What is the most important nursing intervention when caring for a patient with a wound?
- A. Apply an occlusive dressing over the wound.
- B. Clean the wound with normal saline.
- C. Administer antibiotics as prescribed.
- D. Reassess the wound every 4 hours for changes.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The most important nursing intervention when caring for a patient with a wound is to clean the wound with normal saline. This is crucial for preventing infection and promoting healing. Applying an occlusive dressing (Choice A) can be important but should come after cleaning the wound. Administering antibiotics (Choice C) is not the first-line intervention for all wounds and should be based on the healthcare provider's prescription. Reassessing the wound (Choice D) is essential but not the most important initial intervention.
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In a disaster where a building has collapsed, which victim should a nurse attend to first?
- A. A victim who has died of multiple serious injuries
- B. A victim with a partial amputation of a leg who is bleeding profusely
- C. An alert victim who has numerous bruises on the arms and legs
- D. A hysterical victim who has sustained a head injury
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In a disaster situation like a building collapse, the nurse should attend to the victim with a partial amputation of a leg who is bleeding profusely first. This victim is at immediate risk of severe blood loss, which can be life-threatening. It is crucial to address life-threatening injuries like severe bleeding before attending to other less urgent cases. The victim with the amputation requires immediate intervention to control bleeding and stabilize their condition. Victims who are already deceased or have less urgent injuries can be attended to after addressing the critical cases.
A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is being cared for by a nurse. What is the most appropriate action to improve the patient's oxygenation?
- A. Encourage the patient to use incentive spirometry.
- B. Administer oxygen via nasal cannula as prescribed.
- C. Assist the patient with coughing and deep breathing exercises.
- D. Position the patient in a high Fowler's position.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Administering oxygen via nasal cannula as prescribed is the most appropriate action to improve the patient's oxygenation in COPD. Oxygen therapy helps maintain adequate oxygen levels in the blood, which is crucial for managing COPD. Encouraging the use of incentive spirometry, assisting with coughing and deep breathing exercises, and positioning the patient in high Fowler's position are all beneficial interventions, but administering oxygen is the priority for immediate oxygenation support in COPD.
A client who is 97 years old has successfully been treated for heart failure and is found not breathing. There is no DNR order in place. What should the nurse do?
- A. Notify the family and await further instructions.
- B. Initiate CPR and call for emergency assistance.
- C. Allow the family to make decisions about care.
- D. Follow the family's wishes and perform no interventions.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In this scenario, with no DNR order in place and the client not breathing, the nurse should initiate CPR and call for emergency assistance. Option A is incorrect as immediate action is required in the absence of breathing. Option C is incorrect as the nurse should act promptly to provide life-saving measures. Option D is incorrect because the nurse's primary duty is to provide care in the absence of a directive preventing intervention.
A nurse is caring for a patient with an infection. Which laboratory result is most important to monitor?
- A. White blood cell count (WBC)
- B. C-reactive protein (CRP)
- C. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- D. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: White blood cell count (WBC). Monitoring the white blood cell count is crucial when caring for a patient with an infection as it helps assess the body's response to the infection. An elevated white blood cell count often indicates an active infection or inflammation, while a decreasing count may signal improvement or potential complications. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are nonspecific markers of inflammation and not as specific to monitoring infection progression as the white blood cell count. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels are important for assessing oxygen-carrying capacity and blood volume, but they are not the primary indicators for monitoring infection.
A client with a DNR order has requested resuscitation during a visit from the family. What is the nurse's best course of action?
- A. Follow the family's request and perform CPR.
- B. Explain to the family that the DNR must be honored.
- C. Call the healthcare provider to cancel the DNR order.
- D. Delay resuscitation until further clarification can be made.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct course of action for the nurse is to explain to the family that the DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order must be honored. It is essential for the nurse to uphold the client's wishes as documented in the DNR order. Performing CPR against the client's expressed wishes in the DNR order would violate ethical and legal standards. Calling the healthcare provider to cancel the DNR order without the client's consent is inappropriate and goes against the client's autonomy. Delaying resuscitation can be detrimental in an emergency situation and may not align with the client's wishes as outlined in the DNR order.
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