When assessing a patient who has just arrived after an automobile accident, the emergency department nurse notes tachycardia and absent breath sounds over the right lung. For which intervention will the nurse prepare the patient?

a. Emergency pericardiocentesis
b. Stabilization of the chest wall with tape
c. Administration of an inhaled bronchodilator
d. Insertion of a chest tube with a chest drainage system


ANS: D
The patient's history and absent breath sounds suggest a right-sided pneumothorax or hemothorax, which will require treatment with a chest tube and drainage. The other therapies would be appropriate for an acute asthma attack, flail chest, or cardiac tamponade, but the patient's clinical manifestations are not consistent with these problems.

Nursing

You might also like to view...

In a busy rehabilitation unit, the team manager decided that the best way to reward the staff was to give them a monetary bonus rather than time off

The staff was very concerned about the decision and went to the administration with a number of complaints. Critical thinking is a process that entails a number of steps. What steps did the manager omit? She should have (select all that apply): a. Identified what assumptions were underpinning the issues. b. Considered why it was important to make this change or the context for the change. c. Considered how this change might affect staff relationships. d. Attained a majority consensus of all staff.

Nursing

The nurse instructs the client with diabetes mellitus about subcutaneous insulin administration. Which does the nurse include in client teaching?

1. Remember that NPH insulin peaks within 15 minutes. 2. Prepare for hyperglycemia 2 hours after taking insulin. 3. Keep insulin refrigerated after administering the first dose. 4. Eat right after taking regular insulin to avoid hypoglycemia.

Nursing

A large amount of data related to hypertension rates is collected in a community. The data is analyzed. What is the next step in the surveillance process?

a. Collecting data from multiple valid sources b. Evaluating the impact on the surveillance system c. Interpreting the data and disseminating it to decision makers d. Asking political officials to finance a hypertension clinic

Nursing

The nurse is collecting data from a patient with acute pancreatitis. Which symptoms should the nurse anticipate?

a. Low abdominal pain, bradycardia, and confusion b. Shortness of breath, hypotension, and restlessness c. Fever, tachycardia, right upper quadrant pain, and jaundice d. Abdominal distention, respiratory distress, and mid-epigastric pain

Nursing