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The ED nurse admitting a patient with a history of depression is screening the patient for suicide risk. What assessment question should the nurse ask when screening the patient?
- A. How would you describe your mood over the past few days?
- B. Have you ever thought about taking your own life?
- C. How do you think that your life is most likely to end?
- D. How would you rate the severity of your depression right now on a 10-point scale?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Directly asking about suicidal thoughts is essential for risk assessment in depression. Mood, life expectancy, or severity ratings are less specific for suicide screening.
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The triage nurse is working in an ED. A homeless person is admitted during a blizzard with complaints, being unable to reach his feet and lower legs. Core temperature is noted at 33.2°C (91.8°F). The patient is intoxicated with alcohol at the time of admission and is visibly malnourished. What is the triage priority for the nurse in the care of this patient?
- A. Addressing the patient
- B. Addressing hypothermia for the patient's frostbite in his lower extremities
- C. Addressing the patient's alcohol intoxication
- D. Addressing malnutrition in the patient
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A) Addressing hypothermia is the priority. Hypothermia is a systemic, life-threatening condition requiring immediate treatment, while frostbite, intoxication, and alcohol abuse are less acute.
The nurse observes that the family members of a patient who was injured in an accident are blaming each other for the circumstances leading up to the accident. The nurse appropriately lets the family members express their feelings of responsibility, while explaining that there was probably little they could do to prevent the injury. In what stage of crisis is this family?
- A. Anxiety and denial
- B. Remorse and guilt
- C. Anger
- D. Grief
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The family's blame and sense of responsibility indicate remorse and guilt, a stage of crisis where individuals process feelings of fault. This is distinct from anxiety, anger, or grief.
The paramedics bring a patient who has suffered a sexual assault to the ED. What is important for the sexual assault nurse examiner to do when assessing a sexual assault victim?
- A. Respect the patient's privacy during assessment.
- B. Shave all pubic hair for laboratory analysis.
- C. Place items for evidence in plastic bags.
- D. Bathe the patient before the examination.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Respecting privacy minimizes trauma during a sexual assault assessment. Pubic hair is combed, not shaved; evidence goes in paper bags to avoid moisture; and bathing destroys evidence.
A patient is admitted to the ED complaining of abdominal pain. Further assessment of the abdomen reveals signs of peritoneal irritation. What assessment findings would corroborate this diagnosis? Select all that apply.
- A. Ascites
- B. Rebound tenderness
- C. Changes in bowel sounds
- D. Muscular rigidity
- E. Copious diarrhea
Correct Answer: B,C,D
Rationale: Rebound tenderness, altered bowel sounds, and muscular rigidity indicate peritoneal irritation. Ascites and diarrhea are not specific to this condition.
The ED nurse is planning the care of a patient who has been admitted following a sexual assault. The nurse knows that all of the nursing interventions are aimed at what goal?
- A. Encouraging the patient to gain a sense of control over his or her life
- B. Collecting sufficient evidence to secure a criminal conviction
- C. Helping the patient understand that this will not happen again
- D. Encouraging the patient to verbalize what happened during the assault
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Nursing interventions post-sexual assault focus on empowering the patient to regain control, prioritizing emotional recovery over legal outcomes, future safety guarantees, or forced verbalization.