What should the nurse assess first in a client with severe abdominal pain?
- A. Assess vital signs
- B. Administer oxygen
- C. Perform an ECG
- D. Monitor serum glucose levels
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Assess vital signs. Vital signs provide crucial information on the client's overall condition and can help identify any life-threatening issues. Monitoring vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature can guide immediate interventions and determine the urgency of further assessments or treatments. Administering oxygen (B) would be appropriate after assessing vital signs. Performing an ECG (C) may be indicated later but is not the priority in this acute situation. Monitoring serum glucose levels (D) is not typically the first assessment in a client with severe abdominal pain.
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When observing a patient's verbal and nonverbal communication, the nurse notices a discrepancy. Which of the following statements about this situation is true?
- A. The nurse should focus on the patient's verbal message and try to ignore the nonverbal behaviors.
- B. The nurse should ask someone who knows the patient well to help interpret this discrepancy.
- C. The nurse should try to integrate the verbal and nonverbal messages and then interpret them as an 'average.'
- D. The nurse should focus on the patient's nonverbal behaviors because these are often more reflective of a patient's true feelings.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because asking someone who knows the patient well can provide valuable insight into the meaning behind the verbal and nonverbal communication discrepancy. This helps in understanding the context and potential reasons for the inconsistency. Option A is incorrect as ignoring nonverbal behaviors can lead to missing important cues. Option C of interpreting messages as an 'average' may oversimplify the complexity of communication. Option D is incorrect as while nonverbal behaviors can provide valuable information, solely focusing on them may not give a complete understanding of the situation.
What should be the nurse's first action for a client who has sustained a spinal cord injury?
- A. Immobilize the spine
- B. Assess the client's airway
- C. Place the client in a supine position
- D. Encourage deep breathing
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Place the client in a supine position. This is the first action because it helps prevent further injury to the spinal cord by maintaining alignment. Immobilizing the spine (choice A) is important but should come after placing the client in a supine position. Assessing the client's airway (choice B) is crucial but not the first action in a spinal cord injury. Encouraging deep breathing (choice D) is not appropriate as the priority is to stabilize the spine. In summary, placing the client in a supine position is the initial step to prevent worsening of the spinal cord injury, while the other choices are important but secondary actions.
What is the most appropriate nursing action for a client with suspected peritonitis?
- A. Administer antibiotics
- B. Administer analgesics
- C. Apply an ice pack
- D. Perform a laparotomy
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Administer antibiotics. Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum often caused by infection. Administering antibiotics is crucial to combat the infection. It is important to treat the underlying cause first before focusing on symptom management. Administering analgesics (B) may provide temporary relief but won't address the infection. Applying an ice pack (C) is not appropriate for peritonitis as it won't treat the infection. Performing a laparotomy (D) is a surgical procedure that may be necessary in severe cases but is not the initial nursing action.
A nurse is caring for a patient with hypertension. The nurse should monitor for which of the following complications?
- A. Heart failure.
- B. Chronic kidney disease.
- C. Stroke.
- D. All of the above.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Hypertension can lead to various complications affecting the heart, kidneys, and brain. Monitoring for heart failure is crucial due to the increased workload on the heart. Chronic kidney disease is a common complication of hypertension, as the kidneys are sensitive to changes in blood pressure. Stroke is another significant risk due to the potential damage to blood vessels in the brain. Therefore, monitoring for all these complications is essential in managing a patient with hypertension. Other choices are incorrect as they do not encompass all possible complications of hypertension.
Which is included only in a comprehensive assessment?
- A. Circulatory assessment
- B. Assessment of the airway
- C. Complete health history
- D. Disability assessment
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Complete health history. In a comprehensive assessment, obtaining a complete health history is essential to gather information about the patient's past and present health conditions, including medical history, family history, social history, and current symptoms. This information helps the healthcare provider understand the patient's overall health status, identify risk factors, and develop an appropriate treatment plan. Assessing the circulatory system (A) and airway (B) are important components of a physical assessment, but they alone do not constitute a comprehensive assessment. Disability assessment (D) focuses on the functional limitations caused by a disability and is not always included in a comprehensive health assessment.