Palpating the midclavicular line is the correct technique for assessing
- A. Baseline vital signs
- B. Systolic blood pressure
- C. Respiratory rate
- D. Apical pulse
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Palpating the midclavicular line is the correct technique for assessing the apical pulse. The apical pulse is located at the point of maximal impulse (PMI), which is typically at the fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line. This technique allows healthcare providers to accurately assess the heart rate and rhythm by listening to the heart sounds directly at this point.
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During a Romberg test, the patient is asked to assume which position?
- A. Sitting
- B. Standing
- C. Genupectoral
- D. Trendelenburg
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: During a Romberg test, the patient is asked to stand with feet together and arms at the sides. The test evaluates proprioception and vestibular function by assessing the patient's ability to maintain balance with eyes closed. Asking the patient to stand helps to detect any balance issues or disturbances in the absence of visual input.
Which of the following procedures always requires surgical asepsis?
- A. Vaginal instillation of conjugated estrogen
- B. Urinary catheterization
- C. Nasogastric tube insertion
- D. Colostomy irrigation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Surgical asepsis, which involves maintaining a sterile field and preventing contamination in a surgical setting, is required for urinary catheterization as it involves entering a sterile body cavity. Vaginal instillation of conjugated estrogen, nasogastric tube insertion, and colostomy irrigation do not always require surgical asepsis as they involve different levels of sterility and infection control measures.
Which of the following scenarios represents nursing malpractice?
- A. The nurse administers penicillin to a patient with a documented history of allergy to the drug. The patient experiences an allergic reaction and suffers cerebral damage due to anoxia.
- B. The nurse applies a hot water bottle or a heating pad to the abdomen of a patient with abdominal cramping.
- C. The nurse assists a patient out of bed with the bed locked in position; the patient slips and fractures his right humerus.
- D. The nurse administers the wrong medication to a patient, resulting in vomiting. This error is documented and reported to the physician and the nursing supervisor.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Administering a drug to a patient with a known allergy, leading to severe harm such as an allergic reaction causing cerebral damage due to anoxia, constitutes nursing malpractice. In this scenario, the nurse failed to adhere to the standard of care by administering a medication that the patient was allergic to, resulting in serious harm, which is a clear example of malpractice in nursing.
All of the following statements are true about donning sterile gloves except:
- A. The first glove should be picked up by grasping the inside of the cuff.
- B. The second glove should be picked up by inserting the gloved fingers under the cuff outside the glove.
- C. The gloves should be adjusted by sliding the gloved fingers under the sterile cuff and pulling the glove over the wrist.
- D. The inside of the glove is considered sterile.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When donning sterile gloves, it is essential to maintain sterility. The correct way to don sterile gloves includes grasping the outside of the cuff to put on the first glove and inserting the gloved fingers under the cuff outside the glove to put on the second glove. Adjustments should be made by sliding the fingers under the sterile cuff. It is crucial to remember that once the inside of the glove is touched during the donning process, it is no longer considered sterile.
If a patient asks the nurse for her opinion about a particular physician and the nurse replies that the physician is incompetent, the nurse could be held liable for:
- A. Slander
- B. Libel
- C. Assault
- D. Respondent superior
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In this scenario, if the nurse makes a false verbal statement about the physician being incompetent, it is considered slander. Slander is the act of making defamatory spoken statements or gestures. Libel, on the other hand, refers to defamatory statements that are written or published. Assault involves the threat of physical harm, and respondent superior is a legal doctrine holding an employer responsible for the actions of an employee in the course of employment.