Which is the most important step that the nurse can take to prevent the transmission of microorganisms in the hospital?

Wear gloves during any and all contact with patients.

Wash hands before and after contact with each patient.

Clean the stethoscope with an alcohol swab between patients.

Wear protective eyewear at all times.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A reason: Gloves reduce transmission but are not sufficient alone; improper use can spread microbes. Hand washing before and after patient contact is the most effective, universal method, so this is incorrect.

Choice B reason: Hand washing before and after patient contact is the most critical step to prevent microorganism transmission, as it removes pathogens from hands, the primary vector. This is the gold standard, making it correct.

Choice C reason: Cleaning the stethoscope is important but secondary to hand washing, which addresses the most common transmission route. Hands contact patients directly, so this is incorrect as the most important step.

Choice D reason: Protective eyewear prevents specific exposures but doesn’t address general microbial spread. Hand washing is the most effective, routine prevention method, so this is incorrect for the primary step.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: In a conscious, alert, and oriented patient, the subjective report is the most reliable pain indicator, as pain is a subjective experience. The patient’s description of intensity, location, and quality directly reflects their perception, guided by neurological pain pathways, making this the gold standard.

Choice B reason: Vital signs like elevated heart rate or blood pressure may suggest pain but are nonspecific, as they can result from anxiety, exertion, or other conditions. They are less reliable than the patient’s verbal report, which directly conveys the pain experience.

Choice C reason: X-ray results may identify structural issues but cannot directly assess pain, a subjective sensation processed by the brain’s pain pathways. They are diagnostic, not experiential, making them unreliable for gauging pain in a conscious patient.

Choice D reason: Physical examination findings, like guarding or grimacing, are indirect pain indicators and less reliable than the patient’s subjective report. These signs may be absent or misleading in some patients, making the verbal description more accurate for pain assessment.

A. Submandibular and occipital B. Parotid and jugulodigastric C. Occipital and submental D. Parotid and submandibular

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Choice A reason: The submandibular glands are palpable below the mandible, but occipital glands do not exist as salivary glands. The occipital region relates to lymph nodes or muscles, not salivary structures, making this an incorrect pair for palpation.

Choice B reason: The parotid glands are palpable near the ears, but jugulodigastric refers to lymph nodes, not salivary glands. This misidentification of anatomical structures makes this pair incorrect for assessing salivary gland palpation.

Choice C reason: Occipital and submental regions do not contain salivary glands. Submental lymph nodes exist, but neither these nor occipital structures are salivary glands, making this pair anatomically incorrect for the nurse’s palpation assessment.

Choice D reason: The parotid glands, located anterior to the ears, and submandibular glands, below the mandible, are the two pairs of salivary glands accessible for palpation. Their anatomical positions allow external assessment, making this the correct choice.

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Which is the most important step that the nurse can take to prevent the transmission of microorganisms in the hospital?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

The nurse is assessing a patient’s pain. Which would be the most reliable indicator of pain in a conscious, alert, and oriented patient?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

When examining the face, the nurse is aware that which two pairs of salivary glands are accessible for palpation?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

In performing a voice test to assess hearing, which of these actions would the nurse perform?

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