Outcome & Planning: Fundamentals
A nurse caring for a client admitted with a deep vein thrombosis is individualizing a prepared plan of care that identifies nursing diagnoses, outcomes, and related nursing interventions common to this condition. What type of tool is the nurse using? A standardized care plan An order set Guidelines An algorithm
A standardized care plan Explanation: Standardized care plans are prepared plans of care that identify nursing diagnoses, outcomes, and related nursing interventions common to a specific population or health problem. An algorithm in nursing is a set of developed evidence-based clinical practice guidelines that guides nursing interventions. A guideline is a statement by which to determine a course of action. An order set is a predetermined set of orders by a prescriber that dictates care of the client.
The nurse admitting a client with a new diagnosis of diverticulitis plans to teach the client about managing the disorder after discharge. What nursing intervention most completely meets the client's needs? Start from client's knowledge, teach about diet modifications, and check for learning. Present the client with videos and books about diet changes that reduce inflammation. Ask the client's learning style, then teach diet information using that style. Answer the client's questions about diet alterations, and then evaluate understanding.
Start from client's knowledge, teach about diet modifications, and check for learning. Explanation: The nursing interventions written to assist a client to meet an outcome must be comprehensive. Comprehensive nursing interventions specify what assessments need to be made and what nursing interventions, including teaching, counseling, and advocacy, need to be done. They should also include evaluation of the outcome of the intervention. "Start from client's knowledge, teach about diet modifications, and check for learning" provides the most comprehensive intervention for this client, as it includes assessment of the client's current level of knowledge, teaching, and evaluation of the teaching. None of the other answer options includes all three of these elements.
Following knee surgery a client is unable to bend the leg to put on pants, socks, and shoes. The nurse and client set a long-term goal of independence in bathing and dressing. What intervention by the nurse would be most effective in helping the client attain this goal? -Suggest the client use elastic shoe laces and pull clothes over leg with a grip extender. -Assist the client to put on the clothing that goes over the operated leg. -Tell the client's family to bring in clothes a size larger to make dressing easier. -Arrange for the social worker to schedule home health care with discharge planning.
Suggest the client use elastic shoe laces and pull clothes over leg with a grip extender. Explanation: Nursing interventions designed to promote client independence will implement methods for the client to perform a skill without help. Assistive devices for eating, bathing, dressing, and ambulation are common tools to develop client independence. The other options do not directly promote independent activity.
A nurse is working with a client who is having a difficult time accepting a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The nurse pulls up a chair next to the client's bed and holds the client's hand while listening to the client's story. What type of nursing intervention is the nurse engaging in? Supportive Psychosocial Coordinating Supervisory
Supportive Explanation: Supportive interventions emphasize use of communication skills, relief of spiritual distress, and caring behaviors. Psychosocial interventions focus on resolving emotional, psychological, or social problems. Coordinating interventions involve many different activities, such acting as a client advocate and making referrals for follow-up care. Supervisory interventions refer to overseeing the client's overall health care.
Which is an example of a nurse-initiated intervention? Administer morphine sulfate 2 mg intravenous push every 3 hours as needed for pain. Administer oxygen at 4 L/min per nasal cannula. Administer a 1000-mL soap suds enema. Teach the client how to splint an abdominal incision when coughing and deep breathing.
Teach the client how to splint an abdominal incision when coughing and deep breathing. Explanation: A nurse-initiated intervention is an autonomous action based on scientific rationale that a nurse executes to benefit the client in a predictable way (related to the nursing diagnosis and expected outcomes). Nurse-initiated interventions, such as teaching, do not require a physician's order. A physician's order is required for the nurse to administer drugs (morphine sulfate and oxygen) and enemas.
The expected outcome for a client with a new diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is: "Client will describe appropriate actions when implementing the prescribed medication routine." Which statement by the client indicates the outcome expectation has been met? "I will take the medications until the inflammation goes away." "I will take my medications on an empty stomach for maximum effect." "I should increase water intake if I have dark bowel movements." "I should call my health care provider if I have a sore that won't heal."
"I should call my health care provider if I have a sore that won't heal." Explanation: The primary purpose of a client outcome in a plan of care is to evaluate the successful prevention, reduction, or resolution of client health problems and the attainment of the client's health expectations. A client learning about a new medication routine must learn appropriate actions of administration, storage, and conditions that require contact with the health care provider.
The expected outcome for a client with a new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is: "Client will describe appropriate actions when implementing the prescribed medication routine." Which statement by the client indicates the outcome expectation has been met? "I will take insulin until my blood sugar levels are normal." "I will take my medications between meals for maximum effect." "I will mix insulin glargine with insulin lispro at bedtime." "I will test my glucose level before meals and use sliding scale insulin."
"I will test my glucose level before meals and use sliding scale insulin." Explanation: The primary purpose of a client outcome in a plan of care is to evaluate the successful prevention, reduction, or resolution of client health problems and the attainment of the client's health expectations. A client learning about a new medication routine must learn appropriate actions of administration and storage and conditions that require contact with the health care provider. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease, so the client who takes insulin should not expect to ever achieve a normal blood glucose level without taking insulin. The client should test blood glucose level before, not between, meals. Mixing different types of insulin is not necessary.
The nurse asks if the client with a new diagnosis of lung cancer would like medication to help treat nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The client refuses by saying, "I have smoked since I was 12 years old. I am not going to stop now." What is the appropriate response by the nurse? "You need to stop smoking for us to effectively combat this disease." "Please tell me your thoughts about treating this diagnosis." "Do you want to be discharged without treatment?" "What are your plans after discharge?"
"Please tell me your thoughts about treating this diagnosis." Explanation: In the planning stage of the nursing process, the nurse must focus on the client's interests and preferences, keep an open mind, and include interventions that are supported by research. While the nurse knows that research shows smoking cessation is valuable in successful treatment of lung cancer, the client's choices must be included in the plan for it to be successful. Asking about plans after discharge is too broad and may not elicit the information the nurse needs to design the best plan of care.
A nurse administers an antihypertensive medication according to the standardized plan of care for a client admitted with uncontrolled hypertension. Which assessment information indicates the expected client outcome has been met within the first 24 hours? Client reports no headache. Client is drowsy after lunch. Client is normotensive. Client lipids are within range.
Client is normotensive. Explanation: A specific, expected client outcome is written for each day in a collaborative plan of care. An expected client outcome after 24 hours of treatment for hypertension is to have the blood pressure return to the expected range of between 90/60 and 120/80 mm Hg. The other options do not directly indicate successful control of hypertension.
Which outcome is sufficiently measurable? -Client will tolerate a full fluid diet with no reports of nausea by 12/15/2020. -Client will progress from clear fluid diet to full fluid diet without experiencing nausea. -Increase client's diet from clear fluids to full fluids by 12/15/2020. -Client will maintain adequate intake with no reports of nausea by 12/15/2020.
Client will tolerate a full fluid diet with no reports of nausea by 12/15/2020. Explanation: A fully measurable outcome should include a subject, verb, conditions, performance criteria, and target time (though not every outcome requires each parameter). Only the outcome "Client will tolerate a full fluid diet with no reports of nausea by 12/15/2020" includes all appropriate components. The outcome "Client will progress from clear fluid diet to full fluid diet without experiencing nausea" lacks a target time. The outcome "Increase client's diet from clear fluids to full fluids by 12/15/2016" expresses the outcome as a nursing intervention. The outcome "Client will maintain adequate intake with no reports of nausea by 12/15/2016" does not define the performance criteria sufficiently, because "adequate intake" is an imprecise term.
Which guideline should the nurse follow when including interventions in a plan of care? Make sure the nursing interventions are unrelated to the original outcomes. Date the nursing interventions when written and when the plan of care is reviewed. Make sure the attending physician approves of and signs the nursing interventions. Make sure each nursing intervention does not describe the action the nurse should perform.
Date the nursing interventions when written and when the plan of care is reviewed. Explanation: Nursing interventions describe, and thus communicate to the entire nursing staff and health care team, the specific nursing care to be implemented for the client. Interventions should contain the date, a verb (action to be performed), the subject (who is to do it), and a descriptive phrase (how, when, where, how often, how long, or how much). The interventions should be dated both when written and when the care plan is reviewed. The interventions should directly relate to the outcomes. The physician does not approve and sign the interventions, because they are nursing interventions.
A nurse designs a care plan to improve walking mobility in an older adult client. When the nurse encourages the client to implement the new strategies for ambulation, the client refuses to try and tells the nurse, "I find it easier to use a wheelchair." What action by the nurse may have led to failure to meet the outcome? -Choosing actions that do not solve the problem -Failing to update the written plan of care -Beginning the plan without family to help -Developing the plan without client input
Developing the plan without client input Explanation: Common problems with planning nursing care include failure to involve the client in the planning process, insufficient data collection, use of broadly stated outcomes, stating nursing orders that do not resolve the problem, and failure to update the plan of care. There is no indication that the nurse included strategies in the plan of care that did not solve the client's problem. There is no evidence that the care plan needed to be updated or that the nurse failed to do so. Although family support can be important to achieving client outcomes, not every client outcome requires family support.
A nurse is using a standardized plan of care for a client. Which action would be most important for the nurse to do? Individualize the plan to the client. Expect to modify the plan significantly. Identify the appropriate nursing diagnoses. Include the rationale for the interventions.
Individualize the plan to the client. Explanation: Standardized plans of care are written by a group of nurses who are experts in a given area of practice (e.g., obstetrics, rehabilitation, orthopedics). The plans are written for a client population with a specific medical diagnosis (e.g., total hip replacement, pressure injury, vaginal delivery, coronary artery bypass surgery). These experts identify the most common nursing diagnoses for this client population and write the goals and interventions usually necessary to resolve the problem. Each time a standardized plan of care is used, it must be individualized for a specific client. The danger of a standardized plan of care lies in the fact that it may not fit a specific client. Nurses must make judgments as to the degree to which standardized plans should be modified or whether they should not be used in individual cases. With a standardized plan of care, the most common nursing diagnoses have already been identified. Rationales are typically not included on clinical plans of care.
Which statement correctly describes a nurse-initiated intervention? -Nurse-initiated interventions are derived from the nursing diagnosis. -Nurse-initiated interventions require a physician's order. -Nurse-initiated interventions are actions deemed to have a low risk of harm to the client. -Nurse-initiated interventions are actions performed to diagnose a medical problem.
Nurse-initiated interventions are derived from the nursing diagnosis. Explanation: Nurse-initiated interventions, like client goals, are derived from the nursing diagnosis and do not require a physician's order. But whereas the problem statement of the diagnosis suggests the client goals, it is the cause of the problem (etiology) that suggests the nursing interventions. Nurse-initiated interventions do not necessarily pose a low risk of harm to the client. They are not performed to diagnose any problem, medical or otherwise, but to help prevent or resolve a problem identified in a nursing diagnosis and thereby to achieve the related expected client outcome.
What is true of nursing responsibilities with regard to a physician-initiated intervention (physician's order)? Nurses do not carry out physician-initiated interventions. Nurses do carry out interventions in response to a physician's order. Nurses are responsible for reminding physicians to implement orders. Nurses are not legally responsible for these interventions.
Nurses do carry out interventions in response to a physician's order. Explanation: A physician-initiated intervention is initiated in response to a medical diagnosis, but carried out by a nurse in response to a doctor's order. Both the physician and the nurse are legally responsible for these interventions. Although nurses are not responsible for reminding physicians to implement orders, nurses may request a physician to implement an order or question an existing order by the physician if the nurse believes it is in the client's best interests.
A client's diagnosis of breast cancer necessitates a bilateral mastectomy and breast reconstruction with tissue expanders. The nurse recognizes that the client's surgery will have a significant impact on the client's activities of daily living (ADLs) during the period of recovery. When should the nurse begin discharge planning to address this client's ADLs? -On the client's admission to the hospital -Once the client has received a discharge order -As soon as possible after the client's surgery -Once the client is admitted to the nursing unit from postanesthetic recovery
On the client's admission to the hospital Explanation: Discharge planning should begin when a client is admitted for treatment. All the other times listed are too late and are not consistent with a client who is able to understand the process of the hospitalization.
A nurse is caring for a client with congestive heart failure. The nurse manager informs the nurse that the client was enrolled in a clinical trial to assess whether a 10-minute walk, three times per day, leads to expedited discharge. What type of evaluation best describes what the researchers are examining? Process Structure Outcome Cost-effectiveness
Outcome Explanation: An outcome evaluation determines the extent to which a client's behavioral response to a nursing intervention reflects the expected client outcome. A broad view of evaluation in health care includes three approaches, directed toward structure, process, and outcome, depending on the focus of evaluation and the criteria or standards being used. Process/implementation evaluation determines whether program activities have been implemented as intended. Cost-effectiveness evaluation compares the relative costs to the outcomes (effects) of two or more courses of action. Structure evaluation assesses the effectiveness of various health care structures.
When a nurse assists a postoperative client to the chair, which type of nursing intervention does this represent? Maintenance Surveillance Psychomotor Psychosocial
Psychomotor Explanation: Psychomotor interventions include activities such as positioning, inserting, and applying. A psychosocial intervention focuses on supporting, exploring, and encouraging. Maintenance and surveillance are monitoring interventions.
The nurse has identified the following outcome for the client: The client will have a soft, formed stool. Which error has the nurse made in writing the outcome? The nurse has not made any error in writing the outcome. The nurse has omitted the time frame. The nurse has omitted the defining characteristics. The outcome should indicate what the nurse will do.
The nurse has omitted the time frame. Explanation: Outcomes are client-centered, use action verbs, identify measurable performance criteria, and include a time frame as to when the outcome should be achieved. The time frame has been omitted. Defining characteristics are a component of the nursing diagnosis, not a client outcome. Because outcomes are client-centered, they describe what the client will do, not what the nurse will do.
The nurse is considering the needs of the postoperative client in the home setting. The nurse is performing: discharge planning. initial planning. ongoing planning. comprehensive planning.
discharge planning. Explanation: Discharge planning begins at the time of admission with the nurse teaching the client and family specific skills necessary for self-care behaviors in the home. Comprehensive planning occurs from time of admission to time of discharge and includes initial, ongoing, and discharge planning. Initial planning is done at time of admission based on the nurse's admission assessment. Ongoing planning is conducted by any nurse caring for the client throughout the nurse-client relationship.
