The new mother who had a vaginal delivery yesterday has a white blood cell count of 30,000 cells/dL. What action should the nurse implement?
a. Notify the charge nurse of a possible infection.
b. Prepare to put the patient in isolation.
c. Have the infant removed from the room and returned to the nursery.
d. Assess the patient further.
ANS: D
The patient should be assessed further for other signs of infection because a white blood cell (WBC) count of 20,000 to 30,000 cells/dL is normal in the early postpartum period.
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A patient has undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and is being prepared for discharge home. When providing health education, the nurse should prioritize which of the following topics?
A) Management of fluid balance in the home setting B) The need for blood glucose monitoring for the next week C) Signs and symptoms of intra-abdominal complications D) Appropriate use of prescribed pancreatic enzymes
A lawsuit has been filed claiming that a nurse's actions caused the death of a neonate. Why does the attorney for the plaintiff want to prove proximate cause?
1. Proximate cause determines how far the nurse's liability extends for consequences of the alleged negligent actions. 2. The need for expert witnesses is eliminated because harm can be approximated. 3. A direct line of causation, from incident to injury, is proved. 4. To identify if the harm could have been predicted to result from the action of the defendant
A person is in a wheelchair. When communicating with the person, you should:
a. Lean on the wheelchair b. Pat the person on the head c. Speak directly to the person d. Look over the person's head
A(n) ________ expresses the relationship of a part to the whole and is usually written in the form A : B.
Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).