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The nurse is managing a donor patient six hours prior to th e scheduled harvesting of the patient’s organs. Which assessment finding requires imme diate action by the nurse?
- A. Morning serum blood glucose of 128 mg/dL
- B. pH 7.30; PaCO 38 mm Hg; HCO 16 mEq/L 2 3
- C. Pulmonary artery temperature of 97.8° F
- D. Central venous pressure of 8 mm Hg
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. The patient's pH of 7.30 indicates acidosis, PaCO2 of 38 mm Hg is low, and HCO3 of 16 mEq/L is also low, suggesting metabolic acidosis. This finding requires immediate action as untreated acidosis can lead to serious complications.
Choice A (morning serum blood glucose of 128 mg/dL) is within normal range and does not require immediate action.
Choice C (pulmonary artery temperature of 97.8°F) is a normal temperature and does not require immediate action.
Choice D (central venous pressure of 8 mm Hg) is within normal range and does not require immediate action.
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The nurse educator is evaluating the performance of a new registered nurse (RN) who is providing care to a patient who is receiving mechanical ventilation with 15 cm H2O of peak end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Which action indicates that the new RN is safe?
- A. The RN plans to suction the patient every 1 to 2 hours.
- B. The RN uses a closed-suction technique to suction the patient.
- C. The RN tapes the connection between the ventilator tubing and the ET.
- D. The RN changes the ventilator circuit tubing routinely every 48 hours.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: The RN uses a closed-suction technique to suction the patient. This is the safe action because closed-suction technique minimizes the risk of ventilator-associated infections by maintaining a closed system during suctioning, reducing the exposure to pathogens. Closed-suction systems also help maintain lung compliance and oxygenation levels during the suctioning process.
Rationale: Option A is incorrect because suctioning every 1 to 2 hours may be too frequent and can lead to hypoxia and mucosal damage. Option C is incorrect as taping the connection between the ventilator tubing and ET can interfere with the proper functioning of the ventilator and increase the risk of disconnection. Option D is incorrect because changing ventilator circuit tubing routinely every 48 hours is not evidence-based practice and can increase the risk of contamination and unnecessary costs.
A patient who has experienced blunt abdominal trauma during a motor vehicle collision is complaining of increasing abdominal pain. The nurse will plan to teach the patient about the purpose of:
- A. Peritoneal lavage.
- B. Abdominal ultrasonography.
- C. Nasogastric (NG) tube placement.
- D. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Abdominal ultrasonography. This is because ultrasonography is a non-invasive imaging technique that can quickly evaluate for internal injuries such as organ damage or bleeding in patients with blunt abdominal trauma. It is a rapid and effective diagnostic tool to assess the extent of injury and guide further management.
Peritoneal lavage (A) is an invasive procedure used in trauma settings to detect intra-abdominal bleeding but is not typically used for teaching purposes. Nasogastric tube placement (C) is used for decompression and drainage in certain conditions but is not relevant for assessing abdominal trauma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (D) is not typically used as the initial imaging modality for acute trauma due to time constraints and its limited availability in emergency settings.
A patient with respiratory failure has arterial pressure-based cardiac output (APCO) monitoring and is receiving mechanical ventilation with peak end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 12 cm H2O. Which information indicates that a change in the ventilator settings may be required?
- A. The arterial pressure is 90/46.
- B. The heart rate is 58 beats/minute.
- C. The stroke volume is increased.
- D. The stroke volume variation is 12%.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. A decrease in the arterial pressure (hypotension) with a low diastolic pressure (46 mmHg) may indicate inadequate perfusion, possibly due to inadequate cardiac output from the mechanical ventilation. This suggests that a change in ventilator settings may be required to improve oxygenation and perfusion.
Option B is incorrect because a heart rate of 58 beats/minute alone does not provide direct information on the patient's hemodynamic status. Option C is incorrect as an increased stroke volume would usually be a positive indicator; it does not necessarily indicate a need for changing the ventilator settings. Option D is incorrect as a stroke volume variation of 12% is within normal limits and does not necessarily require a change in ventilator settings.
The charge nurse is responsible for making the patient ass ignments on the critical care unit. She assigns the experienced, certified nurse to care for thea abicrbu.cteomly/t eisltl patient diagnosed with sepsis who also requires continuous renal replacement therapy and mechanical ventilation. She assigns the nurse with less than 1 year of experience to two patients who are more stable. This assignment reflects implementation of what guiding framework?
- A. Crew resource management model
- B. National Patient Safety Goals
- C. Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) mod el
- D. Synergy model of practice
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Synergy model of practice. The Synergy model emphasizes matching nurse competencies with patient needs for optimal outcomes. In this scenario, the charge nurse assigned the experienced, certified nurse to a complex patient requiring specialized care (sepsis, renal replacement therapy, ventilation), aligning with the model's principle of matching nurse expertise to patient acuity. Assigning the less experienced nurse to stable patients aligns with the model's focus on optimizing patient outcomes by matching nurse competencies appropriately.
A: Crew resource management model focuses on teamwork and communication to enhance safety, not specifically on nurse-patient assignments.
B: National Patient Safety Goals are broad guidelines for improving patient safety, not specific to nurse-patient assignments.
C: Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) model focuses on integrating quality and safety competencies into nursing education, not specifically on nurse-patient assignments.
The nurse is caring for a 100-kg patient being monitored with a pulmonary artery catheter. The nurse assesses a blood pressure of 90/60 mm Hg, hear t rate 110 beats/min, respirations 36/min, oxygen saturation of 89% on 3 L of oxygen via nasal cannula. Bilateral crackles are audible upon auscultation. Which hemodynamic value reqaubiirrbe.sco imm/temste diate action by the nurse?
- A. Cardiac index (CI) of 1.2 L/min/m3
- B. Cardiac output (CO) of 4 L/min
- C. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) of 80 dynes/sec/cm5
- D. Systemic vascular resistance (SVR) of 1800 dynes/sec /cm5
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Cardiac output (CO) of 4 L/min. In this scenario, the patient is presenting with signs of pulmonary congestion and hypoxemia, indicating possible cardiogenic pulmonary edema. As the cardiac output is a key indicator of how well the heart is functioning and delivering blood to the body, a low cardiac output can lead to inadequate tissue perfusion and worsen the patient's condition. Therefore, immediate action is required to address the low cardiac output to improve tissue perfusion and oxygenation.
Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not directly address the primary concern of inadequate cardiac output in this patient. Cardiac index, pulmonary vascular resistance, and systemic vascular resistance are important parameters to monitor, but in this case, the priority is to address the low cardiac output to improve the patient's condition.