The nurse is caring for a patient in the postoperative period following an abdominal hysterectomy. The patient states, I dont want to use my pain meds because theyll make me dependent and I wont get better as fast. Which response is most important when explaining the use of pain medication?
- A. You will need the pain medication for at least 1 week to help in your recovery. What do you mean you feel you wont get better faster?
- B. Pain medication will help to decrease your pain and increase your ability to breath. Dependency is a risk with pain medication, but you are young and wont have any problems
- C. Pain medication can be given by mouth to prevent the risk of dependency that you are worried about. The pain medication has not been shown to affect your risk of a slowed recovery
- D. You will move more easily and heal more quickly with decreased pain. Dependence only occurs when it is administered for an extended period of time
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Postoperatively, medications are administered to relieve pain and maintain comfort without increasing the risk of inadequate air exchange. In the responses by the nurse, (response D) addresses the patients concerns about drug dependency and the nurses need to increase the patients ability to move and recover from surgery. The other responses offer incorrect information, such as increasing the patients ability to breathe or specifying the time needed to take the medication. Opioids will cause respiratory depression.
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The nurse is caring for a trauma victim in the ED who will require emergency surgery due to injuries. Before the patient leaves the ED for the OR, the patient goes into cardiac arrest. The nurse assists in the successful resuscitation and proceeds to release the patient to the OR staff. When can the ED nurse perform the preoperative assessment?
- A. When he or she has the opportunity to review the patients electronic health record
- B. When the patient arrives in the OR
- C. When assisting with the resuscitation
- D. Preoperative assessment is not necessary in this case
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The only opportunity for preoperative assessment may take place at the same time as resuscitation in the ED. Preoperative assessment is necessary, but the nurse could not normally enter the OR to perform this assessment. The health record is an inadequate data source.
The nurse is creating the care plan for a 70-year-old obese patient who has been admitted to the postsurgical unit following a colon resection. This patients age and increased body mass index mean that she is at increased risk for what complication in the postoperative period?
- A. Hyperglycemia
- B. Azotemia
- C. Falls
- D. Infection
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Like age, obesity increases the risk and severity of complications associated with surgery. During surgery, fatty tissues are especially susceptible to infection. In addition, obesity increases technical and mechanical problems related to surgery. Therefore, dehiscence (wound separation) and wound infections are more common. A postoperative patient who is obese will not likely be at greater risk for hyperglycemia, azotemia, or falls.
The policies and procedures on a preoperative unit are being amended to bring them closer into alignment with the focus of the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP). What intervention most directly addresses the priorities of the SCIP?
- A. Actions aimed at increasing participation of families in planning care
- B. Actions aimed at preventing surgical site infections
- C. Actions aimed at increasing interdisciplinary collaboration
- D. Actions aimed at promoting the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: SCIP identifies performance measures aimed at preventing surgical complications, including venous thromboembolism (VTE) and surgical site infections (SSI). It does not explicitly address family participation, interdisciplinary collaboration, or CAM.
You are the nurse caring for an unconscious trauma victim who needs emergency surgery. The patient is a 55 -year-old man with an adult son. He is legally divorced and is planning to be remarried in a few weeks. His parents are at the hospital with the other family members. The physician has explained the need for surgery, the procedure to be done, and the risks to the children, the parents, and the fianc. Who should be asked to sign the surgery consent form?
- A. The fianc
- B. The son
- C. The physician, acting as a surrogate
- D. The patients father
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The patient personally signs the consent if of legal age and mentally capable. Permission is otherwise obtained from a surrogate, who most often is a responsible family member (preferably next of kin) or legal guardian. In this instance, the child would be the appropriate person to ask to sign the consent form as he is the closest relative at the hospital. The fianc is not legally related to him as the marriage has not yet taken place. The father would only be asked to sign the consent if no children were present to sign. The physician would not sign if family members were available.
The nurse is preparing a patient for surgery prior to her hysterectomy without oophorectomy. The nurse is witnessing the patients signature on a consent form. Which comment by the patient would best indicate informed consent?
- A. I know Ill be fine because the physician said he has done this procedure hundreds of times
- B. I know Ill have pain after the surgery but theyll do their best to keep it to a minimum
- C. The physician is going to remove my uterus and told me about the risk of bleeding
- D. Because the physician isnt taking my ovaries, Ill still be able to have children
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The surgeon must inform the patient of the benefits, alternatives, possible risks, complications, disfigurement, disability, and removal of body parts as well as what to expect in the early and late postoperative periods. The nurse clarifies the information provided, and, if the patient requests additional information, the nurse notifies the physician. In the correct response, the patient is able to tell the nurse what will occur during the procedure and the associated risks. This indicates the patient has a sufficient understanding of the procedure to provide informed consent. Clarification of information given may be necessary, but no additional information should be given. The other listed statements do not reflect an understanding of the surgery to be performed.
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