End-of-Life, Palliative Care, Spirituality, Pain Saunders NCLEX ch. 5,6,71 (culture, ethics, crisis)
24. The nurse calls the heath care provider (HCP) regarding a new medication prescription because the dosage prescribed is higher than the recommended dosage. The nurse is unable to locate the HCP, and the medication is due to be administered. Which action should the nurse take? 1. Contact the nursing supervisor. 2. Administer the dose prescribed. 3. Hold the medication until the HCP can be contacted. 4. Administer the recommended dose until the HCP can be located.
1. Contact the nursing supervisor. Rationale: If the HCP writes a prescription that requires clarification, the nurse's responsibility is to contact the HCP. If there is no resolution regarding the prescription because the HCP cannot be located or because the prescription remains as it was written after talking with the HCP, the nurse should contact the nurse manager or nursing supervisor for further clarification as to what the next step should be. Under no circumstances should the nurse proceed to carry out the prescription until obtaining clarification.
4. The nurse is providing discharge instructions to a Chinese American client regarding prescribed dietary modifications. During the teaching session, the client continuously turns away from the nurse. The nurse should implement which best action? 1. Continue with the instructions, verifying client understanding. 2. Walk around the client so that the nurse constantly faces the client. 3. Give the client a dietary booklet and return later to continue with the instructions. 4. Tell the client about the importance of the instructions for the maintenance of health care.
1. Continue with the instructions, verifying client understanding. Rationale: Most Chinese Americans maintain a formal distance with others, which is a form of respect. Many Chinese Americans are uncomfortable with face-to-face communications, especially when eye contact is direct. If the client turns away from the nurse during a conversation, the best action is to continue with the conversation. Walking around the client so that the nurse faces the client is in direct conflict with this cultural practice. The client may consider it a rude gesture if the nurse returns later to continue with the explanation. Telling the client about the importance of the instructions for the maintenance of health care may be viewed as degrading. Test-Taking Strategy: Note the
5. A critically ill Hispanic client tells the nurse through an interpreter that she is Roman Catholic and firmly believes in the rituals and traditions of the Catholic faith. Based on the client's statements, which actions by the nurse demonstrate cultural sensitivity and spiritual support? Select all that apply. 1. Ensures that a close kin stays with the client. 2. Makes a referral for a Catholic priest to visit the client. 3. Removes the crucifix from the wall in the client's room. 4. Administers the sacrament of the sick to the client if death is imminent. 5. Offers to provide a means for praying the rosary if the client wishes. 6. Reminds the dietary department that meals served on Fridays during Lent do not contain meat.
1. Ensures that a close kin stays with the client. 2. Makes a referral for a Catholic priest to visit the client. 5. Offers to provide a means for praying the rosary if the client wishes. Rationale: In times of illness, a Roman Catholic client may turn to prayer for spiritual support. This may include rosary prayers or visits from a priest, who is the spiritual leader in the Roman Catholic faith. Close family members usually want to stay with a dying family member in order to hear the wishes of the client, allowing the soul to leave in peace. A priest, not a nurse, would administer the sacrament of the sick. Roman Catholics would not ask for the crucifix to be removed. Members of other religious groups such as Islam or Judaism may request the removal of the crucifix. Dietary rituals are not a concern at this time. Test-Taking Strategy: Focus on the subject, the Roman Catholic religion.
904. The emergency department nurse is caring for an adult client who is a victim of family violence. Which priority instruction should be included in the discharge instructions? 1. Information regarding shelters 2. Instructions regarding calling the police 3. Instructions regarding self-defense classes 4. Explaining the importance of leaving the violent situation
1. Information regarding shelters Rationale: Tertiary prevention of family violence includes assisting the victim after the abuse has already occurred. The nurse should provide the client with information regarding where to obtain help, including a specific plan for removing the self from the abuser and information regarding escape, hotlines, and the location of shelters. An abused person is usually reluctant to call the police. Teaching the victim to fight back is not the appropriate action for the victim when dealing with a violent person. Explaining the importance of leaving the violent situation is important, but a specific plan is necessary.
6. Which clients have a high risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus? Select all that apply. 1. Latino American man 2. Native American man 3. Asian American woman 4. Hispanic American man 5. African American woman
1. Latino American man 2. Native American man 4. Hispanic American man 5. African American woman Rationale: Because of their health and dietary practices, Latino Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans have a high risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Owing to dietary practices, Asian Americans have a lower risk for obesity and diabetes mellitus.
903. The nurse is planning care for a client being admitted to the nursing unit who attempted suicide. Which priority nursing intervention should the nurse include in the plan of care? 1. One-to-one suicide precautions 2. Suicide precautions with 30-minute checks 3. Checking the whereabouts of the client every 15 minutes 4. Asking the client to report suicidal thoughts immediately
1. One-to-one suicide precautions Rationale: One-to-one suicide precautions are required for a client who has attempted suicide. Options 2 and 3 may be appropriate, but not at the present time, considering the situation. Option 4 also may be an appropriate nursing intervention, but the priority is identified in the correct option. The best intervention is constant supervision so that the nurse may intervene as needed if the client attempts to harm himself or herself.
15. The nurse has just assisted a client back to bed after a fall. The nurse and health care provider have assessed the client and have determined that the client is not injured. After completing the incident report, the nurse should implement which action next? 1. Reassess the client. 2. Conduct a staff meeting to describe the fall. 3. Document in the nurse's notes that an incident report was completed. 4. Contact the nursing supervisor to update information regarding the fall.
1. Reassess the client. Rationale: After a client's fall, the nurse must frequently reassess the client because potential complications do not always appear immediately after the fall. The client's fall should be treated as private information and shared on a "need to know" basis. Communication regarding the event should involve only the individuals participating in the client's care. An incident report is a problemsolving document; however, its completion is not documented in the nurse's notes. If the nursing supervisor has been made aware of the incident, the supervisor will contact the nurse if status update is necessary.
1. The ambulatory care nurse is discussing preoperative procedures with a Japanese American client who is scheduled for surgery the following week. During the discussion, the client continually smiles and nods the head. How should the nurse interpret this nonverbal behavior? 1. Reflecting a cultural value 2. An acceptance of the treatment 3. Client agreement to the required procedures 4. Client understanding of the preoperative procedures
1. Reflecting a cultural value Rationale: Nodding or smiling by a Japanese American client may reflect only the cultural value of interpersonal harmony. This nonverbal behavior may not be an indication of acceptance of the treatment, agreement with the speaker, or understanding of the procedure.
900. Which behavior observed by the nurse indicates a suspicion that a depressed adolescent client may be suicidal? 1. The adolescent gives away a DVD and a cherished autographed picture of a performer. 2. The adolescent runs out of the therapy group, swearing at the group leader, and to her room. 3. The adolescent becomes angry while speaking on the telephone and slams down the receiver. 4. The adolescent gets angry with her roommate when the roommate borrows the client's clothes without asking.
1. The adolescent gives away a DVD and a cherished autographed picture of a performer. Rationale: A depressed suicidal client often gives away that which is of value as a way of saying goodbye and wanting to be remembered. Options 2, 3, and 4 deal with anger and acting-out behaviors that are often typical of an adolescent.
20. Which identifies accurate nursing documentation notations? Select all that apply. 1. The client slept through the night. 2. Abdominal wound dressing is dry and intact without drainage. 3. The client seemed angry when awakened for vital sign measurement. 4. The client appears to become anxious when it is time for respiratory treatments. 5. The client's left lower medial leg wound is 3 cm in length without redness, drainage, or edema.
1. The client slept through the night. 2. Abdominal wound dressing is dry and intact without drainage. 5. The client's left lower medial leg wound is 3 cm in length without redness, drainage, or edema. Rationale: Factual documentation contains descriptive, objective information about what the nurse sees, hears, feels, or smells. The use of inferences without supporting factual data is not acceptable because it can be misunderstood. The use of vague terms, such as seemed or appears, is not acceptable because these words suggest that the nurse is stating an opinion.
3. The nurse educator is providing in-service education to the nursing staff regarding transcultural nursing care; a staff member asks the nurse educator to provide an example of the concept of acculturation. The nurse educator should make which most appropriate response? 1. "A group of individuals identifying as a part of the Iroquois tribe among Native Americans." 2. "A person who moves from China to the United States (U.S.) and learns about and adapts to the culture in the U.S." 3. "A group of individuals living in the Azores that identify autonomously but are a part of the larger population of Portugal." 4. "A person who has grown up in the Philippines and chooses to stay there because of the sense of belonging to his or her cultural group."
2. "A person who moves from China to the United States (U.S.) and learns about and adapts to the culture in the U.S." Rationale: Acculturation is a process of learning a different culture to adapt to a new or changing environment. Options 1 and 3 describe a subculture. Option 4 describes ethnic identity.
907. A client is admitted with a recent history of severe anxiety following a home invasion and robbery. During the initial assessment interview, which statement by the client should indicate to the nurse the possible diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder? Select all that apply. 1. "I'm afraid of spiders." 2. "I keep reliving the robbery." 3. "I see his face everywhere I go." 4. "I don't want anything to eat now." 5. "I might have died over a few dollars in my pocket." 6. "I have to wash my hands over and over again many times."
2. "I keep reliving the robbery." 3. "I see his face everywhere I go." 5. "I might have died over a few dollars in my pocket." Rationale: Reliving an event, experiencing emotional numbness (facing possible death), and having flashbacks of the event (seeing the same face everywhere) are all common occurrences with posttraumatic stress disorder. The statement "I'm afraid of spiders" relates more to having a phobia. The statement "I have to wash my hands over and over again many times" describes ritual compulsive behaviors to decrease anxiety for someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Stating "I don't want anything to eat now" is vague and could relate to numerous conditions.
899. The nurse has been closely observing a client who has been displaying aggressive behaviors. The nurse observes that the behavior displayed by the client is escalating. Which nursing intervention is most helpful to this client at this time? Select all that apply. 1. Initiate confinement measures. 2. Acknowledge the client's behavior. 3. Assist the client to an area that is quiet. 4. Maintain a safe distance from the client. 5. Allow the client to take control of the situation.
2. Acknowledge the client's behavior. 3. Assist the client to an area that is quiet. 4. Maintain a safe distance from the client. Rationale: During the escalation period, the client's behavior is moving toward loss of control. Nursing actions include taking control, maintaining a safe distance, acknowledging behavior, moving the client to a quiet area, and medicating the client if appropriate. To initiate confinement measures during this period is inappropriate. Initiation of confinement measures, if needed, is most appropriate during the crisis period.
2. When communicating with a client who speaks a different language, which best practice should the nurse implement? 1. Speak loudly and slowly. 2. Arrange for an interpreter to translate. 3. Speak to the client and family together. 4. Stand close to the client and speak loudly.
2. Arrange for an interpreter to translate. Rationale: Arranging for an interpreter would be the best practice when communicating with a client who speaks a different language. Options 1 and 4 are inappropriate and ineffective ways to communicate. Option 3 is inappropriate because it violates privacy and does not ensure correct translation.
901. The police arrive at the emergency department with a client who has lacerated both wrists. Which is the initial nursing action? 1. Administer an antianxiety agent. 2. Assess and treat the wound sites. 3. Secure and record a detailed history. 4. Encourage and assist the client to ventilate feelings.
2. Assess and treat the wound sites. Rationale: The initial nursing action is to assess and treat the self-inflicted injuries. Injuries from lacerated wrists can lead to a life-threatening situation. Other interventions, such as options 1, 3, and 4, may follow after the client has been treated medically.
16. The nurse arrives at work and is told to report (float) to the intensive care unit (ICU) for the day because the ICU is understaffed and needs additional nurses to care for the clients. The nurse has never worked in the ICU. The nurse should take which best action? 1. Refuse to float to the ICU based on lack of unit orientation. 2. Clarify with the team leader to make a safe ICU client assignment. 3. Ask the nursing supervisor to review the hospital policy on floating. 4. Submit a written protest to nursing administration, and then call the hospital lawyer.
2. Clarify with the team leader to make a safe ICU client assignment. Rationale: Floating is an acceptable practice used by hospitals to solve understaffing problems. Legally, the nurse cannot refuse to float unless a union contract guarantees that nurses can work only in a specified area or the nurse can prove the lack of knowledge for the performance of assigned tasks. When encountering this situation, the nurse should set priorities and identify potential areas of harm to the client. That is why clarifying the client assignment with the team leader to ensure that it is a safe one is the best option. The nursing supervisor is called if the nurse is expected to perform tasks that he or she cannot safely perform. Submitting a written protest and calling the hospital lawyer is a premature action.
19. The nurse has made an error in a narrative documentation of an assessment finding on a client and obtains the client's record to correct the error. The nurse should take which actions to correct the error? Select all that apply. 1. Document a late entry in the client's record. 2. Draw 1 line through the error, initialing and dating it. 3. Try to erase the error for space to write in the correct data. 4. Use whiteout to delete the error to write in the correct data. 5. Write a concise statement to explain why the correction was needed. 6. Document the correct information and end with the nurse's signature and
2. Draw 1 line through the error, initialing and dating it. 6. Document the correct information and end with the nurse's signature and Rationale: If the nurse makes an error in narrative documentation in the client's record, the nurse should follow agency policies to correct the error. This includes drawing one line through the error, initialing and dating the line, and then documenting the correct information. A late entry is used to document additional information not remembered at the initial time of documentation, not to make a correction of an error. Documenting the correct information with the nurse's signature and title is correct. Erasing data from the client's record and the use of whiteout are prohibited. There is no need to write a statement to explain why the correction was necessary.
897. The nurse in the emergency department is caring for a young female victim of sexual assault. The client's physical assessment is complete, and physical evidence has been collected. The nurse notes that the client is withdrawn, confused, and at times physically immobile. How should the nurse interpret these behaviors? 1. Signs of depression 2. Reactions to a devastating event 3. Evidence that the client is a high suicide risk 4. Indicative of the need for hospital admission
2. Reactions to a devastating event Rationale: During the acute phase of the rape crisis, the client can display a wide range of emotional and somatic responses. The symptoms noted indicate an expected reaction. Options 1, 3, and 4 are incorrect interpretations.
22. Nursing staff members are sitting in the lounge taking their morning break. An unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) tells the group that she thinks that the unit secretary has acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and proceeds to tell the nursing staff that the secretary probably contracted the disease from her husband, who is supposedly a drug addict. The registered nurse should inform the UAP that making this accusation has violated which legal tort? 1. Libel 2. Slander 3. Assault 4. Negligence
2. Slander Rationale: Defamation is a false communication or a careless disregard for the truth that causes damage to someone's reputation, either in writing (libel) or verbally (slander). An assault occurs when a person puts another person in fear of a harmful or offensive contact. Negligence involves the actions of professionals that fall below the standard of care for a specific professional group.
894. The nurse is reviewing the assessment data of a client admitted to the mental health unit. The nurse notes that the admission nurse documented that the client is experiencing anxiety as a result of a situational crisis. The nurse plans care for the client, determining that this type of crisis could be caused by which event? 1. Witnessing a murder 2. The death of a loved one 3. A fire that destroyed the client's home 4. A recent rape episode experienced by the client
2. The death of a loved one Rationale: A situational crisis arises from external rather than internal sources. External situations that could precipitate a crisis include loss or change of a job, the death of a loved one, abortion, change in financial status, divorce, addition of new family members, pregnancy, and severe illness. Options 1, 3, and 4 identify adventitious crises. An adventitious crisis refers to a crisis of disaster, is not a part of everyday life, and is unplanned and accidental. Adventitious crises may result from a natural disaster (e.g., floods, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes), a national disaster (e.g., war, riots, airplane crashes), or a crime of violence (e.g., rape, assault, murder in the workplace or school, bombings, or spousal or child abuse).
905. A female victim of a sexual assault is being seen in the crisis center. The client states that she still feels "as though the rape just happened yesterday," even though it has been a few months since the incident. Which is the most appropriate nursing response? 1. "You need to try to be realistic. The rape did not just occur." 2. "It will take some time to get over these feelings about your rape." 3. "Tell me more about the incident that causes you to feel like the rape just occurred." 4. "What do you think that you can do to alleviate some of your fears about being raped again?"
3. "Tell me more about the incident that causes you to feel like the rape just occurred." Rationale: The correct option allows the client to express her ideas and feelings more fully and portrays a nonhurried, nonjudgmental, supportive attitude on the part of the nurse. Clients need to be reassured that their feelings are normal and that they may express their concerns freely in a safe, caring environment. Option 1 immediately blocks communication. Option 2 places the client's feelings on hold. Option 4 places the problem solving totally on the client.
895. The nurse is conducting an initial assessment of a client in crisis. When assessing the client's perception of the precipitating event that led to the crisis, which is the most appropriate question? 1. "With whom do you live?" 2. "Who is available to help you?" 3. "What leads you to seek help now?" 4. "What do you usually do to feel better?"
3. "What leads you to seek help now?" Rationale: The nurse's initial task when assessing a client in crisis is to assess the individual or family and the problem. The more clearly the problem can be defined, the better the chance a solution can be found. The correct option would assist in determining data related to the precipitating event that led to the crisis. Options 1 and 2 assess situational supports. Option 4 assesses personal coping skills.
893. The nurse observes that a client with a potential for violence is agitated, pacing up and down the hallway, and is making aggressive and belligerent gestures at other clients. Which statement would be most appropriate to make to this client? 1. "You need to stop that behavior now." 2. "You will need to be placed in seclusion." 3. "You seem restless; tell me what is happening." 4. "You will need to be restrained if you do not change your behavior."
3. "You seem restless; tell me what is happening." Rationale: The best statement is to ask the client what is causing the agitation. This will assist the client to become aware of the behavior and may assist the nurse in planning appropriate interventions for the client. Option 1 is demanding behavior that could cause increased agitation in the client. Options 2 and 4 are threats to the client and are inappropriate.
906. A client is admitted to the mental health unit after an attempted suicide by hanging. The nurse can best ensure client safety by which action? 1. Requesting that a peer remain with the client at all times 2. Removing the client's clothing and placing the client in a hospital gown 3. Assigning to the client a staff member who will remain with the client at all times 4. Admitting the client to a seclusion room where all potentially dangerous articles are removed
3. Assigning to the client a staff member who will remain with the client at all times Rationale: Hanging is a serious suicide attempt. The plan of care must reflect action that ensures the client's safety. Constant observation status (one-to-one) with a staff member is the best choice. Placing the client in a hospital gown and requesting that a peer remain with the client would not ensure a safe environment. Seclusion should not be the initial intervention, and the least restrictive measure should be used.
25. The nurse employed in a hospital is waiting to receive a report from the laboratory via the facsimile (fax) machine. The fax machine activates and the nurse expects the report, but instead receives a sexually oriented photograph. Which is the most appropriate initial nursing action? 1. Call the police. 2. Cut up the photograph and throw it away. 3. Call the nursing supervisor and report the incident. 4. Call the laboratory and ask for the name of the individual who sent the photograph.
3. Call the nursing supervisor and report the incident. Rationale: Ensuring a safe workplace is a responsibility of an employing institution. Sexual harassment in the workplace is prohibited by state and federal laws. Sexually suggestive jokes, touching, pressuring a co-worker for a date, and open displays of or transmitting sexually oriented photographs or posters are examples of conduct that could be considered sexual harassment by another worker. If the nurse believes that he or she is being subjected to unwelcome sexual conduct, these concerns should be reported to the nursing supervisor immediately. Option 1 is unnecessary at this time. Options 2 and 4 are inappropriate initial actions.
17. The nurse who works on the night shift enters the medication room and finds a co-worker with a tourniquet wrapped around the upper arm. The co-worker is about to insert a needle, attached to a syringe containing a clear liquid, into the antecubital area. Which is the most appropriate action by the nurse? 1. Call security. 2. Call the police. 3. Call the nursing supervisor. 4. Lock the co-worker in the medication room until help is obtained.
3. Call the nursing supervisor. Rationale: Nurse practice acts require reporting impaired nurses. The board of nursing has jurisdiction over the practice of nursing and may develop plans for treatment and supervision of the impaired nurse. This incident needs to be reported to the nursing supervisor, who will then report to the board of nursing and other authorities, such as the police, as required. The nurse may call security if a disturbance occurs, but no information in the question supports this need, and so this is not the appropriate action. Option 4 is an inappropriate and unsafe action.
10. Which is the best nursing intervention regarding complementary and alternative medicine? 1. Advising the client about "good" versus "bad" therapies 2. Discouraging the client from using any alternative therapies 3. Educating the client about therapies that he or she is using or is interested in using 4. Identifying herbal remedies that the client should request from the health care provider
3. Educating the client about therapies that he or she is using or is interested in using Rationale: Complementary and alternative therapies include a wide variety of treatment modalities that are used in addition to conventional therapy to treat a disease or illness. Educating the client about therapies that he or she uses or is interested in using is the nurse's role. Options 1, 2, and 4 are inappropriate actions for the nurse to take because they provide advice to the client.
11. An antihypertensive medication has been prescribed for a client with hypertension. The client tells the clinic nurse that he would like to take an herbal substance to help lower his blood pressure. The nurse should take which action? 1. Advise the client to read the labels of herbal therapies closely. 2. Tell the client that herbal substances are not safe and should never be used. 3. Encourage the client to discuss the use of an herbal substance with the health care provider (HCP). 4. Tell the client that if he takes the herbal substance he will need to have his blood pressure checked frequently.
3. Encourage the client to discuss the use of an herbal substance with the health care provider (HCP). Rationale: Although herbal substances may have some beneficial effects, not all herbs are safe to use. Clients who are being treated with conventional medication therapy should be encouraged to avoid herbal substances because the combination may lead to an excessive reaction or to unknown interaction effects. The nurse should advise the client to discuss the use of the herbal substance with the HCP. Therefore, options 1, 2, and 4 are inappropriate nursing actions.
9. An Asian American client is experiencing a fever. The nurse plans care so that the client can self-treat the disorder using which method? 1. Prayer 2. Magnetic therapy 3. Foods considered to be yin 4. Foods considered to be yang
3. Foods considered to be yin Rationale: In the Asian American culture, health is believed to be a state of physical and spiritual harmony with nature and a balance between positive and negative energy forces (yin and yang). Yin foods are cold and yang foods are hot. Cold foods are eaten when one has a hot illness (fever), and hot foods are eaten when one has a cold illness. Options 1 and 2 are not health practices specifically associated with the Asian American culture or the yin and yang theory.
902. A moderately depressed client who was hospitalized 2 days ago suddenly begins smiling and reporting that the crisis is over. The client says to the nurse, "I'm finally cured." How should the nurse interpret this behavior as a cue to modify the treatment plan? 1. Suggesting a reduction of medication 2. Allowing increased "in-room" activities 3. Increasing the level of suicide precautions 4. Allowing the client off-unit privileges as needed
3. Increasing the level of suicide precautions Rationale: A client who is moderately depressed and has only been in the hospital 2 days is unlikely to have such a dramatic cure. When a depression suddenly lifts, it is likely that the client may have made the decision to harm himself or herself. Suicide precautions are necessary to keep the client safe. The remaining options are therefore incorrect interpretations.
8. Which meal tray should the nurse deliver to a client of Orthodox Judaism faith who follows a kosher diet? 1. Pork roast, rice, vegetables, mixed fruit, milk 2. Crab salad on a croissant, vegetables with dip, potato salad, milk 3. Sweet and sour chicken with rice and vegetables, mixed fruit, juice 4. Noodles and cream sauce with shrimp and vegetables, salad, mixed fruit, iced tea
3. Sweet and sour chicken with rice and vegetables, mixed fruit, juice Rationale: Members of Orthodox Judaism adhere to dietary kosher laws. In this religion, the dairy-meat combination is unacceptable. Only fish that have scales and fins are allowed; meats that are allowed include animals that are vegetable eaters, cloven hoofed, and ritually slaughtered.
13. The nurse hears a client calling out for help, hurries down the hallway to the client's room, and finds the client lying on the floor. The nurse performs an assessment, assists the client back to bed, notifies the health care provider of the incident, and completes an incident report. Which statement should the nurse document on the incident report? 1. The client fell out of bed. 2. The client climbed over the side rails. 3. The client was found lying on the floor. 4. The client became restless and tried to get out of bed.
3. The client was found lying on the floor. Rationale: The incident report should contain a factual description of the incident, any injuries experienced by those involved, and the outcome of the situation. The correct option is the only one that describes the facts as observed by the nurse. Options 1, 2, and 4 are interpretations of the situation and are not factual information as observed by the nurse.
14. A client is brought to the emergency department by emergency medical services (EMS) after being hit by a car. The name of the client is unknown, and the client has sustained a severe head injury and multiple fractures and is unconscious. An emergency craniotomy is required. Regarding informed consent for the surgical procedure, which is the best action? 1. Obtain a court order for the surgical procedure. 2. Ask the EMS team to sign the informed consent. 3. Transport the victim to the operating room for surgery. 4. Call the police to identify the client and locate the family.
3. Transport the victim to the operating room for surgery. Rationale: In general, there are two situations in which informed consent of an adult client is not needed. One is when an emergency is present and delaying treatment for the purpose of obtaining informed consent would result in injury or death to the client. The second is when the client waives the right to give informed consent. Option 1 will delay emergency treatment, and option 2 is inappropriate. Although option 4 may be pursued, it is not the best action because it delays necessary emergency treatment.
23. An 87-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department for treatment of a fractured arm. On physical assessment, the nurse notes old and new ecchymotic areas on the client's chest and legs and asks the client how the bruises were sustained. The client, although reluctant, tells the nurse in confidence that her son frequently hits her if supper is not prepared on time when he arrives home from work. Which is the most appropriate nursing response? 1. "Oh, really? I will discuss this situation with your son." 2. "Let's talk about the ways you can manage your time to prevent this from happening." 3. "Do you have any friends who can help you out until you resolve these important issues with your son?" 4. "As a nurse, I am legally bound to report abuse. I will stay with you while you give the report and help find a safe place for you to stay."
4. "As a nurse, I am legally bound to report abuse. I will stay with you while you give the report and help find a safe place for you to stay." Rationale: The nurse must report situations related to child or elder abuse, gunshot wounds and other criminal acts, and certain infectious diseases. Confidential issues are not to be discussed with nonmedical personnel or the client's family or friends without the client's permission. Clients should be assured that information is kept confidential, unless it places the nurse under a legal obligation. Options 1, 2, and 3 do not address the legal implications of the situation and do not ensure a safe environment for the client.
7. The nurse is preparing a plan of care for a client, and is asking the client about religious preferences. The nurse considers the client's religious preferences as being characteristic of a Jehovah's Witness if which client statement is made? 1. "I cannot have surgery." 2. "I cannot have any medicine." 3. "I believe the soul lives on after death." 4. "I cannot have any food containing or prepared with blood."
4. "I cannot have any food containing or prepared with blood." Rationale: Among Jehovah's Witnesses, surgery is not prohibited, but the administration of blood and blood products is forbidden. For a Jehovah's Witness, administration of medication is an acceptable practice except if the medication is derived from blood products. This religious group believes that the soul cannot live after death. Jehovah's Witnesses avoid foods prepared with or containing blood.
18. A hospitalized client tells the nurse that an instructional directive is being prepared and that the lawyer will be bringing the document to the hospital today for witness signatures. The client asks the nurse for assistance in obtaining a witness to the will. Which is the most appropriate response to the client? 1. "I will sign as a witness to your signature." 2. "You will need to find a witness on your own." 3. "Whoever is available at the time will sign as a witness for you." 4. "I will call the nursing supervisor to seek assistance regarding your request."
4. "I will call the nursing supervisor to seek assistance regarding your request." Rationale: Instructional directives (living wills) are required to be in writing and signed by the client. The client's signature must be witnessed by specified individuals or notarized. Laws and guidelines regarding instructional directives vary from state to state, and it is the responsibility of the nurse to know the laws. Many states prohibit any employee, including the nurse of a facility where the client is receiving care, from being a witness. Option 2 is nontherapeutic and not a helpful response. The nurse should seek the assistance of the nursing supervisor.
12. The nurse educator asks a student to list the 5 main categories of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), developed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Which statement, if made by the nursing student, indicates a need for further teaching regarding CAM categories? 1. "CAM includes biologically based practices." 2. "Whole medical systems are a component of CAM." 3. "Mind-body medicine is part of the CAM approach." 4. "Magnetic therapy and massage therapy are a focus of CAM."
4. "Magnetic therapy and massage therapy are a focus of CAM." Rationale: The 5 main categories of CAM include whole medical systems, mindbody medicine, biologically based practices, manipulative and body-based practices, and energy medicine. Magnetic therapy and massage therapy are therapies within specific categories of CAM.
898. A depressed client on an inpatient unit says to the nurse, "My family would be better off without me." Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Have you talked to your family about this?" 2. "Everyone feels this way when they are depressed." 3. "You will feel better once your medication begins to work." 4. "You sound very upset. Are you thinking of hurting yourself?"
4. "You sound very upset. Are you thinking of hurting yourself?" Rationale: Clients who are depressed may be at risk for suicide. It is critical for the nurse to assess suicidal ideation and plan. The nurse should ask the client directly whether a plan for self-harm exists. Options 1, 2, and 3 do not deal directly with the client's feelings.
896. The nurse is creating a plan of care for a client in a crisis state. When developing the plan, the nurse should consider which factor? 1. A crisis state indicates that the client has a mental illness. 2. A crisis state indicates that the client has an emotional illness. 3. Presenting symptoms in a crisis situation are similar for all clients experiencing a crisis. 4. A client's response to a crisis is individualized and what constitutes a crisis for one client may not constitute a crisis for another client.
4. A client's response to a crisis is individualized and what constitutes a crisis for one client may not constitute a crisis for another client. Rationale: Although each crisis response can be described in similar terms as far as presenting symptoms are concerned, what constitutes a crisis for one client may not constitute a crisis for another client because each is a unique individual. Being in the crisis state does not mean that the client has a mental or emotional illness.
21. A nursing instructor delivers a lecture to nursing students regarding the issue of client's rights and asks a nursing student to identify a situation that represents an example of invasion of client privacy. Which situation, if identified by the student, indicates an understanding of a violation of this client right? 1. Performing a procedure without consent 2. Threatening to give a client a medication 3. Telling the client that he or she cannot leave the hospital 4. Observing care provided to the client without the client's permission
4. Observing care provided to the client without the client's permission Rationale: Invasion of privacy occurs with unreasonable intrusion into an individual's private affairs. Performing a procedure without consent is an example of battery. Threatening to give a client a medication constitutes assault. Telling the client that the client cannot leave the hospital constitutes false imprisonment.