What is the nurse's duty when a client tells the nurse he plans to kill his wife and her lover as soon
as he is released from the hospital? The nurse must
a. document this information in the client's record and report it to the physician and
team.
b. immediately call the client's wife and her lover to warn them.
c. immediately call to warn the client's wife but not her lover.
d. file a report with the local law enforcement authorities.
ANS: A
The professional responsibility of the staff nurse extends to reporting threats to injure others to the
health care team and documenting the information in the client's record. Failure to do so would be
considered substandard care. Options B, C, and D: The physician or treatment team leader would be
responsible for giving the warning to the various parties under threat and to law enforcement if
deemed necessary.
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A patient asks the nurse to pray with him. The nurse is an atheist and uncomfortable with this request. What action by the nurse is best?
a. Deny the request because of atheistic beliefs. b. Offer to call the chaplain instead. c. Agree to sit with the patient while he prays. d. Ask the patient if he will meditate instead.
Which of the following was true of the Gilded Age?
The nurse is caring for a client with a newly diagnosed chronic illness. In answering the client's questions, the nurse most accurately responds when basing the response on the fact that:
a. the most prevalent form of disease in older adults at this time is acute illness. b. although chronic illness lasts a long time, the condition primarily affects the client. c. chronic illness is lifelong, and coping can be influenced by perceived uncer-tainty. d. the client's acquisition of knowledge of the disease will guarantee successful coping.
Which action defines the nurse as a care provider in an inpatient setting?
a. Holding an information session on diabetes management and prevention b. Running a blood pressure screening in the lobby of the hospital c. Assisting new parents after the delivery of preterm twins d. Handing out pamphlets on how to lower cholesterol