The practical nurse (PN) is planning evening shift rounds for a group of postoperative clients who all had surgery earlier that day. Which client should the PN check first?
A preschooler who had an emergency appendectomy for appendicitis.
An adult with osteomyelitis who had a necrotic bone fragment removed in the foot.
A post-menopausal client with breast cancer who had a right breast lumpectomy.
An adolescent with type 1 diabetes (DM) who had an open cholecystectomy.
The Correct Answer is A
A. A preschooler who had an emergency appendectomy should be checked first. Children are at higher risk for complications due to their size and the stress of emergency surgery, so close monitoring is essential.
B. An adult with osteomyelitis post-surgery is important to monitor but is generally at lower immediate risk compared to a young child following emergency surgery.
C. A post-menopausal client with breast cancer who had a lumpectomy is also a priority, but the immediate postoperative period for a child in emergency surgery takes precedence.
D. An adolescent with type 1 diabetes who had cholecystectomy requires careful monitoring, but the child’s higher risk in the immediate postoperative phase makes them the priority.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Notifying the charge nurse is important but should come after confirming the accurate heart rate assessment.
B. Holding a prescribed morning dose of digoxin may be necessary if bradycardia is confirmed, but the first step is to accurately assess the heart rate.
C. Obtaining a full minute apical pulse assessment is the first step to verify the radial pulse rate reported by the UAP and ensure an accurate and comprehensive assessment of the client's heart rate.
D. Reviewing the client's baseline vital signs is useful but should follow a thorough and accurate assessment of the current heart rate.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Hoarseness in the voice following a thyroidectomy can be a sign of vocal cord damage or laryngeal nerve injury, which are potentially serious complications. The appropriate action is to notify the unit charge nurse to escalate the finding for further assessment by a physician or advanced practice provider.
B. Administering humidified oxygen does not specifically address the issue of hoarseness. While humidified oxygen might be beneficial for general respiratory comfort, it is not a targeted intervention for potential vocal cord damage.
C. Ensuring that the drainage device is compressed is important for managing surgical wounds but does not address or diagnose vocal cord issues. Hoarseness after thyroid surgery is more indicative of a potential complication rather than a drainage issue.
D. Obtaining ice chips does not address the underlying cause of the hoarseness and may not provide significant relief. The priority is to identify potential complications rather than offering symptomatic relief.
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