The nurse admits a client who is bleeding freely from a scalp laceration that resulted from a fall. The nurse should take which action first in the care of this wound?
- A. Prepare for suturing the area.
- B. Determine when the client last had a tetanus vaccine.
- C. Cleanse the wound by flushing with sterile normal saline.
- D. Apply direct pressure to the laceration to stop the bleeding.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In the presence of active bleeding from a scalp laceration, the priority is to control the bleeding to prevent further blood loss and stabilize the client. Applying direct pressure to the laceration is the most effective initial action to achieve this. Preparing for suturing, determining tetanus vaccine status, and cleansing the wound are important but secondary actions that follow after bleeding is controlled.
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The nurse is caring for a client prescribed digoxin. Which manifestations correlate with a digoxin level of 2.3 ng/dL (2.93 nmol/L)? Select all that apply.
- A. Nausea
- B. Drowsiness
- C. Photophobia
- D. Increased appetite
- E. Increased energy level
- F. Seeing halos around bright objects
Correct Answer: A,B,C,F
Rationale: Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside used to manage and treat heart failure, control ventricular rate in clients with atrial fibrillation, and treat and prevent recurrent paroxysmal atrial tachycardia. The therapeutic range is 0.8 to 2.0 ng/mL (1.02 to 2.56 nmol/L). Signs of toxicity include gastrointestinal disturbances, including anorexia, nausea, and vomiting; neurological abnormalities such as fatigue, headache, depression, weakness, drowsiness, confusion, and nightmares; facial pain; personality changes; and ocular disturbances such as photophobia, halos around bright lights, and yellow or green color perception.
An infant diagnosed with spina bifida cystica (meningomyelocele type) has had the sac surgically removed. The nurse plans which intervention in the postoperative period to maintain the infant's safety?
- A. Covering the back dressing with a binder
- B. Placing the infant in a head-down position
- C. Strapping the infant in a baby seat sitting up
- D. Elevating the head with the infant in the prone position
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Spina bifida is a central nervous system defect that results from failure of the neural tube to close during embryonic development. Care of the operative site is carried out under the direction of the surgeon and includes close observation for signs of leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. The prone position is maintained after surgical closure to decrease the pressure on the surgical site on the back; however, many neurosurgeons allow side-lying or partial side-lying position unless it aggravates a coexisting hip dysplasia or permits undesirable hip flexion. Elevating the head will decrease the chance of cerebrospinal fluid collecting in the cranial cavity.
A client newly diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease asks the nurse to explain again what the most serious complication of the disorder might be. The nurse will provide the client with information concerning which condition?
- A. Diabetes insipidus
- B. End-stage renal disease (ESRD)
- C. Chronic urinary tract infection (UTI)
- D. Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In polycystic kidney disease, cystic formation and hypertrophy of the kidneys occur. The most serious complication of polycystic kidney disease is ESRD, which is managed with dialysis or transplant. There is no reliable way to predict who will ultimately progress to ESRD. Chronic UTIs are the most common complication because of the altered anatomy of the kidney and from development of resistant strains of bacteria. Diabetes insipidus and SIADH secretion are unrelated disorders.
The nurse creates a discharge plan for a client diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. Which instructions should the nurse include in the plan? Select all that apply.
- A. Wear support or elastic stockings.
- B. Wear well-fitted shoes and walk barefoot when at home.
- C. Wear dark-colored stockings or socks and change them daily.
- D. Use a heating pad set at low setting on the feet if they feel cold.
- E. Apply lanolin or lubricating lotion to the legs and feet once or twice daily.
- F. Wash the feet and legs with mild soap and water and rinse and dry them well.
Correct Answer: A,E,F
Rationale: Peripheral neuropathy is any functional or organic disorder of the peripheral nervous system. Clinical manifestations can include muscle weakness, stabbing pain, paresthesia or loss of sensation, impaired reflexes, and autonomic manifestations. Home care instructions include wearing support or elastic stockings for dependent edema, applying lanolin or lubricating lotion to the legs and feet once or twice daily, washing the feet and legs with mild soap and water and rinsing and drying them well, inspecting the legs and feet daily and reporting any skin changes or open areas to the primary health care provider.
A client is admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The nurse notes that in the first hour after admission, the mediastinal chest tube drainage was 75 mL. During the second hour, the drainage has dropped to 5 mL. The nurse interprets this data and implements which intervention?
- A. Identifies that the tube is draining normally
- B. Assesses the tube to locate a possible occlusion
- C. Auscultates the lungs for appropriate bilateral expansion
- D. Assists the client with frequent coughing and deep breathing
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: After CABG surgery, chest tube drainage should not exceed 100 to 150 mL per hour during the first 2 hours postoperatively, and approximately 500 mL of drainage is expected in the first 24 hours after CABG surgery. The sudden drop in drainage between the first and second hour indicates that the tube is possibly occluded and requires further assessment by the nurse. Options 1, 3, and 4 are incorrect interventions.
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