A nurse in the intensive care unit is managing a patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) who is on mechanical ventilation with high PEEP settings. The patient suddenly develops hypotension, tachycardia, and absent breath sounds on the left side. Which immediate intervention is the highest priority?
A public health nurse is developing a program to address the high incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in a low-income community. Which of the following interventions represent a primary prevention strategy? (Select THREE)
A labor and delivery nurse is monitoring a client with preeclampsia who is receiving an intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate. The nurse's latest assessment reveals: respiratory rate of 10 breaths/minute, absent deep tendon reflexes, and a urine output of 20 mL/hr. What is the nurse's priority action?
True or False: When administering medications through a nasogastric (NG) tube connected to continuous suction, the nurse should clamp the tube for at least 30 minutes after medication administration before reconnecting suction.
**Case Study Scenario:** A 68-year-old male with a history of COPD, coronary artery disease, and type 2 diabetes is admitted to the medical-surgical unit with an acute exacerbation of COPD. He presents with increased dyspnea, a productive cough with purulent sputum, and wheezing. His vital signs are: Temp 38.5°C, HR 110 bpm, RR 28/min, BP 140/88 mmHg, SpO2 86% on room air. The physician's orders include: oxygen therapy to maintain SpO2 >90%, nebulized albuterol and ipratropium Q4H, IV methylprednisolone, IV levofloxacin, and a sputum culture. The patient is anxious and is using accessory muscles to breathe. He is placed on 2L/min of oxygen via nasal cannula, and his SpO2 improves to 91%. Two hours later, the nurse finds the patient increasingly lethargic and confused. His respiratory rate has decreased to 12/min and is shallow. His SpO2 remains 91%. What is the most likely cause of this change in the patient's condition?
A nurse is preparing to administer a blood transfusion. Which action is essential to ensure patient safety and prevent a transfusion reaction?
A school nurse is assessing a 7-year-old child who fell from the monkey bars. The child is crying, holding his left arm, and has a visible deformity of the forearm. Which actions should the nurse take immediately? (Select TWO)
A patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis asks the nurse why they need to take epoetin alfa. The nurse's best response is:
A nurse working on a psychiatric inpatient unit is caring for a client with schizophrenia who is experiencing auditory hallucinations. The client is visibly distressed and tells the nurse, "The voices are telling me I'm worthless." What is the most therapeutic initial response by the nurse?
A nurse manager is addressing a breach of patient confidentiality where a staff nurse discussed a patient's diagnosis in the hospital cafeteria. This action violates which ethical principle?