Patients are coming into the emergency room as a result of an apartment house fire. You are examining a patient who is in distress but has no visible burn marks. You suspect that she is suffering from inhalation burns. Which of the following signs would NOT be associated with inhalation burns?
- A. Singed nasal hairs
- B. Conjunctivitis
- C. Hoarseness
- D. Clear sputum
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Clear sputum would not be associated with inhalation burns. Inhalation burns typically present with symptoms like singed nasal hairs, conjunctivitis, hoarseness, and possibly soot in sputum due to smoke inhalation. Clear sputum suggests that there is no significant inflammation or injury to the respiratory tract, which is not consistent with the typical findings in inhalation burns. The other choices are associated with inhalation burns: singed nasal hairs can occur due to exposure to hot air or gases, conjunctivitis can result from irritating substances in smoke, and hoarseness can be due to airway irritation.
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The UAP reports to the PN that an assigned client experiences SOB when the bed is lowered for bathing. Which action should the PN implement?
- A. Obtain further data about the client's activity intolerance to position changes
- B. Advise the UAP to allow the client to rest before completing the bath
- C. Direct the UAP to obtain vital signs and a pulse oximetry reading
- D. Notify the healthcare provider about the client's episode of SOB
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Advising the UAP to allow the client to rest before completing the bath is the most appropriate action to take. This helps manage the shortness of breath (SOB) experienced by the client and prevents further stress. By giving the client time to rest, the PN ensures the client's comfort and safety during care activities. The other options are not the most immediate or appropriate actions in this scenario: obtaining further data about activity intolerance (choice A) may delay addressing the current issue, obtaining vital signs and pulse oximetry (choice C) is important but not as immediate as allowing the client to rest, and notifying the healthcare provider (choice D) is premature before trying a simple intervention like allowing the client to rest.
When administering an analgesic to a client with low back pain, which intervention should the practical nurse implement to promote the effectiveness of the medication?
- A. Massage the lower back and position the client in proper alignment
- B. Encourage the client to ambulate frequently and take deep breaths
- C. Assist the client in performing passive and active range of motion exercises
- D. Give medication with a full glass of water and offer high-fiber foods
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Massaging the lower back and positioning the client in proper alignment can help relieve muscle tension and enhance the effectiveness of analgesics by providing additional comfort and promoting better pain management. This intervention directly addresses the site of pain and can improve the medication's efficacy. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because while they may have benefits in other situations, they are not directly related to promoting the effectiveness of analgesics in clients with low back pain. Encouraging ambulation and deep breathing, assisting with range of motion exercises, and offering water and high-fiber foods are important for overall patient care but are not specific to enhancing analgesic effectiveness in this context.
A client is post-operative day one following an open cholecystectomy. The nurse notices the client's drainage from the T-tube is dark green. What is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?
- A. Document the finding as normal.
- B. Notify the healthcare provider immediately.
- C. Decrease the suction on the T-tube.
- D. Flush the T-tube with saline to ensure patency.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dark green drainage from a T-tube after a cholecystectomy is bile, which is an expected finding. Bile is normally dark green in color. It is important for the nurse to recognize this as a normal post-operative occurrence and document the finding. There is no need to notify the healthcare provider immediately as this finding is an anticipated part of the client's recovery. Decreasing the suction on the T-tube or flushing it with saline is unnecessary and may not be indicated based on the color of the drainage. Therefore, the most appropriate action for the nurse to take is to document the dark green drainage as a normal finding.
The PN notes that an older female client has developed a nonproductive cough and seems more confused than the previous day. Vital signs are temperature 99.8°F, pulse 94, respirations 22, and B/P 108/54. Which intervention is most important for the PN to implement?
- A. Report the findings to the charge nurse
- B. Monitor the client's temperature hourly
- C. Offer the client fluids frequently
- D. Provide care to moisten oral mucosa
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The change in the client's condition, especially confusion and a new cough, may indicate the onset of an infection such as pneumonia, which requires immediate attention. Reporting to the charge nurse ensures prompt evaluation and intervention. Monitoring the client's temperature hourly (Choice B) could be important but not the most critical at this point. Offering the client fluids frequently (Choice C) and providing care to moisten oral mucosa (Choice D) are not the priority interventions when facing potential signs of infection and confusion in the client.
The nurse is teaching a client with diabetes mellitus how to differentiate between hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis. What statement indicates to the nurse that the client has an understanding of this condition?
- A. Glucose should be taken if I have a fruity breath odor.
- B. Glucose should be taken if I am urinating more than usual.
- C. Glucose should be taken if I have blurred vision.
- D. Glucose should be taken if I develop shakiness.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Shakiness is a symptom of hypoglycemia, which is low blood sugar. Taking glucose can help raise blood sugar levels quickly in this situation. Fruity breath odor and excessive urination are signs of ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes involving high levels of ketones in the blood. Blurred vision can be a symptom of high blood sugar, but it is not specific to hypoglycemia.