The postoperative patient who has no previous medical conditions is difficult to arouse when transferred to the surgical unit from the postanesthesia care unit. The nurse monitors the pulse oximeter and gets a reading of 85%
The nurse's next action should be to: 1. assess the pulse oximeter reading again in 1 hour.
2. arouse the patient and have him cough and deep-breathe.
3. administer a dose of pain medication.
4. suction the patient.
2
If the pulse oximeter reading is less than 90%, the patient should be aroused and encouraged to take deep breaths. The patient's respirations may not be adequate as a result of the effects of anesthesia.
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The nurse is answering phone calls at a local suicide prevention hotline. Which statement would be recognized as the greatest risk of suicide?
a. "I just needed to talk to someone to keep myself from thinking silly thoughts about killing myself." b. "My parents aren't home and won't be back for 4 hours. That should be enough time for the pills to work. I've got a hundred of them." c. "My dad will be home first, so he'll find me. So I think I'll use his gun. I hope he didn't lock the cabinet." d. "My girlfriend is here with me. She told me to call because I was talking crazy about killing myself."
When working with gay and lesbian families, which of the following must the community health nurse do first?
A) Determine if the union is legal or not. B) Confront personal biases about this type of family structure. C) Address the usual parental fears and concerns. D) Plan additional services to address children's delayed development.
What is the movement of gases across the alveolar capillary membrane from areas of high concentration to areas of lower concentration called?
a. diffusion c. perfusion b. external respiration d. ventilation
The nurse is preparing to admit an elderly patient who is deaf. What should the nurse do to ensure effective communication with the patient?
1. Use the hospital-approved interpreter program. 2. Use the patient's family members to communicate with the patient. 3. Ask the patient to read assessment questions off of the computer screen. 4. Ask if anyone who is currently working could help communicate with the patient.