When ethical dilemmas arise, what should newly licensed nurses expect and identify as an ethical dilemma?
- A. A nurse on a medical-surgical unit demonstrates signs of chemical impairment.
- B. A nurse overhears another nurse telling an older adult client that if he doesn't stay in bed, she will have to apply restraints.
- C. A family has conflicting feelings about the initiation of enteral tube feedings for their father, who is terminally ill.
- D. A client who is terminally ill hesitates to name their partner on their durable power of attorney form.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An ethical dilemma involves a situation where there are conflicting values or principles that make it difficult to make a clear decision. In the given scenarios, option C best represents an ethical dilemma as the family has conflicting feelings about initiating enteral tube feedings for their terminally ill father. This situation presents a clash between different values and beliefs, making it challenging to reach a resolution. Options A, B, and D do not illustrate conflicting values or principles that characterize an ethical dilemma. Option A describes a nurse's impairment, which is a concern but not a direct ethical dilemma. Option B depicts a potential breach of client autonomy and restraint use, which is an ethical issue but not a true ethical dilemma. Option D involves a client's personal decision regarding a durable power of attorney form, which, although important, does not present conflicting values or principles that define an ethical dilemma.
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When preparing for a change of shift, which document or tools should a healthcare provider use to communicate?
- A. SBAR
- B. SOAP
- C. PIE
- D. DAR
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) is a structured method for communicating information during shift changes. SBAR provides a clear and concise way for healthcare providers to communicate important details about a patient's condition, ensuring that essential information is effectively transferred between providers. Choice B, SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan), is a method primarily used for documentation in patient charts, not for shift change communication. Choice C, PIE (Problem, Intervention, Evaluation), is a nursing process format for organizing nursing care that focuses on individualized patient care plans, not shift handoff communication. Choice D, DAR (Data, Action, Response), is not a standard format for provider-to-provider handoff communication and is less commonly used in healthcare settings compared to SBAR.
A client is 6 hours postoperative following abdominal surgery and is having difficulty voiding. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- A. Allow the client to hear running water while attempting to void
- B. Provide the client with a bedpan while sitting upright
- C. Insert an indwelling urinary catheter and connect it to gravity drainage
- D. Encourage the client to limit fluid intake
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to take in this situation is to allow the client to hear running water while attempting to void. This can help stimulate the urge to urinate in a non-invasive way, promoting natural voiding. Providing a bedpan while sitting upright is also a suitable approach to facilitate voiding by encouraging a more natural position. Inserting an indwelling urinary catheter should be a last resort due to infection risks and discomfort associated with catheterization. Encouraging the client to limit fluid intake is not appropriate as hydration is crucial for overall health and can aid in promoting voiding. Therefore, the best initial intervention to promote voiding in this scenario is to allow the client to hear running water.
While starting an intravenous infusion (IV) for a client, the nurse notices that her gloved hands get spotted with blood. The client has not been diagnosed with any infection transmitted via the bloodstream. Which of the following should the nurse do as soon as the task is completed?
- A. Remove the gloves carefully and follow with hand hygiene
- B. Change gloves and continue
- C. Wash hands immediately without removing gloves
- D. Report the incident to the supervisor
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: After completing the task, the nurse should remove the gloves carefully and follow with hand hygiene. This practice is crucial to prevent the transmission of any potential pathogens, maintain cleanliness, and reduce the risk of infection. Changing gloves and continuing without proper hand hygiene may lead to contamination. Washing hands immediately without removing gloves is not recommended as it does not ensure thorough hand hygiene. Reporting the incident to the supervisor should be done if there are specific protocols in place for such incidents, but immediate hand hygiene is the priority in this scenario to ensure patient and nurse safety.
A client with a history of atrial fibrillation is receiving warfarin (Coumadin). Which laboratory value should the LPN/LVN monitor closely while the client is taking this medication?
- A. Blood glucose level
- B. Prothrombin time (PT) and INR
- C. Serum potassium level
- D. Serum creatinine level
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The LPN/LVN should closely monitor Prothrombin time (PT) and INR (Choice B) levels in a client receiving warfarin. These values are crucial to ensure the medication's effectiveness and prevent complications like bleeding. Monitoring blood glucose level (Choice A) is not directly relevant to warfarin therapy. While serum potassium level (Choice C) and serum creatinine level (Choice D) are important for other conditions or medications, they are not specifically required to be monitored when a client is on warfarin.
The patient diagnosed with athlete's foot (tinea pedis) states that he is relieved because it is only athlete's foot, and it can be treated easily. Which information about this condition should the nurse consider when formulating a response to the patient?
- A. It is contagious with frequent recurrences.
- B. It is most helpful to air-dry feet after bathing.
- C. It is treated with salicylic acid.
- D. It is caused by lice.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, is a contagious fungal infection that can easily spread to other body parts, particularly the hands. It often recurs if not properly treated, making choice A the correct answer. Choices B and C are incorrect because while it is beneficial to air-dry feet after bathing to prevent moisture buildup, athlete's foot is commonly treated with antifungal medications, not salicylic acid. Choice D is incorrect because athlete's foot is caused by a fungal infection, not lice.