A nurse is finalizing preparations for a patient going to surgery in 30 minutes. Which of the following tasks should be the nurse's top priority?
Ensure that there is an incentive spirometer ready for when the patient gets to the PACU to help prevent atelectasis.
Provide preoperative teaching about preventing blood clots after surgery.
Report to the provider that the patient has allergies to sardines.
Administer the ordered preoperative intravenous antibiotic.
The Correct Answer is D
A. Ensuring an incentive spirometer is available is important for postoperative care to prevent atelectasis, but it is not the priority immediately before surgery.
B. Preoperative teaching is valuable but should ideally be completed earlier in the care process. Last-minute teaching may overwhelm the patient or delay critical interventions.
C. Reporting allergies is essential, but if the allergy to sardines does not pertain to the current surgical plan or medications, it is not the immediate priority in this situation.
D. Administering the preoperative intravenous antibiotic is the top priority because it helps reduce the risk of surgical site infections. Timing of preoperative antibiotics is critical to their effectiveness.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Skip lesions and a cobblestone appearance are characteristic of Crohn's disease, not ulcerative colitis (UC). UC involves continuous inflammation of the colon, without skip lesions.
B. Ulcerative colitis is associated with a risk for bowel perforation and toxic megacolon, which are serious complications of the disease.
C. Diarrhea containing blood is a common symptom of ulcerative colitis, as it primarily affects the colon and rectum, leading to inflammation and ulceration.
D. Increased risk for colorectal cancer is a known complication of ulcerative colitis, especially with long-term disease duration.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. A potassium level of 3.3 mEq/L indicates hypokalemia, which can lead to cardiac dysrhythmias due to the role of potassium in maintaining normal cardiac conduction and muscle contraction. Monitoring the client’s heart rhythm is crucial.
B. Neurogenic shock is not a complication of hypokalemia. It is typically caused by spinal cord injury or central nervous system damage, not electrolyte imbalances.
C. Hypoglycemia is not directly associated with hypokalemia or furosemide use. Furosemide primarily affects fluid and electrolyte balance, not glucose regulation.
D. While severe hypokalemia can cause neuromuscular issues, seizures are more commonly associated with conditions like hyponatremia or hypocalcemia, not hypokalemia.
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