A 25-year-old male patient has been admitted with a severe crushing injury after an industrial accident. Which laboratory result will be most important to report to the health care provider?
a. Serum creatinine level 2.1 mg/dL
b. Serum potassium level 6.5 mEq/L
c. White blood cell count 11,500/µL
d. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 56 mg/dL
ANS: B
The hyperkalemia associated with crushing injuries may cause cardiac arrest and should be treated immediately. The nurse also will report the other laboratory values, but abnormalities in these are not immediately life threatening.
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A student nurse is going to be changing an abdominal dressing; the first step is to provide the patient with information regarding the procedure. Which of the following represents the best plan for completing this task?
A) "The dressing change is often painful; we will be giving you pain medication prior to the procedure so you do not have to worry." B) "During the dressing change, I will provide privacy at a time of your choosing; it should not be painful. You can look at the incision and help with the procedure if you want to." C) "The dressing change should not be painful but you can never be sure; infection is always a concern." D) "The best time for doing a dressing change is during lunch so we are not interrupted; I will provide privacy, and it should not be painful."
When the four gaits listed below are compared, which is the most stable of the crutch gaits?
a. Four-point gait b. Three-point gait c. Two-point gait d. Swing-to gait
A novice nurse says, "We want to keep our patients in Stage 4 anesthesia during their surgery." How should the supervising nurse interpret this statement?
1. The novice nurse has made an error in this statement. 2. Stage 4 anesthesia is avoided. 3. This is a good description of the goal of anesthesia. 4. The novice nurse should have said Stage 3 anesthesia. 5. A more accurate statement would be that the patient is maintained in anxiolysis anesthesia.
The nurse explains to the parents of a child who has been diagnosed with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) that this is a condition in which:
a. The ureters are stenosed and allow urine to enter the pelvis of the kidney b. A malfunctioning valve at the junction of the ureter and bladder allows urine to enter the pelvis of the kidney c. The bladder does not completely empty and acts as a reservoir for bacterial growth d. The ureter is constricted and does not allow urine to leave the pelvis of the kidney