Nokea
Which action should the nurse take before performing a venipuncture to initiate continuous intravenous (IV) therapy?
- A. Apply a cool compress to the affected area.
- B. Inspect the IV solution and expiration date.
- C. Secure a padded arm board above the IV site.
- D. Apply a tourniquet below the venipuncture site.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: IV solutions should be free of particles or precipitates to prevent trauma to veins or a thromboembolic event; in addition, the nurse avoids administering IV solutions whose expiration date has passed to prevent infection. Cool compresses cause vasoconstriction, making the vein less visible, smaller, and more difficult to puncture. Arm boards are applied after the IV is started and are used only if necessary. A tourniquet is applied above the chosen vein site to halt venous return and engorge the vein; this makes the vein easier to puncture.
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The nurse admits a client who is in sickle cell crisis. The nurse should prepare for which intervention as a priority in the management of the client?
- A. Pain management with an opioid
- B. Intravenous fluid therapy
- C. Oxygen administration
- D. Blood transfusion
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The priority nursing intervention for a client in sickle cell crisis is to administer supplemental oxygen because the client is hypoxemic, and as a result, the red blood cells change to the sickle shape. In addition, oxygen is the priority because airway and breathing are more important than circulatory needs. The nurse also plans for fluid therapy to promote hydration and reverse the agglutination of sickled cells, opioid analgesics for relief from severe pain, and blood transfusions (rather than iron administration) to increase the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity.
The nurse has completed tracheostomy care for a client whose tracheostomy tube has a nondisposable inner cannula. Which intervention will the nurse implement immediately before reinserting the inner cannula?
- A. Rinsing it in sterile water
- B. Suctioning the client's airway
- C. Tapping it gently against a sterile basin
- D. Drying it with the provided pipe cleaners
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: After washing and rinsing the inner cannula, the nurse taps it dry to remove large water droplets and then uses pipe cleaners specifically for use with a tracheostomy to dry it; then the nurse inserts the cannula into the tracheostomy and turns it clockwise to lock it into place. The nurse should avoid shaking or tapping the inner cannula to prevent contamination. A wet cannula should not be inserted into a tracheostomy because water is a lung irritant.
When a client's nasogastric (NG) tube stops draining, which intervention should the nurse implement to maintain client safety?
- A. Instill 10 to 20 mL of fluid to dislodge any clots.
- B. Verify the tube placement according to agency procedure.
- C. Clamp the tube for 2 hours to allow the drainage to accumulate.
- D. Retract the tube by 2 inches to be above and possible obstruction.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: If a client's nasogastric tube stops draining, the nurse verifies placement first to ensure that the tube remains in the stomach. After checking placement and verifying a prescription for tube irrigation, the nurse irrigates the tube with 30 to 60 mL of the fluid per agency procedure. Clamping the tube increases the risk of aspiration and is contraindicated; besides, this intervention cannot unclog a tube. Retracting the tube may displace the tube and place the client at risk for aspiration.
The nurse is planning care for a client with a chest tube attached to a Pleur-Evac drainage system. The nurse should include which interventions in the plan? Select all that apply.
- A. Changing the client's position often
- B. Clamping the chest tube intermittently
- C. Maintaining the collection chamber below the client's waist
- D. Adding water to the suction control chamber as it evaporates
- E. Taping the connection between the chest tube and the drainage system
Correct Answer: A,C,D,E
Rationale: Changing the client's position frequently is necessary to promote drainage and ventilation. Maintaining the system below waist level is indicated to prevent fluid from reentering the pleural space. Adding water to the suction control chamber is an appropriate nursing action and is done as needed to maintain the full suction level prescribed. Taping the connection between the chest tube and system is also indicated to prevent accidental disconnection. To prevent a tension pneumothorax, the nurse avoids clamping the chest tube, unless specifically prescribed. In many facilities, clamping of the chest tube is contraindicated by agency policy.
The nurse is providing care for a client who has just experienced a liver biopsy performed at the bedside. Which position should the nurse place the client in after the biopsy?
- A. Supine with the head elevated on one pillow
- B. Semi-Fowler's with two pillows under the legs
- C. Left side-lying with a small pillow under the puncture site
- D. Right side-lying with a folded towel under the puncture site
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The liver is located on the right side of the body. After a liver biopsy, the nurse positions the client on the right side with a small pillow or folded towel under the puncture site for 2 hours. This position compresses the liver against the abdominal wall at the biopsy site to tamponade bleeding from the puncture site.