The medication aide at a long-term care facility is sick and requests to go home before all medications are administered. Which action should the practical nurse (PN) take in this situation?
Deny the medication aide's request to leave before all medications are given.
Ask each unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to give medications to their assigned residents.
Assign the remainder of medication administration to another PN who is performing treatments.
Document why all the medications were not given to each of the residents.
The Correct Answer is C
The correct answer is Choice C: Assign the remainder of medication administration to another PN who is performing treatments.
Choice A rationale: Denying the medication aide's request to leave before all medications are given does not address the issue at hand and could potentially jeopardize patient care. It is important to acknowledge the medication aide's request and find an appropriate solution that ensures patient safety and well-being.
Choice B rationale: Delegating medication administration to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) who may not have the necessary training or authorization could lead to medication errors, adverse drug reactions, or other negative outcomes. It is essential to adhere to the scope of practice guidelines and facility policies when assigning tasks to UAPs.
Choice C rationale: Reassigning the medication administration to another PN with the necessary qualifications and training ensures that patients receive their medications in a safe and timely manner. This action aligns with the practical nurse's responsibility to supervise and delegate tasks appropriately, maintaining patient safety and upholding the standards of care.
Choice D rationale: Documenting why medications were not given to each resident is an important aspect of maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient records. However, it does not address the immediate need to administer medications to residents, and it is not a substitute for ensuring that patients receive their prescribed treatments. Documentation should be completed after the appropriate steps have been taken to administer medications or arrange for an alternative solution.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
This is the priority action by the practical nurse (PN) because it can help identify and prevent a potential adverse reaction to the medication. A client who is reaching saturation with medication means that the client has reached the maximum level of medication in the blood that can produce the desired therapeutic effect. However, this also means that the client is at a higher risk of developing toxicity or side effects from the medication. The PN should report the findings of muscle soreness, fatigue, and warm skin to the charge nurse, as these may indicate signs of inflammation, infection, or allergic reaction to the medication. The PN should also monitor the client's vital signs, oxygen saturation, and laboratory values, and document the findings. The charge nurse should notify the health care provider and adjust the medication dosage or regimen as ordered.
a) Administer a PRN dose of acetaminophen.
This is not the priority action by the PN because it does not address the underlying cause of the client's symptoms. Acetaminophen is an analgesic and antipyretic medication that can help reduce pain and fever. However, it does not treat inflammation, infection, or allergy, which may be the reasons for the client's muscle soreness, fatigue, and warm skin. The PN should administer a PRN dose of acetaminophen only after reporting the findings to the charge nurse and obtaining an order from the health care provider.
b) Encourage the client to drink fluids.
This is not the priority action by the PN because it does not address the underlying cause of the client's symptoms. Drinking fluids can help maintain hydration and electrolyte balance in the body, which are important for normal functioning of cells and organs. However, it does not treat inflammation, infection, or allergy, which may be the reasons for the client's muscle soreness, fatigue, and warm skin. The PN should encourage the client to drink fluids only after reporting the findings to the charge nurse and obtaining an order from the health care provider.
d) Monitor the client's serum lipid levels.
This is not the priority action by the PN because it is not related to the client's symptoms. Serum lipid levels are measures of fats and cholesterol in the blood, which are important for energy production, hormone synthesis, and cell membrane structure. However, they are not related to inflammation, infection, or allergy, which may be the reasons for the client's muscle soreness, fatigue, and warm skin. The PN should monitor the client's serum lipid levels only if they are prescribed a medication that can affect lipid metabolism, such as statins or fibrates.
Correct Answer is ["30"]
Explanation
The correct answer is 30 mL/hour.
Step 1 is to calculate the total amount of norepinephrine in the IV bag: 4 mg norepinephrine ÷ 1000 mL = 0.004 mg/mL
Step 2 is to convert the patient's weight from pounds to kilograms: 176 pounds ÷ 2.2 = 80 kilograms
Step 3 is to calculate the total amount of norepinephrine the patient will receive per minute: 2 mcg/min × 60 min = 120 mcg/min
Step 4 is to convert micrograms (mcg) to milligrams (mg): 120 mcg ÷ 1000 = 0.12 mg
Step 5 is to calculate the total volume of norepinephrine needed per hour: 0.12 mg ÷ 0.004 mg/mL = 30 mL/hour
Therefore, the nurse should program the infusion pump to deliver 30 mL/hour.
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