The nurse is caring for a patient receiving warfarin and notes bruising and petechiae on the patient's extremities.
The nurse will request an order for which?

Choice A rationale

Knowing everything necessary for safe drug administration would imply complete knowledge and expertise, which is an unrealistic expectation for any nurse after just one course. Safe drug administration requires continuous learning and staying updated with new guidelines, drug interactions, and patient-specific factors.

Choice B rationale

General drug information includes understanding drug classes, mechanisms of action, and common side effects. Nurses can consult a drug guide for specific information such as dosage, contraindications, and interactions. This approach ensures they can safely and effectively administer medications while remaining adaptable to new drugs and evolving guidelines.

Choice C rationale

Understanding drug actions associated with each classification of medication is crucial, but it is only one aspect of pharmacology. Nurses also need to know about side effects, contraindications, and patient-specific considerations. Comprehensive drug knowledge requires ongoing education and consultation of reliable resources.

Choice D rationale

Current pharmacologic therapy knowledge is essential, but it is not static. Medical and pharmaceutical fields are constantly evolving, with new drugs, research, and guidelines emerging regularly. Nurses must engage in ongoing education to maintain their competence and provide the best care for their patients. .

Choice A rationale

The auricle is an ear-shaped appendage on the surface of the atrium and does not separate the right and left halves of the heart. Its function is to increase the capacity of the atrium, allowing for more blood to be collected and passed to the ventricles.

Choice B rationale

Syncytia refer to a multinucleated cell that can result from the fusion of multiple cells, which is not a structure that separates the right and left sides of the heart. They are typically related to muscle tissue and coordinated contractions.

Choice C rationale

The Bundle of His is a collection of heart muscle cells specialized for electrical conduction that transmits the electrical impulses from the AV node to the point of the apex of the fascicular branches. It does not act as a separator between the right and left halves of the heart.

Choice D rationale

The septum is the structure that separates the right and left halves of the heart. It is a robust wall that divides the atria (interatrial septum) and the ventricles (interventricular septum), ensuring the segregation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.