The nurse aware that a shortage of organs exists knows that which statement is true?
- A. Anyone who is comfortable approaching the family sh ould discuss the option of organ donation.
- B. Brain death determination is required before organs ca n be retrieved for transplant.
- C. Donation of selected organs after cardiac death is ethically acceptable.
- D. Family members should consider withdrawing life supapboirbrt.c osmo /ttehsat t the patient can become an organ donor.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Rationale for Correct Answer (B - Brain death determination is required before organs can be retrieved for transplant):
1. Brain death determination is a medical necessity to ensure the organs are viable for transplant.
2. Organs must be retrieved promptly after brain death to maintain their functionality.
3. Brain death criteria ensure that the donor is truly deceased before organ retrieval.
Summary of Why Other Choices are Incorrect:
A: While discussing organ donation is important, comfort level is not the main factor in organ shortage awareness.
C: Donation after cardiac death is ethically acceptable, but it is not directly related to the need for brain death determination.
D: Withdrawing life support solely to become an organ donor is ethically questionable and not a necessary step in organ donation.
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What nursing strategies help families cope with the stress of critical illness? (Select all that apply.)
- A. Asking the family to leave during the morning bath to promote the patient’s privacy.
- B. Encouraging family members to make notes of questio ns they have for the physician during family rounds.
- C. When possible, providing continuity of nursing care.
- D. Providing a daily update of the patient’s condition to the family spokesperson.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Encouraging family members to make notes of questions they have for the physician during family rounds. This strategy helps families cope with the stress of critical illness by empowering them to stay informed and actively participate in the patient's care. By encouraging them to make notes, it promotes effective communication with the healthcare team and ensures that their concerns and questions are addressed promptly.
Other choices are incorrect:
A: Asking the family to leave during the morning bath to promote the patient’s privacy is not a helpful strategy for coping with stress as it may lead to feelings of isolation and lack of involvement in the patient's care.
C: Providing continuity of nursing care is important but may not directly address the family's coping mechanisms during a critical illness.
D: Providing a daily update of the patient’s condition to the family spokesperson is valuable but may not fully address the family's need for active participation and communication with the healthcare team.
When planning the response to the potential use of smallpox as an agent of terrorism, the emergency department (ED) nurse manager will plan to obtain adequate quantities of:
- A. Vaccine.
- B. Atropine.
- C. Antibiotics.
- D. Whole blood.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Vaccine. Smallpox is a contagious and potentially deadly disease caused by the variola virus. The smallpox vaccine is the most effective way to prevent and control the spread of smallpox. By obtaining adequate quantities of the smallpox vaccine, the ED nurse manager can protect healthcare workers and the public from contracting the virus in case of a smallpox bioterrorism event. Atropine (B) is used to treat certain types of nerve agent poisoning, not smallpox. Antibiotics (C) are ineffective against viruses like smallpox. Whole blood (D) is not specifically needed for smallpox treatment.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is being evaluated clianbiircba.clolmy/ tfeostr brain death by a primary care provider. Which assessment findings by the nurse sup port brain death?
- A. Absence of a corneal reflex
- B. Unequal, reactive pupils
- C. Withdrawal from painful stimuli
- D. Core temperature of 100.8° F
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, absence of a corneal reflex, because in brain death, all brainstem reflexes, including the corneal reflex, are absent. This indicates complete loss of brain function. Choice B, unequal reactive pupils, is incorrect as it suggests some level of brainstem function. Choice C, withdrawal from painful stimuli, is also incorrect as it is a spinal reflex and can occur even in the absence of brain function. Choice D, core temperature of 100.8° F, is irrelevant to assessing brain death.
The nurse is caring for a patient admitted with a traumatic brain injury following a motor vehicle crash. The patient’s Glasgow Coma Score is 3 anda binirbte.cromm/ittetset ntly withdraws when painful stimuli are introduced. The patient is ventilator dependent and occasionally takes a spontaneous breath. The primary care provider explains to the family that the patient has severe neurological impairment and it is not expected that the patient will ever recover consciousness. What concept does this situation depict?
- A. An organ donor
- B. Brain death
- C. A persistent vegetative state
- D. Terminally ill
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: A persistent vegetative state. This choice is correct because the patient exhibits minimal responsiveness, only withdrawing to painful stimuli, and lacks meaningful interaction or consciousness. A persistent vegetative state is characterized by preserved wakefulness without awareness, which aligns with the patient's condition.
Choice A: An organ donor is incorrect because the patient's neurological impairment does not necessarily indicate readiness for organ donation.
Choice B: Brain death is incorrect because the patient still exhibits some reflexive responses, indicating a level of brain function beyond brain death.
Choice D: Terminally ill is incorrect as it does not specifically address the patient's neurological status and prognosis, which is better described by a persistent vegetative state.
The nurse is assessing the patient’s pain using the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT). Which of the following assessments would indicate the greatest likelihood of pain and need for nursing intervention?
- A. Absence of vocal sounds
- B. Fighting the ventilator
- C. Moving legs in bed
- D. Relaxed muscles in upper extremities
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Fighting the ventilator. This behavior indicates the patient is experiencing discomfort and struggling against the ventilator, suggesting a high likelihood of pain. The CPOT assesses pain through behaviors like grimacing, vocalization, and muscle tension, which are all present when a patient is fighting the ventilator. Absence of vocal sounds (Choice A) does not necessarily indicate pain as some patients may be silent even when in pain. Moving legs in bed (Choice C) could be due to restlessness rather than pain. Relaxed muscles in upper extremities (Choice D) do not reflect pain as the CPOT focuses on behaviors indicating discomfort.