurse is reading a journal article about life expectancy and various cultural groups. The article describes statistics, stating that a baby born to a black American couple has a life expectancy lower than that of a baby born to a white American couple. The article goes on to describe the life expectancy as the babies get older. Which finding would the nurse most likely identify as reflecting the life expectancy of the baby born to the black American couple by the seventh decade?
- A. Beginning to equal that of similarly aged white elders
- B. Exceeding that of similarly aged white older adults
- C. Dropping to less than half that of similarly aged white older adults
- D. Rising above that of white older adults until age 75 and then dropping
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Historically, black Americans have experienced a lower standard of living and less access to health care than their white counterparts, leading to a lower life expectancy. However, by the seventh decade of life, survival rates for black individuals begin to equal that of similarly aged white individuals. Choice B is incorrect as it indicates a higher life expectancy for black individuals, which is not supported by the information provided. Choice C is incorrect as it suggests a drastic decrease in life expectancy for black individuals, which is not in line with the trend described. Choice D is incorrect as it implies a temporary increase in life expectancy for black individuals until age 75, which is not supported by the information that survival rates begin to equal by the seventh decade.
A discharge planning nurse works with a wide variety of families when organizing care for older adults after their discharge from the hospital. Which of the following relationship structures would the nurse consider to be a family? Select all that apply.
- A. Mr. E and his partner, Mr. S, who live together in an apartment
- B. Mr. R and his new 'lady friend,' who began cohabiting 2 months ago
- C. Mrs. B and her daughter, son-in-law, and widowed sister, all of whom share a house
- D. Mr. R, who is estranged from his children and has lived with his brother, a bachelor, for several years
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. While not traditional nuclear family structures, all of the given relationships and living arrangements constitute family units. Mr. E and his partner, Mr. S, who live together in an apartment, form a family unit. Choice B is not considered a family as it describes a relatively new and non-committal relationship. Choice C describes a traditional family structure with Mrs. B, her daughter, son-in-law, and widowed sister sharing a house, which also constitutes a family unit. Choice D describes a situation where Mr. R is estranged from his children and living with his bachelor brother, which can also be considered a family unit but is not as inclusive as the relationship described in choice A.
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