During an evening shift on a medical unit, the only nurse on the unit is busy with an unstable client. The unit clerk, who is also both a certified medication aide and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), reports to the nurse that a healthcare provider is on the telephone and wishes to prescribe an as needed (PRN) dose of an oral over-the-counter laxative for a client who is constipated. Which instruction should the nurse provide the unit clerk?
Remain with this client and monitor the vital signs while the nurse takes the call.
Ask the healthcare provider to remain on "hold" until the nurse can confirm the prescription.
Be sure to write down what is prescribed and then repeat it back to the healthcare provider.
Tell the healthcare provider the nurse will return the phone call as soon as possible.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A Reason: Remaining with this client and monitoring the vital signs while the nurse takes the call is not an appropriate instruction for the unit clerk. The unit clerk is not qualified to monitor vital signs or provide direct care to clients. The nurse should delegate this task to another licensed nurse or UAP who has been trained and validated in this skill.
Choice B Reason: Asking the healthcare provider to remain on "hold" until the nurse can confirm the prescription is not an appropriate instruction for the unit clerk. The unit clerk is not authorized to take verbal or telephone orders from healthcare providers. Only licensed nurses or pharmacists can do so, following specific policies and procedures.
Choice C Reason: Writing down what is prescribed and then repeating it back to the healthcare provider is not an appropriate instruction for the unit clerk. The unit clerk is not authorized to take verbal or telephone orders from healthcare providers. Only licensed nurses or pharmacists can do so, following specific policies and procedures.
Choice D Reason: Telling the healthcare provider the nurse will return the phone call as soon as possible is an appropriate instruction for the unit clerk. The unit clerk can relay messages between the healthcare provider and the nurse, but cannot take orders or give information about clients. The nurse should prioritize calling back the healthcare provider after stabilizing the unstable client.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason: This action is not a priority, as it may delay the response to a potential fire. The charge nurse should assume that the fire alarm is real and act accordingly.
Choice B Reason: This action may expose the clients' family members to smoke or fire, as the visitor waiting area may not be safe. The charge nurse should ensure that everyone is in a protected area.
Choice C Reason: This action may be dangerous, as the stairs may be filled with smoke or fire. The charge nurse should follow the hospital's fire safety protocol, which usually involves closing doors, windows, and vents to prevent the spread of fire.
Choice D Reason: This action is the most appropriate, as it follows the RACE acronym for fire safety: Rescue anyone in immediate danger, Alarm by activating the fire alarm system, Contain by closing doors and windows, and Extinguish or evacuate as directed.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A Reason: Managed healthcare plans do not pay for any in-hospital medical evaluations is not the best information for the nurse to provide this family. This statement is false and misleading. Managed healthcare plans may cover in-hospital medical evaluations if they are deemed medically necessary and authorized by the plan. The nurse should not discourage the family from seeking appropriate care for their mother based on inaccurate information.
Choice B Reason: Healthcare costs are escalating because clients want to have diagnostic testing conducted in the hospital is not the best information for the nurse to provide this family. This statement is irrelevant and insensitive. Healthcare costs are influenced by many factors, such as technology, inflation, regulation, and demand. The nurse should not blame the clients for wanting to have diagnostic testing done in the hospital, which may be essential for their health and well-being.
Choice C Reason: The client is grieving normally in response to her husband's death and hospitalization is not necessary is not the best information for the nurse to provide this family. This statement is presumptuous and dismissive. Grief is a complex and individual process that may affect people differently. The nurse should not assume that the client's confusion and disorientation are normal signs of grief, which may mask underlying medical conditions that require evaluation and treatment.
Choice D Reason: Managed care providers have mandatory pre-certification requirements for hospitalization is the best information for the nurse to provide this family. This statement is factual and helpful. Pre-certification is a process by which managed care providers review and approve proposed hospital admissions, procedures, or services before they are performed. The nurse should inform the family that they need to obtain pre-certification from their mother's plan before admitting her to the hospital, or they may face denial of coverage or higher out-of-pocket costs.
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