Nokea
The emergency department (ED) nurse is caring for a client brought in after being found walking around a neighborhood without shoes, confused and disoriented. The nurse should initially
- A. obtain vital signs.
- B. perform a mental status exam.
- C. attempt to locate the client’s family.
- D. request an order for a psychiatry consultation.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Obtaining vital signs (A) is the initial priority to assess for physiological instability (e.g., hypothermia, hypoglycemia) in a confused client. Mental status exam (B), family contact (C), and psychiatry consult (D) follow after ensuring medical stability.
You may also like to solve these questions
The nurse is caring for assigned clients. The nurse should first assess the client
- A. with a right femur fracture who reports pain rated as 4 on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain).
- B. with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who is reporting shortness of breath while ambulating in the hallway.
- C. with a history of T6 spinal injury 6 months ago, now reports a severe headache and is diaphoretic.
- D. one day postoperative from an open cholecystectomy with green drainage from the t-tube.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Severe headache and diaphoresis in a T6 spinal injury (C) suggest autonomic dysreflexia, a life-threatening emergency. COPD shortness of breath (B), femur fracture pain (A), and t-tube drainage (D) are less urgent.
The nurse is caring for a group of clients in the emergency department. Which client situation requires immediate follow-up? A client
- A. transdermal nitroglycerin applied for angina and newly nits reports a headache.
- B. receiving intravenous fluids for diabetic ketoacidosis and has an outstanding order for a regular insulin infusion.
- C. receiving a continuous infusion of esmolol for an abdominal aortic aneurysm and reports flank pain.
- D. who just received discharge orders and needs teaching on how to care for their fractured radius.
Correct Answer: B,C
Rationale: An outstanding insulin infusion order for diabetic ketoacidosis (B, C) is critical to prevent life-threatening metabolic deterioration. Flank pain with esmolol infusion (A) suggests aneurysm expansion or rupture, also urgent, but insulin (D) is more immediately actionable. Nitrate headaches (A) are common and benign, and discharge teaching (B) is non-urgent.
The nurse is caring for assigned clients. The nurse should initially assess the client who
- A. is recovering from a femoral angioplasty and reports their foot is falling asleep.
- B. has diabetes mellitus and refused their prescribed glargine insulin.
- C. received alteplase three hours ago for a stroke and has a Glasgow Coma Scale of 14.
- D. had a T6 spinal cord injury and has not had a bowel movement since yesterday.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Numbness post-femoral angioplasty (A) suggests vascular compromise, such as occlusion, requiring immediate assessment. Insulin refusal (B), stable GCS post-alteplase (C), and constipation in spinal injury (D) are less urgent.
The nurse in the emergency department (ED) is caring for a client experiencing septic shock. The nurse should prioritize
- A. obtaining an order to insert an indwelling urethral catheter.
- B. monitoring the client's serum white blood cell count and lactic acid.
- C. establishing frequent blood pressure monitoring.
- D. monitoring the client's capillary blood glucose.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Frequent BP monitoring (C) is the priority in septic shock to assess hemodynamic stability and guide fluid/vasopressor therapy, per Surviving Sepsis guidelines. Catheter insertion (A), lab monitoring (B), and glucose checks (D) are secondary to immediate circulatory assessment.
The charge nurse is making assignments in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is making client assignments for a nurse floated from the medical-surgical (med-surg) unit. Which client would be appropriate to assign to the nurse floated from med-surg?
- A. A client with bacteremia who is suspected of developing shock.
- B. A client requiring the titration of intravenous (IV) vasopressors based on hemodynamic monitoring.
- C. A client receiving intravenous (IV) antibiotics and nebulizer treatments for pneumonia.
- D. A client with targeted temperature management three hours after experiencing cardiac arrest.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A client receiving IV antibiotics and nebulizers for pneumonia (C) is stable and aligns with med-surg skills, suitable for a float nurse. Bacteremia with shock (A), vasopressor titration (B), and targeted hypothermia (D) require ICU expertise.