The ED receives a client involved in a motor-vehicle accident. The nurse notes a large hematoma on the right flank. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
- A. Insert an indwelling urinary catheter.
- B. Take the vital signs every 15 minutes.
- C. Monitor the skin turgor every hour.
- D. Mark the edges of the bruised area.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Frequent vital signs assess for hypovolemia from potential internal bleeding (flank hematoma suggests renal or retroperitoneal injury). Catheter, skin turgor, and marking are secondary.
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The nurse is working at a facility where an Ebola client has been admitted. Which action should the nurse take?
- A. Consult the nurse manager regarding the infection-control standards to follow.
- B. Resign immediately and leave the facility.
- C. Watch the television news reports to identify which station has the client.
- D. Participate in a news report about the quality of care provided at the hospital.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Consulting the nurse manager ensures adherence to Ebola-specific infection control (e.g., PPE, isolation). Resigning, watching news, or participating in reports are inappropriate.
The nurse is caring for a client in the ED with abdominal trauma who has had peritoneal lavage. Which intervention should the nurse include in the plan of care?
- A. Assess for the presence of blood, bile, or feces.
- B. Palpate the client for bilateral femoral pulses.
- C. Perform Leopold’s maneuver every eight (8) hours.
- D. Collect information on the client’s dietary history.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Peritoneal lavage detects blood, bile, or feces, indicating internal injury. Femoral pulses, Leopold’s maneuver (pregnancy), and diet history are irrelevant.
The nurse in the emergency department administered an intramuscular antibiotic in the left gluteal muscle to the client with pneumonia who is being discharged home. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
- A. Ask the client about drug allergies.
- B. Obtain a sterile sputum specimen.
- C. Have the client wait for 30 minutes.
- D. Place a warm washcloth on the client’s left hip.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Waiting 30 minutes post-antibiotic monitors for allergic reactions, critical for safety. Allergies should be checked pre-administration, sputum is diagnostic, and warm washcloths are not standard.
The nurse is discharging a client diagnosed with accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Which statement made by the client indicates the need for further teaching?
- A. I should install carbon monoxide detectors in my home.
- B. Having a natural bright-red color to my lips is good.
- C. You cannot smell carbon monoxide, so it can be difficult to detect.
- D. I should have my furnace checked for leaks before turning it on.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Bright-red lips indicate CO poisoning, not health, requiring further teaching. Detectors, odorlessness, and furnace checks are correct preventive measures.
The nurse is assessing the client who suffered a near-drowning event. Which data require immediate intervention?
- A. The onset of pink, frothy sputum.
- B. An oral temperature of 97°F.
- C. An alcohol level of 100 mg/dL.
- D. A heart rate of 100 beats/min.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pink, frothy sputum indicates pulmonary edema, a life-threatening complication requiring immediate intervention. Normal temperature, alcohol levels, and tachycardia are less urgent.