The practical nurse (PN) is preparing for shift change. Which task has the highest priority and should be completed first?
Clean up and organize the nurses' workstation.
Verify completion of all new prescriptions.
Calculate and record intake and output totals.
Write a narrative shift summary for each client.
The Correct Answer is B
The correct answer is choice B. Verify completion of all new prescriptions. This task is crucial to ensure patient safety and proper medication administration.
Choice A rationale:
Clean up and organize the nurses’ workstation: While maintaining an organized workstation is important for efficiency and reducing stress, it is not the highest priority task. Patient safety and care tasks take precedence over organizational tasks.
Choice B rationale:
Verify completion of all new prescriptions: This is the highest priority because verifying new prescriptions ensures that patients receive the correct medications as prescribed by their healthcare providers. This step is critical to prevent medication errors, which can have serious or even fatal consequences. Ensuring the accuracy of medication orders directly impacts patient safety and care quality.
Choice C rationale:
Calculate and record intake and output totals: Monitoring and recording intake and output is important for assessing a patient’s fluid balance and overall health status. However, this task can be delegated to another team member and does not take precedence over verifying medication orders, which is more time-sensitive and directly related to patient safety.
Choice D rationale:
Write a narrative shift summary for each client: Documenting a shift summary is essential for continuity of care and communication between healthcare providers. However, this task can be completed after ensuring that all critical patient care tasks, such as verifying new prescriptions, are addressed first.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["0.6"]
Explanation
Step 1: The medication is prescribed as 30 mg every 12 hours, which means it is given twice a day. So, the total daily dosage in mg is 30 mg × 2 = 60 mg.
Step 2: The medication is available in 30 mg per 0.3 mL. So, to find out how many mL correspond to 60 mg, we set up a proportion: (30 mg / 0.3 mL) = (60 mg / x mL). Solving for x gives x = (0.3 mL / 30 mg) × 60 mg = 0.6 mL.
Therefore, the practical nurse should administer 0.6 mL of the medication each day.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
This is the best action for the PN to implement because it addresses the client's question and provides an opportunity to educate the client about the fecal diversion surgery and its outcomes. The PN should review the type, location, and appearance of the surgical opening (stoma) and explain how it will affect the client's elimination and body image.
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