Ambulatory Care Nursing Flashcards
7 cards from real Ambulatory Care Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ambulatory Care Nursing flashcards as text
A patient calls the ambulatory care clinic reporting chest tightness and shortness of breath after starting a new ACE inhibitor. What is the nurse's priority action?
Answer: Instruct the patient to call 911 immediately and stop the medication
Angioedema is a life-threatening ACE inhibitor side effect; symptoms of throat/airway involvement require emergency services immediately.
Which documentation element is most critical when a nurse triages a telephone call in an ambulatory care setting?
Answer: The time, caller's name, chief complaint, advice given, and follow-up plan
Complete telephone triage documentation must capture time, caller identity, complaint, nursing advice, and disposition to ensure continuity and legal protection.
A nurse is preparing a patient with type 2 diabetes for a colonoscopy. The patient takes metformin daily. What instruction is most important?
Answer: Hold metformin 48 hours before the procedure and after until renal function is confirmed normal
Metformin must be held before procedures using contrast and for 48 hours after to prevent lactic acidosis if contrast-induced nephropathy occurs.
An ambulatory care nurse is reviewing quality improvement data showing a high rate of patients not filling new prescriptions. Which intervention is most likely to improve adherence?
Answer: Providing medication counseling and teach-back before the patient leaves the clinic
Teach-back education at the point of care addresses health literacy barriers and confirms patient understanding before they leave, improving first-fill rates.
A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presents for a routine visit. Which finding should the ambulatory nurse prioritize reporting to the provider?
Answer: Oxygen saturation of 87% on room air today
An oxygen saturation of 87% indicates significant hypoxemia requiring prompt provider notification and possible intervention.
When performing a medication reconciliation for a newly established patient in an ambulatory care clinic, which source of information is considered the gold standard?
Answer: A brown-bag review where the patient brings all current medications to the visit
Brown-bag medication review allows the nurse to physically inspect all bottles, identify discrepancies, and confirm doses and adherence.
A nurse administers an influenza vaccine to a patient who then reports feeling faint. What is the first action the nurse should take?
Answer: Have the patient lie down and elevate the legs, then monitor vital signs
Vasovagal syncope is common post-vaccination; placing the patient supine with legs elevated restores cerebral perfusion and is the first intervention.