Chapter 8- The Health Care Team
A 76-year-old patient is being treated in hospital for pneumonia and his discharge planning is in progress. The patient had been living with his son and daughter-in-law but they have expressed to the care team that this will no longer be the case. The patient, however, is unable to live independently due to a number of chronic health problems. What member of the care team would be most able to assist the patient with organizing his living situation? A) Social worker B) Psychologist C) Registered nurse (RN) D) Physical therapist (PT)
A
A licensed vocational nurse provides care on an inpatient hospital unit that has a census of 27 beds. The LVN works together with a registered nurse and a nurse's aide to provide care for nine of the patients on the unit, and two similar groups of care providers are responsible for the remaining 18 patients on the unit. What model of nursing care is utilized on this unit? A) Team nursing B) Primary nursing C) Total patient care D) Case method
A
A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has advanced education in a specialty. Which of the following aspects of nursing care is exclusive to the NP role? A) Ordering medications and diagnostic tests B) Meeting the psychosocial needs of patients and families in crisis C) Initiating and maintaining intravenous (IV) access D) Performing care of surgical incisions and traumatic wounds
A
An experienced nurse has recently transitioned from performing bedside care to acting in a case manager role. In this new role, the nurse is participating in the care of a patient who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and who will receive chemotherapy before having surgery. What aspect of this patient's care will most likely be performed by this nurse? A) Organizing the patient's care to minimize cost and maximize benefit. B) Ensuring that the patient's psychosocial and spiritual needs are met during this difficult time. C) Performing dressing (bandage) changes after the patient has surgery. D) Teaching other nurses how to safely handle and administer chemotherapy drugs.
A
An experienced nurse who works in a busy, urban hospital is aware of the importance of multidisciplinary teams. What is the primary benefit of multidisciplinary teams in patient care? A) Multidisciplinary teams make use of different individuals' areas of expertise B) The use of multidisciplinary teams allows health care institutions to employ larger numbers of people. C) Multidisciplinary teams help create a rigidly defined hierarchy in health care settings. D) Multidisciplinary teams help to reduce the workload of physicians and nurses.
A
Administrators of a hospital are considering a fundamental reorganization of the way that care is provided. Nurses and administrators alike should be aware that A) small incremental changes over several years are preferable to a rapid larger change. B) changes to the way that nursing is organized can have profound effects on patient safety. C) every time that nursing delivery models change there is an increase in health care costs. D) it is normally best to maintain the present situation than introduce change.
B
In an effort to promote clarity, the manager of a busy hospital unit has posted a copy of the hospital's organizational chart. What information will be conveyed by this chart? A) Acceptable strategies for organizing patient care B) The specific responsibilities of the key staff members and the lines of authority C) The flow of nursing tasks that should take place over the course of a typical shift D) The correct responses to common events that occur on the unit
B
Kevin is a highly experienced licensed practical nurse who has provided care on an acute medical unit for several years. A registered nurse (RN) who is new on the unit has asked Kevin to flush a patient's central venous catheter (CVC), a task that is outside of Kevin's scope of practice but one that he has often witnessed and feels confident in doing safely. How should Kevin respond to the RN's request? A) Flush the CVC after ensuring the RN is aware of Kevin's qualifications and job title. B) Inform the RN that he cannot flush the CVC because it is outside of his scope of practice. C) Flush the CVC this time, but inform the RN that he cannot do so under normal circumstances. D) Ask the RN to observe his technique while he flushes the CVC.
B
Numerous job opportunities exist for licensed practical/vocational nurses (LP/VNs) who have skills and interests outside of providing direct patient care. Which of the following nursing roles is most likely to be open to an experienced LP/VN? A) Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) B) Nurse Manager C) Team Leader D) Nurse Practitioner (NP)
C
The care of the many residents of a large, long-term care facility is organized according to the functional nursing model. The use of this nursing delivery model has what consequence for residents? A) Each resident is able to develop a close relationship with one particular care provider B) Residents can be confident that every care provider is being held accountable by his or her peers. C) Residents experience efficient, but fragmented care because of the large number of people who care for them. D) Residents must choose what activities they require assistance with on a daily basis.
C
The health care team is made up of a diverse group of individuals who ultimately share a common goal. Members of the health care team, including licensed practical/vocational nurses, prioritize what goal? A) Ensuring that the knowledge and skills that underlie good health care are widely taught. B) Ensuring that health care institutions are sustainable and socially responsible. C) Ensuring that patients, clients, and residents receive excellent health care. D) Ensuring that each member of the health care team is accountable to the other members.
C
A licensed practical nurse has recently begun working in a new setting and has been informed by the unit manager that she will be responsible for admitting a patient who will soon be arriving on the unit. The nurse is unsure of the specific admission process that is used on the unit and was not responsible for admissions in her previous nursing role. How should the nurse respond to the manager's directive? A) Perform the admission to the best of her ability since it is within her scope of practice B) Inform the patient that she is doing an admission for the first time before performing the task C) Delegate the task to an unlicensed care provider who has more experience on the unit D) Ask the manager for further teaching and training about the admission process on the unit
D
A licensed practical nurse has recently graduated from nursing school, passed the NCLEX-PN and secured employment at a long-term care facility. At the facility, the nurse will be providing care along with several unlicensed assistive personnel (UAPs). The nurse should be aware that UAPs are A) graduates of an 8- 10month training program in a college or technical school. B) accountable to their own professional association for the care they provide. C) able to do the same tasks as a licensed practical/vocational nurse. D) able to provide certain aspects of basic patient care under the direction of a nurse.
D
Licensed practical/vocational nurses, as well as the other members of the health care team, require a particular set of skills and personal characteristics. Which of the following personal characteristics is essential in order to be a competent and effective provider of health care? A) Willingness to tell patients and clients what is best for them B) Ability to emotionally disengage in order to remain objective C) Willingness to inflict pain on others D) Ability to keep their personal problems private and to themselves
D
Since being admitted to the hospital with a stroke, a patient has received direct and indirect care from dozens of members of the health care team. What member of the team completed the most postsecondary education in order to provide care for the patient? A) Laboratory technologist B) Dietitian C) Electrocardiograph technician D) Pathologist
D