A nurse in a long-term care facility has just received change-of-shift report. Which of the following clients should the nurse attend to first?
A client who is receiving an enteral tube feeding and has a blood glucose level of 155 mg/dL (74 to 106 mg/dL)
A client who has a spinal cord injury and needs a dressing change
A client who has a temperature of 38.4° C (101.1 F) and appears confused
A client who had a hip arthroplasty and is requesting pain medication
The Correct Answer is C
A. A client who is receiving an enteral tube feeding and has a blood glucose level of 155 mg/dL (74 to 106 mg/dL): A mildly elevated blood glucose level is not immediately life-threatening and can be managed after addressing more urgent issues. This client is stable at the moment.
B. A client who has a spinal cord injury and needs a dressing change: While important for preventing infection, a scheduled dressing change is not an immediate threat to the client’s life or health and can be safely performed after more urgent concerns are addressed.
C. A client who has a temperature of 38.4° C (101.1° F) and appears confused: Fever and new-onset confusion suggest a possible infection, such as sepsis or urinary tract infection, especially in older adults. This situation indicates a potential life-threatening condition and requires immediate assessment and intervention.
D. A client who had a hip arthroplasty and is requesting pain medication: Managing pain is important, but it is not immediately life-threatening. After addressing the client with fever and confusion, attending to the client's pain needs would be appropriate.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. "Advance directives are the same as a consent form for health care treatment": Advance directives are different from a consent form. A consent form is specific to the current treatment or procedure, while advance directives outline future healthcare wishes in the event the client becomes unable to make decisions.
B. "Advance directives are for clients who have life-threatening conditions.": While advance directives are especially important for clients with serious illnesses, they are appropriate for all adults, regardless of current health status, to ensure their wishes are known and respected if they become incapacitated.
C. "Advance directives must be approved by your lawyer.": Advance directives do not require a lawyer's approval to be valid. They usually need to be signed by the client and witnessed or notarized, depending on state laws, but legal counsel is not mandatory for completing one.
D. "Advance directives protect your right to make your own health care decisions.": Advance directives ensure that a client’s wishes regarding healthcare are known and respected even if they cannot voice them later. They preserve the client’s autonomy and legal rights concerning treatment preferences.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Hypertension: Clients experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are more likely to present with hypotension rather than hypertension due to dehydration caused by osmotic diuresis. Volume depletion significantly lowers blood pressure rather than raising it in the setting of DKA.
B. Fruity breath odor: A fruity or acetone-like breath odor is a hallmark sign of DKA. It results from the accumulation of ketones, particularly acetone, in the blood, which the body attempts to eliminate through the lungs, giving the breath its characteristic sweet or fruity smell.
C. Protruding eyeballs: Protruding eyeballs, or exophthalmos, are associated with hyperthyroidism, particularly Graves' disease, not with diabetic ketoacidosis. DKA affects metabolic and acid-base balance but does not cause changes to eye appearance or positioning.
D. Decreased urinary output: In the early stages of DKA, clients usually experience increased urinary output (polyuria) due to osmotic diuresis from hyperglycemia. Decreased output may occur only in the later stages when severe dehydration and kidney compromise develop, but it is not an early expected finding.
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