Which of the following is a characteristic manifestation of Addison's disease?

Choice A rationale

A ventilator-dependent patient requires complex and specialized respiratory care, including ventilator management, suctioning, and frequent assessments for complications such as pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome. This level of care demands advanced knowledge and experience in critical care, which a nurse with only six months of experience floated from a surgical unit may not possess, potentially compromising patient safety.

Choice B rationale

A patient recently returned from a bronchoscopy and biopsy is at risk for immediate post-procedure complications such as hemorrhage, pneumothorax, or respiratory distress. These potential acute events require prompt and skilled assessment, intervention, and monitoring, which necessitate an experienced nurse with a strong understanding of respiratory physiology and post-procedural care, beyond what a novice nurse might have.

Choice C rationale

A patient on airborne precautions for tuberculosis requires meticulous adherence to infection control protocols to prevent disease transmission. This includes proper use of N95 respirators, negative pressure rooms, and visitor management. While important, managing airborne precautions is a critical skill. However, a nurse with only six months of experience and floated from a surgical unit may not have sufficient experience with medical unit patient acuity or the complexities of managing a communicable disease.

Choice D rationale

Teaching about incentive spirometry is a routine and relatively low-risk intervention, focusing on patient education and demonstrating proper technique. This task aligns well with the skill set of a nurse with six months of experience, even if floated from another unit, as it does not typically involve complex assessments or high-acuity interventions, making it an appropriate assignment for skill reinforcement and patient engagement.

Choice A rationale

Episiotomy involves an incision in the perineum to enlarge the vaginal opening. While it can facilitate delivery, it does not directly address the mechanical obstruction caused by the shoulder impacting against the maternal symphysis pubis, which is the hallmark of shoulder dystocia.

Choice B rationale

The McRoberts maneuver is most commonly used first to relieve shoulder dystocia. It involves hyperflexing the maternal hips onto the abdomen, which flattens the sacrum, rotates the symphysis pubis cephalad, and often allows the impacted anterior shoulder to clear underneath the symphysis pubis, facilitating delivery.

Choice C rationale

The Zavanelli maneuver involves pushing the fetal head back into the birth canal and performing a Cesarean section. This is a highly invasive and often last-resort maneuver, employed only after less invasive methods like McRoberts and suprapubic pressure have failed due to its significant risks.

Choice D rationale

Fundal pressure involves applying downward pressure on the top of the uterus. This maneuver is contraindicated in shoulder dystocia because it can worsen the impaction of the fetal shoulder against the maternal symphysis pubis, potentially leading to more severe injury to the fetus or mother.