A nurse is caring for a client who received 50,000 units of IV heparin rather than the prescribed 5,000 units. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Complete an incident report.

Check the client for indications of bleeding.

Monitor the client's aPTT levels

Notify the risk manager.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A reason:

Completing an incident report is not the correct action. An incident report should be completed as part of the hospital's protocol to document the medication error and ensure appropriate follow-up and investigation.

Choice B reason:

Checking the client for indications of bleeding is the correct action to be taken. In this situation, the nurse's first priority should be to assess the client for indications of bleeding, as the client received a significantly higher dose of IV heparin than prescribed. Heparin is an anticoagulant medication used to prevent blood clots, and an overdose can increase the risk of bleeding.

After administering the wrong dose of medication, the nurse's immediate concern is the client's safety and well-being. Checking for signs of bleeding, such as petechiae, ecchymosis, hematomas, bleeding gums, melena (black, tarry stools), haematuria (blood in urine), or any other unusual bleeding, is crucial.

Choice C reason:

Monitor the client's aPTT levels: This is not the correct action to be taken. Monitoring the client's activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) levels is essential to assess the client's coagulation status and determine if the overdose of heparin has affected their clotting ability. The healthcare provider may adjust the heparin dosage based on the aPTT levels.

Choice D reason:

Notify the risk manager: This is not the correct action to be taken. The risk manager or appropriate supervisor should be informed about the medication error as soon as possible to initiate a thorough review of the incident and take necessary steps to prevent similar errors in the future.

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

The correct first action for the charge nurse to take in response to an increase in facility-acquired catheter infections is toidentify possible precipitating factors related to the infections. This is because understanding the root cause of the problem is crucial before implementing any changes or interventions. By identifying the factors contributing to the increase in infections, the nurse can then develop targeted strategies to address these specific issues.

Now, let’s discuss why the other options are not the first actions to take:

Schedule nursing staff training for infection control procedures: While training is important, it should be based on identified needs. Without first understanding the precipitating factors of the increased infections, the training may not address the actual issues at hand.
Meet with providers to discuss measures to decrease the infections: This could be a subsequent step after identifying the precipitating factors. Meeting with providers without concrete data or understanding of the problem may lead to ineffective solutions.
Revise the current policy for catheter care: Policy revision should be based on evidence and identified needs. It would be premature to revise policies without first understanding what factors are contributing to the increase in infections.

In summary, the first step in addressing a problem is always to understand its causes. Only then can effective solutions be developed and implemented.

A. Encourage rural residents to focus health spending on tertiary health interventions. B. Have a nurse from outside the community provide health lectures at the county hospital. C. Provide anticipatory guidance classes to parents through public schools. D. Launch a media campaign to increase awareness about industrial pollution. E. undefined

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

The correct answer is choice C. Provide anticipatory guidance classes to parents through public schools. This is because anticipatory guidance is a type of health teaching that involves sharing information and experiences through educational activities designed to improve health knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and skills. Anticipatory guidance helps parents to prevent or reduce health problems in their children by providing them with information on topics such as nutrition, immunization, injury prevention, and developmental milestones. Providing anticipatory guidance classes through public schools is an example of a population-based public health intervention that aims to improve the health of a large group of people who share common characteristics or risks.

Choice A is wrong because tertiary health interventions are not the best way to improve health for the local population. Tertiary health interventions are those that focus on treating and rehabilitating people who have already developed a disease or disability. They are more costly and less effective than primary or secondary health interventions, which aim to prevent or detect diseases early.

Encouraging rural residents to focus health spending on tertiary health interventions would not address the underlying causes of poor health in the community.

Choice B is wrong because having a nurse from outside the community provide health lectures at the county hospital is not a culturally appropriate or accessible way to deliver health education. A nurse from outside the community may not understand the needs, values, beliefs, and practices of the rural residents, and may not be able to establish trust and rapport with them. Moreover, the county hospital may not be a convenient or comfortable location for many rural residents to attend health lectures, especially if they have transportation, financial, or time barriers.

A better approach would be to involve local community members and leaders in planning and delivering health education programs that are tailored to the rural context and culture.

Choice D is wrong because launching a media campaign to increase awareness about industrial pollution is not a sufficient action to improve health for the local population. While increasing awareness is an important first step, it does not necessarily lead to behavior change or environmental improvement.

A media campaign alone would not address the sources and effects of industrial pollution, nor would it provide solutions or resources for the rural residents to protect themselves from exposure.

A more comprehensive action would be to collaborate with other stakeholders, such as environmental agencies, industry representatives, and community groups, to develop and implement strategies for reducing and monitoring industrial pollution and its impact

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A nurse is caring for a client who received 50,000 units of IV heparin rather than the prescribed 5,000 units. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A charge nurse is concerned about a recent increase in facility-acquired catheter infections. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A public health nurse working in a rural area is developing a program to improve health for the local population. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

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