The practical nurse (PN) is preparing for shift change. Which task has the highest priority and should be completed first?

Clean up and organize the nurses' workstation.

Verify completion of all new prescriptions.

Calculate and record intake and output totals.

Write a narrative shift summary for each client.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

The correct answer is choice B. Verify completion of all new prescriptions. This task is crucial to ensure patient safety and proper medication administration.

Choice A rationale:

Clean up and organize the nurses’ workstation: While maintaining an organized workstation is important for efficiency and reducing stress, it is not the highest priority task. Patient safety and care tasks take precedence over organizational tasks.

Choice B rationale:

Verify completion of all new prescriptions: This is the highest priority because verifying new prescriptions ensures that patients receive the correct medications as prescribed by their healthcare providers. This step is critical to prevent medication errors, which can have serious or even fatal consequences. Ensuring the accuracy of medication orders directly impacts patient safety and care quality.

Choice C rationale:

Calculate and record intake and output totals: Monitoring and recording intake and output is important for assessing a patient’s fluid balance and overall health status. However, this task can be delegated to another team member and does not take precedence over verifying medication orders, which is more time-sensitive and directly related to patient safety.

Choice D rationale:

Write a narrative shift summary for each client: Documenting a shift summary is essential for continuity of care and communication between healthcare providers. However, this task can be completed after ensuring that all critical patient care tasks, such as verifying new prescriptions, are addressed first.

Nursing Test Bank

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

This is the correct way to correct an error on a hand-writen chart, according to the legal and ethical principles of documentation. The PN should also initial and date the correction.

Obliterating the entry or charting in the next column can create confusion and suspicion of tampering with the records. Notifying the charge nurse is not necessary unless the error has serious implications for the client's care or safety

A. Obtain a post-voided residual (PVR) volume. B. Teach the client with fluid restrictions how to measure urine output. C. Empty bedside drainage unit for a client with an indwelling urinary catheter. D. Irrigate an indwelling urinary catheter for a client with bladder suspension. E. Transport a urine culture sample to the laboratory.

Correct Answer is ["A","C","E"]

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

Obtaining a post-voided residual (PVR) volume is a non-invasive procedure that can be safely delegated to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to measure the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination.

Choice B rationale:

Teaching the client with fluid restrictions how to measure urine output requires specialized knowledge and is best performed by the practical nurse (PN).

Choice C rationale:

Emptying the bedside drainage unit for a client with an indwelling urinary catheter is a task that can be delegated to the UAP as it involves routine drainage and does not require advanced nursing skills.

Choice D rationale:

Irrigating an indwelling urinary catheter for a client with bladder suspension is a sterile procedure that requires nursing expertise, so it should not be assigned to the unlicensed assistive personnel.

Choice E rationale:

Transporting a urine culture sample to the laboratory is a non-complex task that can be safely delegated to the UAP to ensure timely and efficient delivery.

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The practical nurse (PN) is preparing for shift change. Which task has the highest priority and should be completed first?

Choice A rationale:

Choice B rationale:

Choice C rationale:

Choice D rationale:

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The practical nurse (PN) is charting vital signs on a hand-writen ﬂow sheet and realizes that an error has been made. What should the PN do to rectify this error?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

The practical nurse (PN) is assigning care for a group of clients on the urology medical unit. Which client care interventions should the PN assign to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? (Select all that apply.).

Correct Answer is ["A","C","E"]

Explanation

When monitoring a client's abdominal incision, the practical nurse (PN) observes a large amount of sanguineous drainage on the dressing. Which client data collection should the PN complete first?

When caring for a child with sickle cell disease, the practical nurse (PN) expects that the child will most likely describe which symptom when experiencing a sickle cell crisis?

While receiving report for a client with carcinoma in situ of the left breast, the practical nurse (PN) reviews a pending lab report and notices the client's Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) has decreased. Which changes should the PN anticipate to be included in the client's plan of care?

Which statement by an older female client who lost her spouse two years ago should indicate to the practical nurse (PN) that the client may need bereavement counseling?

A chronically depressed older male resident of a long-term care facility has become more reclusive and today refuses to leave his room. His family has moved away and are unable to visit as much as in the past. Which comment by the practical nurse (PN) is likely to be most helpful to this client?

After administering pantoprazole to a client with gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), which statement by the client indicates to the practical nurse (PN) that the medication is producing the desired effect?

The practical nurse (PN) is caring for a client with fractured metatarsals after slamming a hand in the car door. After administering the prescribed hydrocodone/acetaminophen for pain, which intervention should the PN include in the client's care?