The healthcare provider writes several prescriptions for a client diagnosed with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) that include a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

Monitor the client’s metabolic panel results during antibiotic therapy.

Schedule prescribed nebulizer treatments with respiratory therapy.

Collect blood specimens for culture prior to starting antibiotic therapy.

Review medical record for results of a chest x-ray taken on admission.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Choice A reason: Monitoring the metabolic panel detects antibiotic side effects like renal toxicity, but this is ongoing. Collecting blood cultures first identifies the HAP pathogen, ensuring targeted therapy. Premature antibiotics may obscure results, leading to resistance, making cultures more urgent for effective treatment of this nosocomial infection.

Choice B reason: Nebulizer treatments aid airway clearance in HAP, but identifying the pathogen via cultures is critical before antibiotics. Ineffective therapy delays recovery, as bacteria proliferate in mucus. Cultures guide precise antibiotic selection, reducing resistance risk, making this less immediate than obtaining microbiological data.

Choice C reason: Collecting blood cultures before antibiotics identifies the HAP pathogen (e.g., MRSA) and its sensitivity, critical for tailoring therapy. Broad-spectrum antibiotics can yield false-negative cultures, complicating treatment. This ensures accurate diagnosis, optimizing outcomes in severe infections, addressing the microbiological basis of HAP management.

Choice D reason: Reviewing chest x-ray confirms HAP with infiltrates but does not guide immediate antibiotic therapy. Cultures are urgent to identify the pathogen before antibiotics, as x-rays are non-specific and already documented. Cultures ensure pathogen-specific treatment, critical for combating hospital-acquired infections effectively.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Administering oxygen supports oxygenation but is not the priority during a seizure, typically brief without sustained hypoxia. Removing objects prevents trauma from tonic-clonic movements, driven by neuronal hyperexcitability, addressing the immediate risk of fractures or head injuries during uncontrolled muscle activity.

Choice B reason: Removing objects prevents injury during a seizure, as tonic-clonic convulsions from excessive neuronal discharges risk trauma like fractures. Ensuring a safe environment addresses the physiological risk of harm from environmental hazards, critical for protecting the client during uncontrolled movements in seizure activity.

Choice C reason: Placing pillows around the head may reduce injury but is less effective than clearing hazards, as seizures involve full-body movements. Pillows may not stay secure during clonic jerking. Removing objects ensures broader safety, minimizing trauma risk across all body areas, making this less immediate.

Choice D reason: Applying restraints is contraindicated, as they risk injury like fractures by resisting forceful neuronal-driven movements. Seizures require safe movement in a clear environment. Removing objects prevents trauma, addressing the physiological need for safety during a seizure, making restraints inappropriate and potentially harmful.

A. Blood pressure is 142/88 mm Hg. B. 2+ edema of fingers and hands. C. Radial pulse volume is 3+. D. Capillary refill time is 2 seconds.

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Blood pressure of 142/88 mm Hg indicates mild hypertension but does not directly affect pulse oximetry, which measures arterial oxygen saturation via hemoglobin light absorption. Hypertension does not typically cause hypoxemia (91% SpO₂). Edema is more likely, as it disrupts sensor accuracy, leading to false low readings.

Choice B reason: 2+ edema in fingers and hands impairs pulse oximeter accuracy, as fluid in tissues scatters light, reducing the sensor’s ability to detect arterial hemoglobin saturation. This causes falsely low SpO₂ readings (91%), common in edema from heart failure, making it the primary contributor to the inaccurate measurement.

Choice C reason: A radial pulse volume of 3+ indicates strong arterial flow, supporting accurate pulse oximetry by ensuring perfusion. This does not explain a low SpO₂ of 91%, as strong pulses enhance sensor reliability. Edema’s interference with light transmission is more likely to cause the reduced reading.

Choice D reason: Capillary refill of 2 seconds is normal, indicating adequate perfusion. This does not contribute to a low SpO₂ (91%), as pulse oximetry measures arterial flow, not capillary dynamics. Edema disrupts light transmission, causing inaccurate readings, making it the most likely cause of the observed saturation.

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The healthcare provider writes several prescriptions for a client diagnosed with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) that include a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

After placing a client who is having a seizure in the side-lying position, which intervention should the nurse implement?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

The nurse attaches a pulse oximeter to a client’s finger and obtains an oxygen saturation reading of 91%. Which assessment finding most likely contributes to this reading?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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