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The nurse manager of a quality improvement program asks a nurse in the neurological unit to conduct a retrospective audit. Which action should the auditing nurse plan to perform in this type of audit?
- A. Checking the crash cart to ensure that all needed supplies are readily available in case of an emergency
- B. Checking the documentation written by a new nursing graduate on her assigned clients at the end of the shift
- C. Reviewing neurological assessment checklists for all clients on the unit to ensure that these assessments are being conducted as prescribed
- D. Obtaining the assigned medical record from the hospital's medical record room to review documentation made during a client's hospital stay
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Quality improvement, also known as performance improvement, focuses on processes contributing to client safety and care outcomes. Retrospective audits involve reviewing medical records after discharge for compliance with standards. Concurrent audits assess staff compliance during a client's stay. Therefore, obtaining the medical record from the hospital's record room for review is crucial in a retrospective audit. Options A, B, and C are more suited for concurrent audits as they involve real-time assessment during a client's stay.
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Which of the following is true of advanced directives?
- A. They should be appropriately documented in the client's chart.
- B. They are only applicable if the client has a terminal illness.
- C. They are required if the client is unconscious.
- D. They are non-legal requests.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is that advanced directives should be appropriately documented in the client's chart. Advanced directives are legal requests regarding a client's healthcare that come into effect under specific circumstances, regardless of the severity of their illness or level of consciousness. Choice B is incorrect because advanced directives can cover various healthcare decisions, not just terminal illnesses. Choice C is incorrect as advanced directives can be established and documented while the client is conscious, not only if they are unconscious. Choice D is incorrect because advanced directives are indeed legal requests, not non-legal requests.
A health care provider writes a medication prescription in a client's record. While transcribing the prescription, the nurse notes that the prescribed dose is three times higher than the recommended dose. The nurse calls the health care provider, who states that this is the dose that the client takes at home and that it is acceptable for this client's condition. What is the appropriate action for the nurse to take?
- A. Verifying the prescribed dose with the client before administering the medication
- B. Contacting the nursing supervisor
- C. Asking the nurse assigned to care for the client to administer the medication
- D. Continuing to transcribe the prescription
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In this scenario, the nurse has identified a significant discrepancy between the prescribed dose and the recommended dose. While the health care provider has justified the higher dose based on the client's home regimen, the nurse's primary responsibility is to ensure patient safety. If a nurse has concerns about a prescription being incorrect or potentially harmful, they should seek further clarification from the health care provider. Since the nurse still believes the dose is inappropriate after discussing with the health care provider, the next appropriate action is to contact the nursing supervisor. Continuing to transcribe the prescription without addressing the concern could jeopardize the client's safety. Asking another nurse to administer the medication without proper resolution of the dosage concern would also pose a risk to the client. While verifying the prescribed dose with the client is important, in this situation, the nurse should first escalate the issue to the nursing supervisor to ensure appropriate actions are taken.
An LPN on a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) team is tasked with implementing strategies to reduce medication errors. Which of the following strategies would be most beneficial for the LPN to implement?
- A. Track individuals who commit medication errors and report them to administration.
- B. Remind staff of the five rights of medication administration.
- C. Ensure that all staff members are proficient in completing incident reports if a medication error occurs.
- D. Double-check that staff document medication administration in the electronic medical record.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The most beneficial strategy for the LPN on a CQI team to implement is to ensure that all staff members are proficient in completing incident reports if a medication error occurs. Organized and accurate incident reports are crucial in tracking and understanding why errors occurred. CQI teams utilize incident reports to develop new policies or enhance existing ones to standardize medical processes and reduce errors. Tracking individuals with medication errors (Choice A) may create a culture of blame rather than focusing on system improvements. Reminding staff of the five rights of medication administration (Choice B) is important for knowledge reinforcement but does not directly address the process improvement aspect. Double-checking documentation in the electronic medical record (Choice D) is necessary for accuracy but does not provide the detailed insights obtained from incident reports for process improvement.
A client scheduled for a left mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection is wearing a wedding band on her left ring finger. The nurse should take which action?
- A. Tape the wedding band in place
- B. Ask the client to sign a release freeing the hospital of responsibility if the wedding band is lost during surgery
- C. Explain to the client why the wedding band must be removed
- D. Ask the client whether she would like to remove the wedding band or wear it to surgery
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In most situations, a wedding band may be taped in place and worn during a surgical procedure. However, if there is a possibility that the client will experience swelling of the hand or fingers, the wedding band should be removed. On admission to a healthcare facility, the client is usually asked to sign a form that releases the agency from responsibility if a client's valuables are lost. After a mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection, the client is at risk for lymphedema, which can result in swelling of the arm and hand on the affected side. Therefore, the appropriate nursing action is to ask the client to remove the wedding band and explain why. This ensures the client's safety and prevents potential complications. Option A is incorrect because taping the wedding band may not be sufficient if swelling occurs. Option B is incorrect as it does not address the immediate need to remove the wedding band. Option D is incorrect because it fails to provide the client with the necessary information about the potential risks of wearing the wedding band during surgery.
While working the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift at the long-term care unit, the nurse gathers the nursing staff to listen to the 3 to 11 p.m. intershift report. The nurse notes that a staff member has an odor of alcohol on her breath, slurred speech, and an unsteady gait, suspecting alcohol intoxication. What is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?
- A. Contact the nursing supervisor.
- B. Tell the staff member that she is not allowed to administer medications.
- C. Ask the staff member how much alcohol she has consumed.
- D. Ask the staff member to rest in the nurses' lounge until the effects of the alcohol wear off.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: When a staff member reports to work showing signs of alcohol intoxication, the nurse should objectively note the symptoms and ask a second person to confirm these observations. It is crucial to contact the nursing supervisor immediately. An odor of alcohol, slurred speech, unsteady gait, and errors in judgment are indicators of intoxication, posing a risk to client safety. The staff member should be removed from the client care area. Detailed documentation of the incident is essential, including observations, actions taken, future plans, and the staff member's signature and date on the recorded incident memo. If the staff member refuses to sign, this should be noted by the nurse and a witness. Asking the staff member to rest in the nurses' lounge or restricting medication administration does not ensure client safety, as the staff member could still jeopardize it. Inquiring about the amount of alcohol consumed is confrontational and not relevant to the immediate need of ensuring safety.