A nurse is teaching a newly hired nurse about the legal aspects of documentation.
Which of the following statements by the newly hired nurse indicates an understanding of the teaching?
“I should document only normal findings to avoid alarming the client.”.
“I should document any incident that occurs during my shift and notify the provider.”.
“I should document in advance to save time and ensure accuracy.”.
“I should document my personal opinions about the client’s condition and care.”.
The Correct Answer is B
“I should document any incident that occurs during my shift and notify the provider.” This statement indicates an understanding of the legal aspects of documentation, which include:.
• Documenting accurately, objectively, and completely to provide evidence of care delivery and support the nurse’s moral and legal responsibilities.
• Documenting any change in the patient’s condition, treatments, medications, interventions, client responses, and complaints.
• Documenting any incident that occurs during the shift and notifying the provider to ensure appropriate follow-up and prevent further harm.
• Documenting in a timely manner to minimize errors and omissions.
The other choices are wrong because:.
• Choice A is wrong because documenting only normal findings can mislead the client and other health professionals about the actual status of the client. It can also impede patient care and hinder the nurse’s legal defense in the event of a malpractice lawsuit.
• Choice C is wrong because documenting in advance can compromise the accuracy and integrity of the documentation. It can also lead to legal action if the documented events do not match the actual events.
• Choice D is wrong because documenting personal opinions about the client’s condition and care can be considered unprofessional, biased, and disrespectful. It can also damage the nurse-client relationship and expose the nurse to legal liability.
Normal ranges for documentation depend on the type of information being documented, such as vital signs, laboratory values, assessment findings, etc.
They may vary according to different sources and standards.
Nurses should follow the policies and procedures of their institution and use their clinical judgment when documenting abnormal findings.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["A","B","D","E"]
Explanation
The nurse should use the following abbreviations when documenting the care of a client who has pneumonia and is receiving oxygen therapy via nasal cannula at 2 L/min:.
• O2: This stands for oxygen and indicates the type of gas being delivered to the patient.
• NC: This stands for nasal cannula and indicates the device used to deliver oxygen to the patient.
• SpO2: This stands for peripheral oxygen saturation and indicates the percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen in the blood.
It is measured by a pulse oximeter attached to the patient’s finger or earlobe.
• RR: This stands for respiratory rate and indicates the number of breaths per minute that the patient takes.
It is an important vital sign to monitor in patients with respiratory conditions.
Choice C is wrong because LPM is not an accepted abbreviation for oxygen therapy.LPM stands for liters per minute and indicates the flow rate of oxygen being delivered to the patient.However, it should not be abbreviated as LPM, but written out in full or as L/min.This is to avoid confusion with other abbreviations such as lpm (lowercase L) which stands for light per minute, a unit of luminous flux.
Normal ranges for SpO2 and RR vary depending on the age, health status and activity level of the patient, but generally they are:.
• SpO2: 95% to 100% for healthy adults.
Lower values may indicate hypoxemia (low blood oxygen level) or other conditions affecting oxygen delivery or uptake in the body.
• RR: 12 to 20 breaths per minute for healthy adults.
Higher or lower values may indicate respiratory distress, infection, pain, anxiety or other conditions affecting breathing.
Correct Answer is ["A","B"]
Explanation
These are the only options that describe thesubjectiveandobjectivedata of the patient, which are part of theSOAPdocumentation method.SOAP stands forSubjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan, and it is a way of recording patient data in a clear and consistent manner.
ChoiceCis wrong because wound culture results are not part of the assessment entry in SOAP documentation.They are part of the investigation results, which are usually documented in the objective section.
ChoiceDis wrong because risk for infection related to impaired skin integrity is a nursing diagnosis, not an assessment.Nursing diagnoses are usually documented in the plan section of SOAP documentation.
ChoiceEis wrong because applied moist heat compresses to the wound site is an intervention, not an assessment.Interventions are also documented in the plan section of SOAP documentation.
Normal ranges for vital signs are as follows:.
• Blood pressure: 90/60 mmHg to 120/80 mmHg.
• Pulse rate: 60 to 100 beats per minute.
• Respiratory rate: 12 to 20 breaths per minute.
• SpO2: 95% to 100%.
• Temperature: 36.5°C to 37.5°C.
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