Nokea
While the surgical patient is anesthetized, the scrub nurse hears a member of the surgical team make an inappropriate remark about the patients weight. How should the nurse best respond?
- A. Ignore the comment because the patient is unconscious.
- B. Discourage the colleague from making such comments.
- C. Report the comment immediately to a supervisor.
- D. Realize that humor is needed in the workplace.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Patients, whether conscious or unconscious, should not be subjected to excess noise, inappropriate conversation, or, most of all, derogatory comments. The nurse must act as an advocate on behalf of the patient and discourage any such remarks. Reporting to a supervisor, however, is not likely necessary.
You may also like to solve these questions
The circulating nurse will be participating in a 78-year-old patients total hip replacement. Which of the following considerations should the nurse prioritize during the preparation of the patient in the OR?
- A. The patient should be placed in Trendelenburg position.
- B. The patient must be firmly restrained at all times.
- C. Pressure points should be assessed and well padded.
- D. The preoperative shave should be done by the circulating nurse.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The vascular supply should not be obstructed by an awkward position or undue pressure on a body part. During surgical procedures, the patient is at risk for impairment of skin integrity due to a stationary position and immobility. An elderly patient is at an increased risk of injury and impaired skin integrity. A Trendelenburg position is not indicated for this patient. Once anesthetized for a total hip replacement, the patient cannot move; restraints are not necessary. A preoperative shave is not performed; excess hair is removed by means of a clipper.
The OR nurse is participating in the appendectomy of a 20-year-old female patient who has a dangerously low body mass index. The nurse recognizes the patients consequent risk for hypothermia. What action should the nurse implement to prevent the development of hypothermia?
- A. Ensure that IV fluids are warmed to the patients body temperature.
- B. Transfuse packed red blood cells to increase oxygen carrying capacity.
- C. Place warmed bags of normal saline at strategic points around the patients body.
- D. Monitor the patients blood pressure and heart rate vigilantly.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Warmed IV fluids can prevent the development of hypothermia. Applying warmed bags of saline around the patient is not common practice. The patient is not transfused to prevent hypothermia. Blood pressure and heart rate monitoring are important, but do not relate directly to the risk for hypothermia.
As a perioperative nurse, you know that the National Patient Safety Goals have the potential to improve patient outcomes in a wide variety of health care settings. Which of these Goals has the most direct relevance to the OR?
- A. Improve safety related to medication use
- B. Reduce the risk of patient harm resulting from falls
- C. Reduce the incidence of health care-associated infections
- D. Reduce the risk of fires
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The National Patient Safety Goals all pertain to the perioperative areas, but the one with the most direct relevance to the OR is the reduction of the risk of surgical fires.
A circulating nurse provides care in a surgical department that has multiple surgeries scheduled for the day. The nurse should know to monitor which patient most closely during the intraoperative period because of the increased risk for hypothermia?
- A. A 74-year-old woman with a low body mass index
- B. A 17-year-old boy with traumatic injuries
- C. A 45-year-old woman having an abdominal hysterectomy
- D. A 13-year-old girl undergoing craniofacial surgery
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Elderly patients are at greatest risk during surgical procedures because they have an impaired ability to increase their metabolic rate and impaired thermoregulatory mechanisms, which increase susceptibility to hypothermia. The other patients are likely at a lower risk.
The circulating nurse is admitting a patient prior to surgery and proceeds to greet the patient and discuss what the patient can expect in surgery. What aspect of therapeutic communication should the nurse implement?
- A. Wait for the patient to initiate dialogue.
- B. Use medically acceptable terms.
- C. Give preoperative medications prior to discussion.
- D. Use a tone that decreases the patients anxiety.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When discussing what the patient can expect in surgery, the nurse uses basic communication skills, such as touch and eye contact, to reduce anxiety. The nurse should use language the patient can understand. The nurse should not withhold communication until the patient initiates dialogue; the nurse most often needs to initiate and guide dialogue, while still responding to patient leading. Giving medication is not a communication skill.