A patient with terminal cancer reports a sudden onset of severe pain. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
- A. Assess the patient’s pain using a standardized pain scale.
- B. Administer a PRN dose of prescribed analgesic.
- C. Notify the healthcare provider about the patient’s pain.
- D. Reposition the patient to enhance comfort.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Assess the patient’s pain using a standardized pain scale. The first step is to assess the severity and nature of the pain to determine the appropriate intervention. This allows the nurse to understand the pain intensity and characteristics, which guides the choice of analgesic and dosing. Administering analgesics (B) without proper assessment can lead to inappropriate treatment. Notifying the healthcare provider (C) is important but assessing the pain should come first. Repositioning the patient (D) may provide comfort but addressing the pain directly is the priority.
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A hospice patient develops a pressure ulcer despite proper repositioning. What should the nurse include in the care plan?
- A. Implement more aggressive wound care strategies.
- B. Ensure adequate hydration and nutrition.
- C. Discuss the prognosis and expected outcomes with the family.
- D. Encourage increased physical activity to improve circulation.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because implementing more aggressive wound care strategies is essential for managing pressure ulcers effectively. This includes proper wound cleaning, debridement, and dressing changes to promote healing. Adequate hydration and nutrition (choice B) are important but may not directly address the pressure ulcer. Discussing prognosis and expected outcomes (choice C) is important but may not directly impact wound healing. Encouraging increased physical activity (choice D) may be contraindicated due to the patient's condition.
Noninvasive diagnostic procedures used to determine kidney function include which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Kidney, ureter, bladder (KUB) x-ray
- B. Renal ultrasound
- C. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- D. Intravenous pyelography (IVP)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Kidney, ureter, bladder (KUB) x-ray. This procedure is noninvasive and commonly used to assess kidney function by visualizing the size, shape, and position of the kidneys. Renal ultrasound is also noninvasive and can provide detailed images of the kidneys. However, MRI and IVP are more invasive procedures that involve the use of contrast agents and are not typically used solely for diagnostic purposes to assess kidney function. Overall, KUB x-ray and renal ultrasound are the preferred noninvasive options for evaluating kidney function.
The nurse is assessing a child's weight and height during a clinic visit prior to starting school. The nurse plots the child's weight on the growth chart and notes that the child's weight is in the 95th percentile for the child's height. What action should the nurse take?
- A. Question the type and quantity of foods eaten in a typical day.
- B. Encourage giving two additional snacks each day to the child.
- C. Recommend a daily intake of at least four glasses of whole milk.
- D. Assess for signs of poor nutrition, such as a pale appearance.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Question the type and quantity of foods eaten in a typical day. When a child's weight is in the 95th percentile for their height, it indicates possible overweight or obesity. To address this, the nurse should assess the child's dietary habits to identify any unhealthy eating patterns contributing to excess weight. By questioning the type and quantity of foods eaten, the nurse can provide appropriate guidance on nutrition and healthy eating habits.
Summary:
B: Encouraging additional snacks may further contribute to weight gain and is not recommended without knowing the current eating habits.
C: Recommending a high intake of whole milk may increase calorie intake and potentially worsen the weight concern.
D: Assessing for signs of poor nutrition, such as a pale appearance, is important but not directly addressing the weight concern in this scenario.
When assisting with the placement of a pulmonary artery (PA) catheter, the nurse notes that the catheter is correctly placed when the monitor shows a:
- A. Typical PA pressure waveform.
- B. Tracing of the systemic arterial pressure.
- C. Tracing of the systemic vascular resistance.
- D. Typical PA wedge pressure (PAWP) tracing.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Step-by-step rationale for Answer D being correct:
1. PA catheter measures PA pressures.
2. PAWP reflects left atrial pressure.
3. Correct placement shows typical PAWP tracing.
4. PA pressure waveform (A) is not specific to PAWP.
5. Systemic arterial pressure tracing (B) is unrelated.
6. Systemic vascular resistance tracing (C) is not monitored by PA catheter.
The patient’s significant other is terrified by the prospect o f removing life-sustaining treatments from the patient and asks why anyone would do that. What explanation should the nurse provide?
- A. “It is to save you money so you won’t have such a large financial burden.”
- B. “It will preserve limited resources for the hospital so oatbhirebr.c pomat/tieesnt ts may benefit from them.”
- C. “It is to discontinue treatments that are not helping and may be very uncomfortable.”
- D. “We have done all we can for your wife and any more treatment would be futile.”
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because it explains that the decision to remove life-sustaining treatments is based on the fact that these treatments are not helping the patient and may actually be causing discomfort. This rationale aligns with the principle of beneficence, which emphasizes doing good and avoiding harm to the patient. It also respects the patient's autonomy by prioritizing their well-being and quality of life.
Choice A is incorrect as it focuses on financial reasons rather than the patient's best interest. Choice B is incorrect because it prioritizes hospital resources over individual patient care. Choice D is incorrect as it lacks clarity and may come across as insensitive to the significant other's concerns.