A busy medical-surgical nursing unit is experiencing high census and seasonal staffing issues. Select the most effective strategy for the nurse manager to recommend to help nursing staff decrease physical stress.
Nurturing oneself with comfort foods
Increasing shift rotation
Encouraging frequent use of personal time off
Taking time for breaks and lunch
The Correct Answer is D
Occupational fatigue in acute care settings triggers cortisol elevation and sympathetic nervous system activation. Chronic allostatic load contributes to musculoskeletal injury and burnout, requiring structural interventions to maintain homeostatic balance and prevent physical exhaustion among nursing personnel during high-acuity periods of increased patient volume.
Rationale:
A. Consumption of high-caloric foods provides only a transient glucose spike followed by a lethargic crash. This habit contributes to metabolic syndrome and does not address the underlying musculoskeletal strain or the need for genuine physiological rest during a high-census shift.
B. Increasing the frequency of shift rotation disrupts circadian rhythms and exacerbates sleep-wake disturbances. Such instability leads to hormonal dysregulation and increased physical fatigue, as the body cannot effectively adapt its internal biological clock to constantly changing work schedules and environmental cues.
C. While scheduled time off is beneficial, it does not resolve the immediate stressors encountered during the actual work shift. Relying solely on infrequent leave fails to provide the continuous recovery necessary to manage the cumulative physical demands of daily nursing tasks and patient mobilization.
D. Regular intervals of rest are essential to mitigate physiological strain and cognitive fatigue. Prioritizing breaks allows for muscular recovery and psychological decompression, which are critical for maintaining the stamina required to perform physically demanding nursing interventions safely and accurately throughout the entire shift.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Mass casualty triage systems such as START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) prioritize patients based on airway patency, breathing effectiveness, circulation status, and neurological function, aiming to maximize survival by identifying patients who require immediate life-saving intervention but are still salvageable.
Rationale:
A. A 65-year-old with upper arm lacerations who is ambulatory is classified as minor (green) in START triage. He is stable, able to walk, and does not require immediate transport compared to higher acuity trauma patients.
B. A 46-year-old with an open femur fracture and scalp laceration is at high risk for major hemorrhage and shock. Open long bone fractures can cause significant blood loss, making this patient a priority urgent (red tag) requiring immediate transport and intervention.
C. A 23-year-old unconscious client with a metal pole through the head and no vital signs is classified as expectant (black tag). Absence of vital signs in a catastrophic brain injury indicates non-survivable trauma in mass casualty triage, so resources are not prioritized for transport.
D. An 18-year-old with maxillofacial wounds who is ambulatory is considered delayed or minor (yellow/green) depending on severity. Despite facial trauma, the ability to ambulate indicates airway and circulation are currently stable, so not the first to transport.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Delegation in nursing is guided by the five rights of delegation, scope of practice regulations, client stability, and level of predictability of outcomes, ensuring that tasks assigned to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are non-invasive, routine, and do not require clinical judgment or evaluation.
Rationale:
A. Reporting pain levels after medication administration requires interpretation of therapeutic response and potential need for further intervention. This involves clinical judgment and is part of nursing assessment, making it inappropriate for delegation to UAP.
B. Assisting a patient with ambulation four days post-surgery is appropriate delegation. This is a stable, routine, non-invasive activity within UAP scope, and does not require assessment or clinical decision-making, making it safe and appropriate.
C. Teaching a patient how to check blood glucose is a nursing responsibility. Patient education requires assessment of understanding, teaching skills, and evaluation of learning outcomes, which are not within UAP scope of practice.
D. Applying topical medications is considered a medication administration task. Even though topical, it still involves pharmacologic responsibility and requires nursing judgment, making it inappropriate for UAP delegation.
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