NCLEX HESI Fundamentals Bullets from Nurses Labs – Flashcards
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            What can a blood pressure cuff that's too narrow cause?
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        falsely elevated BP reading
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            this insulin should be drawn up into the syringe first so it doesn't contaminate the other type of insulin
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        regular
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            rumbling sounds heard on lung auscultation
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        rhonci
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            this type of adventitious lung sounds can be more pronounced during expiration than during inspiration
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        rhonchi
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            forced feeding, usually through a gastric tube
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        gavage
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            a tube passed into the stomach through the mouth
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        gastric tube
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            What portion of Maslow's hierarchy of needs has the highest priority?
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        physiologic needs (air, water, food, shelter, activity, comfort)
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            this is the safest and surest way to verify a patient's identity
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        check the ID band on wrist
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            What is the primary concern in the therapeutic environment?
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        patient safety
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            What does fluid oscillation in the tubing of a chest drainage system indicate?
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        system is working properly
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            What position should a nurse place a patient who has a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube?
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        semi-Fowlers
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            How can a nurse elicit Trousseau's sign?
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        occluding the brachial or radial artery
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            What indicates Trousseau's sign?
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        hand and finger spasms during occlusion
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            What does Trousseau's sign suggest?
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        hypocalcemia
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            What is the appropriate needle size for adult blood transfusions?
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        16 to 20G
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            this type of pain is incapacitating and can't be relieved by drugs
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        intractable pain
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            How can a consent for treatment be obtained in an emergency?
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        fax, telephone (or other telegraphic means)
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            the unit of measurement of sound
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        decibel
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            this is required for any invasive procedure
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        informed consent
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            What must a patient do who can't write their name to give consent for treatment?
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        make an X in the presence of two witnesses (such as a nurse, priest, or physician)
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            this IM injection method seals the drug deep into the muscle
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        Z-track method
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            this IM injection method minimizes skin irritation and staining
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        Z-track method
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            What length needle is required for the Z-track IM injection method?
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        1" or longer
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            What acronym is often used in the event of a fire?
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        RACE (Remove the patient, Activate the alarm, Attempt to contain the fire by closing the door, Extinguish the fire if it can be done safely)
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            Who should be assigned to a registered nurse to perform bedside care, such as suctioning or drug administration?
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        LPN (or licensed vocational nurse)
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            What must be done if the patient cannot void?
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        bladder palpation to assess for bladder distention
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            What side should the patient who uses a cane carry it on?
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        unaffected side
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            How should a patient use a cane?
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        advance it at the same time as the affected extremity
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            How is a supine patient fitted for crutches?
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        measure from the axilla to the sole and add 2" to the measurement
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            What is the timeline for assessment?
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        begins with the nurse's first encounter with the patient and continues through the patient's stay
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            How does the nurse obtain assessment data?
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        health history, physical examination, review of diagnostic studies
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            What is the appropriate size needle for insulin injection?
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        25G and 5/8" long
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            What is urine called that remains in the bladder after voiding?
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        residual urine
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            normal amount of residual urine
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        50 to 100 mL
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            5 stages of the nursing process
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        assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation (ADPIE)
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            this stage of the nursing process is when the nurse continuously collects data to identify a patient's actual and potential health needs
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        assessment
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            this stage of the nursing process is then the nurse makes a clinical judgement about individual, family, or community responses to actual or potential health problems or life processes
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        nursing diagnosis
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            this stage of the nursing process is the stage in which the nurse assigns priorities to nursing diagnoses, defines short-term and long-term goals and expected outcomes, and establishes the nursing care plan
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        planning
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            this stage of the nursing process is the stage in which the nurse puts the nursing care plan into action, delegates specific nursing interventions to members of the nursing team, and charts patient responses to nursing interventions
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        implementation
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            this stage of the nursing process is the stage in which the nurse compares objective and subjective data with the outcome criteria and, if needed, modifies the nursing care plan
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        evaluation
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            What should the nurse do before administering any "as needed" pain medication?
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        indicate the location of the pain
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            this religious belief believes that they shouldn't receive blood components donated by other people
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        Jehovah's Witness
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            to test this, the nurse should ask the patient to cover each eye separately and to read the eye chart with glasses and without, as appropriate
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        visual acuity
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            What must be done when providing oral care for an unconscious patient to minimize the risk of aspiration?
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        position the patient on the side
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            How far away must a patient stand from the chart when assessing distance vision?
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        20 feet
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            What is the ideal room temperature for a geriatric patient or one who is extremely ill?
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        66 to 76 F
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            What is normal room humidity?
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        30% to 60%
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            this is the single best method of limiting the spread of microorganisms
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        hand washing
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            How long must hands be washed once gloves are removed after routine contact with a patient?
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        10 to 15 seconds
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            What position should a nurse place a woman to perform catheterization?
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        dorsal recumbent (lithotomy)
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            How are electrolytes measured in a solution?
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        milliequivalents per liter
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            What is a milliequivalent?
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        number of milligrams per 100 mL of a solution
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            What might a positive Homan's sign indicate?
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        thrombophlebitis
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            2 phases of metabolism
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        anabolism, catabolism
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            the constructive phase of metabolism
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        anabolism
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            the destructive phase of metabolism
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        catabolism
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            the amount of energy needed to maintain essential body functions
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        basal metabolic rate
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            When is basal metabolic rate measured?
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        patient awake and resting, not eaten in 14-18 hours, in a comfortable and warm environment
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            how basal metabolic rate is expressed
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        calories consumed per hour per kilogram of body weight
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            this supplies bulk, maintains intestinal motility, helps to establish bowel habits
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        dietary fiber (roughage)
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            Where is alcohol metabolized primary? Where is it metabolized in smaller amounts?
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        primarily in the liver, smaller amounts by the kidney and lungs
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            tiny, round, purplish red spots that appear on the skin and mucous membranes as a result of intradermal or submucosal hemorrhage
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        petechiae
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            a purple discoloration of the skin that's caused by blood extravasation
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        purpura
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            this should never be done with needles after using them and is the cause of most needle sticks
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        recap needles
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            what a nurse uses to administer a drug by IV push to deliver the dose directly into a vein, IV tubing, or catheter
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        needle and syringe
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            What should be done when changing the ties on a tracheostomy tube?
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        leave the old ties in place until the new ones are applied
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            What is always used for blood transfusions?
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        filter
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            this ambulatory device is indicated when a patient needs more stability than a regular cane can provide
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        quad (four-point) cane
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            a good way to begin a patient interview
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        "What made you seek medical help?"
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            the most abundant cation in intracellular fluid
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        potassium (K+)
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            in this gait, the patient first moves the right crutch followed by the left foot and then the left crutch followed by the right foot
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        four-point or alternating gait
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            in this gait, the patient moves two crutches and the affected leg simultaneously and then moves the unaffected leg
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        three-point gait
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            in this gait, the patient moves the right leg and the left crutch simultaneously and then moves the left leg and the right crutch simultaneously
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        two-point gait
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            the Vitamin B complex, water soluble vitamins that are essential for metabolism
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        thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), cyanocobalamin (B12)
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            how the patient should be dressed when being weighed
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        lightly dressed and shoeless
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            what should be done before taking an adult's oral temp
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        nurse should ensure that the patient hasn't smoked or consumed any hot/cold substances in the previous 15 minutes
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            when the nurse should not take an adult's rectal temp
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        patient has cardiac disorder, anal lesions, bleeding hemorrhoids, or recently undergone rectal surgery
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            taking adult's rectal temp in a patient that has a cardiac disorder
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        may stimulate a vagal response and lead to vasodilation and decreased cardiac output
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            how the nurse should record pulse amplitude and rhythm
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        0 absent pulse; 1+ thready or weak pulse; 2+ normal pulse; 3+ bounding pulse
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            this period begins when a patient is transferred to the operating room bed and ends when the patient is admitted to the postanesthesia care unit
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        intraoperative period
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            what should be done the morning of a patient's surgery
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        consent form signed, patient hasn't taken anything by mouth since midnight, taken a shower in microbial soap, mouth care w/o swallowing water, removed common jewelry, received preoperative meds as prescribed, vital signs taken and recorded, (artificial limbs and other prostheses are usually removed)
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            comfort measures that may decrease the patient's need for analgesics or may enhance their effectiveness
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        positioning, rubbing the patient's back, providing a restful environment
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            a drug's three names
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        generic, trade/brand, chemcial
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            how a patient should take a liquid iron preparation
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        through a straw to avoid teeth staining
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            what injection method should be used when administering iron dextran (Imferon) IM
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        Z-track method (IM)
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            where an organism can enter the body
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        nose, mouth, rectum, urinary or reproductive tract, skin
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            levels of consciousness in order
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        alertness, lethargy, stupor, light coma, deep coma
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            portion of the stethoscope used to hear high-pitched sounds, such as breath sounds
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        diaphragm
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            differences in the BP between the right and left arms
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        slight difference is normal (5-10 Hg)
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            where to place BP cuff
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        1" above the antecubital fossa
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            what to do when instilling ophthalmic ointments
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        waste the first bead of ointment, then apply the ointment from the inner canthus to the outer canthus
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            measuring BP in an obese patient
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        use leg cuff
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            if a BP cuff is applied too loosely
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        false lower reading
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            drooping of the eyelid
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        ptosis
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            this type of table is useful for a patient with a spinal cord injury, orthostatic hypotension, or brain damage because it can move the patient gradually from a horizontal to a vertical (upright) position
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        tilt table
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            how to perform a venipuncture with the least injury to the vessel
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        turn the bevel upward when the vessel's lumen is larger than the needle, turn it downward when the lumen is only slightly larger than the needle
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            patient should wear _______ when being measured for crutches
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        shoes
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            never attach a restraint to this portion of the bed
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        mattress, side rails (always the bed frame)
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            position for a sigmoidoscopy
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        knee-chest or Sims
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            order of Maslow's hierarchy of needs
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        physiologic, safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem and recognition, self-actualization
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            this should be applied to the nostril to prevent soreness when caring for a patient with a nasogastric tube
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        water-soluble lubricant
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            gastric lavage procedure (stomach pump)
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        nasogastric tube inserted, stomach is flushed, ingested substances removed through tube
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            documenting drainage of a surgical dressing
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        size, color, consistency of drainage
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            to elicit this reflex, the nurse strokes the sole of the patient's foot with a moderately sharp object
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        Babinski's reflex
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            positive Babinski's reflex
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        fanning toes
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            assessing for bladder distension
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        check the contour of the lower abdomen for a rounded mass above the symphysis pubis
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            best way to prevent pressure ulcers
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        reposition bedridden patient at least every 2 hours
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            this decompresses the superficial blood vessels, reducing the risk of thrombus formation
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        antiembolism stockings
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            most convenient veins for venipuncture for adults
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        basilic, median cubital
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            what must be done 2-3 hours before beginning a tube feeding
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        aspirate the patient's stomach to verify that gastric emptying is adequate
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            universal blood donors
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        type O
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            universal blood recipients
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        type AB
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            unit of measurement of sound frequency
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        Hz (Hertz)
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            sound intensity level when hearing protection is required
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        exceeds 84 db
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            sound intensity level when double hearing protection is required
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        exceeds 104 db
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            where prothombin, a clotting factor, is produced
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        liver
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            what should be done if a patient is menstruating when a urine sample is collected
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        note on lab request
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            what must be noted during a lumbar puncture
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        initial intracranial pressure, color of cerebrospinal fluid
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            this type of treatment can be used to help obtain a sample if a patient can't cough to provide a sputum sample for culture
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        heated aerosal treatment
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            What must be instilled first in eye ointment and eyedrops must be instilled in the same eye?
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        eyedrops
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            first to be removed for PPE
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        gloves before mask (because fewer pathogens are on mask)
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            the most effective means of traction, applying to a bone with wire pins or tongs
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        skeletal traction
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            preparation of TPN
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        stored in a refrigerator, removed 30-60 minutes before use
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            symptoms of delivering a chilled solution
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        pain, hypothermia, venous spasm, venous constriction
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            where drugs aren't routinely injected intramuscularly because they may not be absorbed
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        edematous tissue
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            explaining actions when caring for a comatose patient
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        explain in a normal voice
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            cleaning dentures
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        in a sink that's lined with a washcloth
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            patient should void within ____ hours after surgery
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        8 hours
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            an _____ identifies normal and abnormal brain waves
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        EEG
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            these types of lab tests should be delivered to the lab without delay and without refrigeration
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        feces (for ova) samples, parasite tests
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            this nervous system regulates the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
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        autonomic nervous system
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            intermittent suction should be applied no more than ___ seconds using a slight twisting motion when providing tracheostomy care
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        15 seconds
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            low-residue diet foods
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        roasted chicken, rice, pasta
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            why a rectal tube shouldn't be inserted no longer than 20 minutes
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        irritation of the rectal mucosa, can cause loss of sphincter control
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            order of bed bath
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        face, neck, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, back, legs, perineum
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            muscles the nurse uses to prevent injury when lifting and moving a patient
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        upper leg muscles
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            patient prep for cholecystography
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        ingestion of a contrast medium and a low-fat evening meal
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            what to do while an occupied bed is being changed
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        cover patient with a bath blanket to promote warmth and prevent exposure
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            mourning that occurs for an extended time when the patient realizes death is inevitable
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        anticipatory grief
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            foods that can alter the color of feces
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        beets (red), cocoa (dark red/brown), licorice (black), spinach (green), meat protein (dark brown)
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            patient should remove all jewelry and dentures when preparing for a ______ x-ray
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        skull x-ray
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            the flight-or-flight response comes a response from this nervous system
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        sympathetic nervous system
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            if bronchovesicular sounds are heard in peripheral lung fields
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        abnormal
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            what bronchovesicular lung sounds suggest if heard in peripheral lung fields
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        pneumonia
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            an abnormal, high-pitched breath sound that's acccentuated on expiration
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        wheezing
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            this in the ear should be flushed out gently by irrigation with warn saline solution
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        wax or a foreign body
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            what should be done if a patient complains that their hearing aid is "not working"
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        check the switch to see if it's turned on, check batteries
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            grading hyperactive biceps and triceps reflexes
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        4+
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            if two eye medications are prescribed for twice-daily instillation
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        should be administered 5 minutes apart
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            forcing fluids in a post-op patient
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        helps prevent constipation
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            Who establishes the standards of care?
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        American Nurses association, state regulations, facility policy
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            a unit of energy measurement that represents the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature 1 kilogram of water 1 degree C
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        kilocalorie (kcal)
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            What do nutrients undergo as they move through the body?
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        ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, cell metabolism, excretion
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            how the body metabolizes alcohol
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        fixed rate, regardless of serum concentration
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            this reflects the percentage of alcohol multiplied 2 in an alcohol beverage (a 100-proof beverage contains 50% alcohol)
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        proof
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            a witnessed document that states a patient's desire for certain types of care and treatment
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        living will
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            what decisions in a living will are based on
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        patient's wishes and views on quality of life
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            how often nurse should flush a peripheral heparin lock
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        every 8 hours (if it wasn't used during the previous 8 hours) and as needed with normal saline solution to maintain patency
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            a method of determining whether nursing actions and practices meet established standards
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        quality assurance
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            five rights of medication administration
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        right drug, right dose, right documentation, right route, right time, right patient
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            this phase of the nursing process is to determine whether nursing interventions have enabled the patient to meet the desired goals
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        evaluation
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            only these forms of nitroglycerine should be used to relieve acute anginal attacks outside the hospital setting
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        sublingual, translingual
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            this phase of the nursing process involves recording the patient's response to the nursing plan, putting the nursing plan into action, delegating specific nursing interventions, and coordinating patient's activities
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        implementation
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            this offers patients guidance and protection by stating the responsibilities of the hospital and its staff toward and their families during hospitalization
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        Patient's Bill of Rights
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            the nurse should record this as soon as it's gathered to minimize omission and distortion of fats
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        information
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            the nurse should record current illness this way when assessing a patient's health history
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        chronologically, beginning with the onset of the problem and continuing to the present
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            never give ____ ________ to a patient
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        false assurance
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            after receiving preoperative medication, a patient isn't competent to do this
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        sign an informed consent form
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            a nurse uses this instead of the strength in her arms when lifting a patient
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        weight of her body
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            What must be done if a patient has questions about informed consent?
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        refer to the physician
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            a nurse can do this about an operation or a procedure to a patient
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        clarify a physician's explanation
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            the nurse should limit questions to those that provide necessary information when obtaining a health history from these patients
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        acutely ill or agitated patient
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            what to do if a chest drainage system line is broken or interrupted
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        clamp tube immediately
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            why you should never use the thumb to take a patient's pulse rate
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        thumb has a pulse that can be confused with the patient's pulse
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            these 2 things count as one respiration
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        inspiration, expiration
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            term for normal respiration
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        eupnea
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            positioning of a patient's arm during blood pressure measurement
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        rest arm against a surface
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            if a patient uses muscle strength to hold up the arm when taking blood pressure
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        may raise BP
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            major, unalterable risk factors for coronary artery disease
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        heredity, sex, race, age
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            the most frequently used assessment technique
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        inspection
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            What should family members of an elderly person in a long-term care facility do to provide a comfortable atmosphere?
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        transfer some personal items to the person's room (such as photographs, a favorite chair, knickknacks, etc.)
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            a regular pulse rhythm with alternating weak and strong beats that occurs in ventricular enlargement because the stroke volume varies with each heartbeat
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        pulsus alternans
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            What does the upper respiratory tract do to inspired air?
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        warms and humidifies
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            What does the upper respiratory tract play a part in?
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        taste, smell, mastication
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            What are shoulder elevation, intercostal muscle retraction, and scalene and sternocleidomastoid muscle use signs of during respiration?
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        accessory muscle use
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            What should bear the brunt of the weight with patients using axillary crutches?
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        palms
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            What are eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and interacting socially examples of?
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        activities of daily living (ADLs)
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            2 phases of a normal gait
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        stance phase (patient's foot rests on the ground), swing phase (patient's foot moves forward)
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            4 phases of mitosis
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        prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase
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            What should the nurse follow when providing routine care for all patients?
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        standard precautions
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            part of the stethoscope used to listen for venous hums and cardiac murmurs
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        bell
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            example of a question to assess a patient's general knowledge
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        "Who is the president of the United States?"
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            What is applied for the first 20-48 hours after an injury?
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        cold packs
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            What is applied after a cold pack after an injury?
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        heat
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            how a cold application is applied after an injury
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        20 minutes, removed 10-15 minutes (to prevent reflex dilation, a rebound phenomenon, and frostbite injury)
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            this is located above the medulla and consists of white and gray amtter
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        pons
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            this nervous system controls the smooth muscles
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        autonomic nervous system
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            Who collaborates with the nurse to develop a patient goal?
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        patient
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            5 basic notes of percussion
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        tympany (loud intensity, as heard over a gastric air bubble or puffed out cheek), hyperresonance (very loud, as heard over an emphysematous lung), resonance (loud, as heard over a normal lung), dullness (medium intensity, as heard over the liver or other solid organ), flatness (soft, as heard over the thigh)
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            description of the optic disk
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        yellowish pink and circular, with a distinct border
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            What is a primary disability caused by?
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        pathologic process
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            What is a secondary disability caused by?
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        inactivity
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            this person is commonly held liable for failing to keep an accurate count of sponges and other devices during surgery
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        nurse
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            best dietary sources of vitamin B6
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        liver, kidney, pork soybeans, corn, whole-grain cereals
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            iron-rich foods that commonly have a low water content
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        organ meats, nuts, legumes, dried fruit, green leafy vegetables, eggs, whole grains
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            this is a joint communication and decision making between nurses and physicians
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        collaboration
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            this is designed to meet patients' need by integrating the care regimens of both professions into one comprehensive approach
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        collaboration
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            a heart rate of fewer than 60 beats/minute
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        bradycardia
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            a statement of a patient's actual or potential health problem that can be resolved, diminished, or otherwise changed by nursing interventions
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        nursing diganosis
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            analysis of 3 types of data collected during the assessment phase
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        health history, physical exam, lab and diagnostic test data
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            this consists primarily of subjective data, information that's supplied by the patient
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        health history
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            this includes objective data obtained by inspection, palpation, percussion, and ausculatation
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        physical exam
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            factors that can affect body temperature
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        time of day, age, physical activity, phase of menstrual cycle, pregnancy
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            the most commonly used artery for measuring a patient's pulse rate
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        radial artery
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            the normal pulse rate is slightly faster in this gender
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        women
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            the normal pulse rate is slightly faster in this age
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        children
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            laboratory test results are an _______ form of assessment data
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        objective
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            3 most commonly used measurement systems in clinical practice
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        metric system, apothecaries' system, household system
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            what the patient must know before signing an informed consent form
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        other treatment options are available, understand what will occur, the risks involved, the possible complications, time required for surgery to recovery
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            a patient must sign one of these for each procedure
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        informed consent form
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            this procedure is done to determine the size, shape, position, and density of underlying organs and tissues, elicit tenderness, or assess reflexes
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        percussion
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            a form of light palpation involving gentle, repetitive bouncing of tissues against the hand and feeling their rebound
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        ballottement
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            this keeps bed linen off the patient's feet to prevent skin irritation and breakdown, especially in a patient who has peripheral vascular disease or neuropathy
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        foot cradle
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            a flushing of the stomach and removal of ingested substances through a nasogastric tube, used to treat poisoning or drug overdose
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        gastric lavage
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            the nurse asses the patient's response to therapy during this step of the nursing process
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        evaluation
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            this is commonly indicates a life- or limb- threatening vascular disease
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        bruits
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            O.U. means...
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        each eye
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            O.D. means...
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        right eye
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            O.S. means...
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        left eye
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            to remove a patient's artificial eye
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        depress the lower lid
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            cleaning an artificial eye
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        use a warm saline solution
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            this type of pulse is fine and scarcely palpable
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        thready
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            this temp site is usually 1 degree F lower than oral temperature
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        axillary temperature
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            what the nurse must document after suctioning a tracheostomy tube
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        color, amount, consistency, odor of secretions
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            what P.C. means on a prescription
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        after meals
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            what should be documented after a bladder irrigation
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        amount, color, and clarity of urine, presence of clots or sediment
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            the inside diameter of a needle (the smaller this is, the larger the diameter)
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        gauge
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            normal number of permanent adult teeth
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        32
