A nurse is caring for a client who is seeking information about end-of-life decisions. According to the Patient Self-Determination Act, which of the following applies to medical decisions that can be made within organizations that receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements?
The person holding financial power of attorney will make health care decisions based on the client's advance directives.
The client has the right to refuse medical treatment, even if health care providers recommend it.
The client's eldest adult child has the right to change advance directives in an end-of-life situation.
If the client's advance directives are in writing and notarized, the client cannot change it in the future.
The Correct Answer is B
Rationale:
A. The person holding financial power of attorney will make health care decisions based on the client's advance directives: A financial power of attorney manages financial matters, not health care decisions. A separate designation such as a health care proxy or medical power of attorney is needed for making medical decisions.
B. The client has the right to refuse medical treatment, even if health care providers recommend it: Under the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA), clients have the legal right to make autonomous decisions about their care, including the right to refuse or discontinue treatment, regardless of medical advice.
C. The client's eldest adult child has the right to change advance directives in an end-of-life situation: Advance directives reflect the client’s own decisions. No family member, regardless of birth order, has the legal authority to change them unless specifically authorized as a health care proxy and even then, only if the client is incapacitated.
D. If the client's advance directives are in writing and notarized, the client cannot change it in the future: Clients can revise or revoke advance directives at any time, as long as they remain mentally competent. Notarization does not make the document legally fixed or unchangeable.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Rationale:
A. "Placement of the catheter is confirmed by a CT scan.": Catheter placement is typically confirmed by a chest X-ray, not a CT scan, to verify correct positioning and rule out complications such as pneumothorax. CT imaging is not routine for this purpose.
B. "You will be under general anesthesia for this procedure.": Placement of a nontunneled percutaneous central line is usually done under local anesthesia with possible mild sedation. General anesthesia is not required for this relatively short and minimally invasive procedure.
C. "The provider will wear a mask while performing the procedure.": A mask, along with sterile gloves, gown, and drape, is worn to maintain sterile technique and reduce the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections. This is standard protocol during central line insertion.
D. "Your head will be elevated as high as possible while the catheter is inserted.": The client is usually placed in the Trendelenburg position (head down) during catheter insertion to distend neck veins and reduce the risk of air embolism—not in a high head-elevated position.
Correct Answer is []
Explanation
Rationale for correct choices:
- Opioid intoxication: The client shows hallmark signs of opioid overdose, including respiratory depression, bradycardia, hypotension, miosis (pupillary constriction), confusion, and hypothermia. A history of oxycodone use and psychosocial stressors support opioid misuse.
- Obtain prescription for naloxone: Naloxone is a competitive opioid antagonist that rapidly reverses the life-threatening effects of opioid toxicity, particularly respiratory depression and central nervous system suppression.
- Prepare to initiate mechanical ventilation: The client’s respiratory rate is critically low at 10 breaths/min with oxygen saturation at 90%. Mechanical ventilation may be necessary if the client cannot maintain adequate oxygenation even after naloxone administration.
- Respiratory rate: This is a key indicator of opioid intoxication severity and response to naloxone. Ongoing monitoring is essential to assess ventilation adequacy and detect recurrent respiratory depression.
- Pupillary reaction: Miosis is a key sign of opioid overdose, and pupil size can help gauge the severity of intoxication. As naloxone takes effect, pupils typically dilate, signaling reversal.
Rationale for incorrect choices:
- Alcohol intoxication: While the client has a history of alcohol use disorder, the physical findings (e.g., pinpoint pupils, bradycardia, low respiratory rate) are more consistent with opioid toxicity than ethanol intoxication.
- Stimulant intoxication: Stimulant overdose would present with hypertension, hyperthermia, tachycardia, and dilated pupils not the bradycardia, hypothermia, and miosis seen here.
- Opioid withdrawal: Opioid withdrawal typically presents with symptoms like dilated pupils, tachycardia, agitation, and diaphoresis—not CNS depression and hypoventilation.
- Obtain prescription for restraints: There is no evidence of violent or aggressive behavior requiring restraints; the client is sedated and obtunded, not agitated or combative.
- Collect a blood sample for ethanol level: This might be helpful later, but it does not take priority in a client presenting with acute signs of opioid overdose. Immediate interventions to support breathing are more urgent.
- Cardiac arrhythmias: Although bradycardia is present, continuous ECG monitoring may be useful, but arrhythmias are not the primary risk in opioid overdose compared to respiratory depression.
- Ethanol level: Alcohol toxicity is not the most likely cause here, so monitoring ethanol level will not help guide the immediate treatment and stabilization of this client.
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