A nurse is caring for a large group of patients. She checks on her post-op patient and starts the IV fluids. While programing the pump the nurse is interrupted by another staff member. Three two hours later the nurse rounds and finds that the patient is short of breath, requiring more oxygen and has crackles in her lungs.

The nurse then realizes that the IV fluids were running at twice the ordered rate. What should the nurse do next?

Assess the client

Notify the nurse manager

Complete an incident report

Call the client’s provider

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

A. Assess the client.

This is the immediate priority. The nurse should assess the patient's current condition to determine the extent of the impact of the error on the patient's health, focusing on respiratory status, vital signs, and signs of fluid overload.

B. Notify the nurse manager.

Once the patient has been assessed and stabilized, the nurse should inform the nurse manager or supervisor about the error. This helps ensure appropriate reporting, investigation, and follow-up actions.

C. Complete an incident report.

After assessing and stabilizing the patient, the nurse should document the error in an incident report. Incident reports are important for organizational learning, identifying patterns, and implementing improvements to prevent future errors.

D. Call the client’s provider.

If the patient's condition is deteriorating or requires immediate attention, the nurse should contact the healthcare provider to discuss the situation, report the error, and collaborate on necessary interventions.

Nursing Test Bank

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

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Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A. Edema:

Edema refers to the presence of swelling caused by an accumulation of fluid. While the nurse can observe and measure edema, the sensation of swelling itself is subjective and based on the client's perception.

B. Heart Rate:

Heart rate is an objective measure of the number of heartbeats per minute. It can be measured and observed by the healthcare provider, making it an objective data point.

C. Chills

Subjective data refers to information that is based on the client's personal experiences, perceptions, and feelings. Chills, which describe a feeling of coldness often associated with shivering, are a subjective symptom that the client experiences.

D. Pallor:

Pallor refers to an unusually pale or white skin color. While the nurse can observe and assess the color of the skin, the client's perception of pallor is subjective.

A. Wheezes B. Stridor C. Rhonchi D. Crackles

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A. Wheezes:

Wheezes are high-pitched, musical sounds that occur during inspiration or expiration and are often associated with narrowed airways, such as in conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

B. Stridor:

Stridor is a high-pitched, crowing sound that is typically heard during inspiration and can be associated with upper airway obstruction, such as in croup or epiglottitis.

C. Rhonchi:

Rhonchi are low-pitched, snoring or rattling sounds that can occur during inspiration or expiration. They are often associated with the presence of mucus or other airway obstruction and can be heard in conditions like bronchitis or pneumonia.

D. Crackles:

Crackles are bubbling, popping sounds heard during inspiration or expiration. They can be further classified as fine or coarse. Fine crackles are often associated with conditions like pulmonary fibrosis, while coarse crackles can be heard in conditions like congestive heart failure or pneumonia.

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Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nurse is completing a client’s history and physical examination. Which of the following information should the nurse consider subjective data?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A nurse is auscultating the breath sounds of a client who has congestive heart failure. When the client exhales, the nurse hears bubbling, popping like sounds. The nurse should document this as which of the following adventitious breath sounds?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse is instructing a group of nursing students in measuring a client’s respiratory rate. Which of the following guidelines should the nurse include? (Select all that apply)

A nursing student is preforming a head-to-toe assessment on his patient with a history of mitral regurgitation. Instead of hearing normal heart sounds the student hears a murmur. Which of the following best describes the sound of a heart murmur?

A nurse is completing a client abdominal assessment for admission to the medical unit. Which of the following abdominal assessment findings require further investigation by the nurse?

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A nurse is assessing a client’s radial pulse and determines that the pulse is irregular. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

The nurse is surprised to detect an elevated temperature (102 °F) in a patient scheduled for surgery. The patient has been afebrile and shows no other signs of being febrile. What is the first thing the nurse should do?

A nursing student in clinical asks her instructor what the primary purpose of nursing diagnoses is? What is the appropriate response by the instructor?