When helping a person through grief work, the nurse knows:
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Solution
The sequencing of stages of grief may occur in order, they may be skipped, or they may recur.
Grief is manifested in a variety of ways that are unique to an individual and based on personal experiences, cultural expectations, and spiritual beliefs. The sequencing of stages or behaviors of grief may occur in order, they may be skipped, or they may recur. The amount of time to resolve grief also varies among individuals.
A client has recently been told he has terminal cancer. As the nurse enters the room, he yells, “My eggs are cold, and I’m tired of having my sleep interrupted by noisy nurses!” The nurse may interpret the client’s behavior as:
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Solution
An expression of the anger stage of dying
In the anger stage of Kubler-Ross’s stages of dying, the individual resists the loss and may strike out at everyone and everything, in this case, the nurse.
The nurse places an aquathermia pad on a client with a muscle sprain. The nurse informs the client the pad should be removed in 30 minutes. Why will the nurse return in 30 minutes to remove the pad?
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Solution
Reflex vasoconstriction occurs.
If heat is applied for 1 hour or more, blood flow is reduced by reflex vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction is the opposite of the desired effect of heat application
Most litigation in the hospital comes from the:
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Solution
Nurse following an order that is incomplete or incorrect
The nurse is responsible for clarifying all orders that are illegible, unreasonable, unsafe, or incorrect. The failure of the nurse to question the physician about an order creates an area of liability on the nurse’s part because this is perceived as a medical action and not the role of the nurse to write orders. Some RNs do have prescriptive privileges based upon advanced degrees and certification. Therefore the nurse who cannot correct the order must document that the physician was called and clarification or a new order was given to correct the unclear or illegible one that was currently on the chart. Phone calls, follow-up, and lack of follow-up by the physician should also be documented if there is a problem with getting the information in a timely manner. The nurse must show the sequence of events of a situation in a clear manner if there is any conflict or question about any orders or procedures that were not appropriate. Assessments and documentation of the client’s status should also be included if there is a potential risk for harm present. Contact of the staff’s chain of command should also be specifically stated for the proof of the responsibilities being followed according to hospital policy.
Which statement is correct?
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Solution
Consent for medical treatment can be given by a minor with a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Anyone, at any age, can be treated without parental permission for an STD infection. The client is “advised” to contact sexual partners but is not “required” to give names. Permission from parents is not needed, based upon current privacy laws.
Which criterion is needed for someone to give consent to a procedure?
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Solution
An appointed guardianship
A guardian has been appointed by a court and has full legal rights to choose management of care.
When signing a form as a witness, your signature shows that the client:
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Solution
Has signed that form and the witness saw it being done
Your signature as a witness only states that the person signing the form was the person who was listed in the procedure.
When a client is confused, left alone with the side rails down, and the bed in a high position, the client falls and breaks a hip. What law has been broken?
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Solution
Negligence
Knowing what to do to prevent injury is a part of the standards of care for nurses to follow. Safety guidelines dictate raising the side rails, staying with the client, lowering the bed, and observing the client until the environment is safe. As a nurse, these activities are known as basic safety measures that prevent injuries, and to not perform them is not acting in a safe manner. Negligence is conduct that falls below the standard of care that protects others against unreasonable risk of harm.
Besides the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JACHO), which governing agency regulates hospitals to allow continued safe services to be provided, funding to be received from the government and penalties if guidelines are not followed?
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Solution
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
If the hospital fails to follow ADA guidelines for meeting special needs, the facility loses funding and status for receiving low-income loans or reimbursement of expenses. ADA protects the civil rights of disabled people. It applies to both the hospital clients and hospital staff. Privacy issues for persons who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been one issue in relationship to getting information when hospital staff have been exposed to unclean sticks. The ADA allows the infected client the right to choose whether or not to disclose that information.
Nurses are bound by a variety of laws. Which description of a type of law is correct?
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Solution
Statutory law is created by elected legislature, such as the state legislature that defines the Nurse Practice Act (NPA).
Statutory law is created by legislature. It creates statues such as the NPA, which defines the role of the nurse and expectations of the performance of one’s duties and explains what is contraindicated as guidelines for breach of those regulations.