A 75-year-old patient comes to the clinic reporting frequent headaches. As the nurse begins the interaction, which action is most important?
a. Complete a neurological assessment.
b. Determine whether the patient can hear as the nurse speaks.
c. Suggest that the patient lie down in a darkened room for a few minutes.
d. Administer medication to relieve the patient's pain before continuing the assessment.
ANS: B
Before proceeding with any further assessment, the nurse should assess the patient's ability to hear questions. Impaired hearing could lead to inaccurate answers.
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A patient has just been diagnosed with cancer and states that he will "never be able to cope with this situation." The nurse is aware that coping is:
A) A physiologic measure used to deal with change and he will physically adapt B) The physiologic and psychological processes that people use to adapt to change C) The human need for faith and hope, which create change D) A social measure used to deal with change and loss
Which laboratory data alteration would the nurse expect to see manifested in a client with renal failure?
A. Hypokalemia and metabolic acidosis B. Hyperkalemia and metabolic alkalosis C. Hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia D. Hypophosphatemia and hypercalcemia
The nurse is adding medication to an existing intravenous setup. Which nursing action is indicated?
A) Briskly shake the IV bag after injecting the medication. B) Close the infusion clamp. C) Do not remove the IV bag from the standard. D) Ensure that the IV bag is full prior to adding medication.
While critiquing a quantitative research study, the nurse is curious about the sample size. Which of the following would be an appropriate question about the size of the sample for the study?
1. Is the sample size appropriate to meet the assumptions of the statistical test? 2. Are the rights of the research participants protected? 3. Were ethical issues handled appropriately? 4. What are the strengths of the study?