Fundamentals of Nursing Flashcards
7 cards from real BSN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Fundamentals of Nursing flashcards as text
A nurse notes that a patient's IV insertion site is pale, cool, swollen, and the infusion has slowed. The nurse recognizes this as:
Answer: Infiltration
Infiltration occurs when IV fluid leaks into surrounding tissue, causing pallor, coolness, swelling, and slowed infusion rate.
Which is the correct technique when performing tracheostomy suctioning?
Answer: Insert the catheter without suction, then apply intermittent suction while withdrawing
Suction is applied only during catheter withdrawal using intermittent pressure to prevent mucosal trauma and hypoxia.
A patient's apical pulse is 88 bpm and the radial pulse is 80 bpm. What is the pulse deficit, and what does it indicate?
Answer: Deficit of 8; indicates some cardiac contractions are not producing a palpable peripheral pulse
A pulse deficit (apical minus radial) indicates that some ventricular contractions are too weak to produce a peripheral pulse wave.
When applying a dry sterile dressing, the nurse should use which type of tape application to secure the dressing edges?
Answer: Tape all four sides of the dressing in a picture-frame pattern
Taping all four sides in a picture-frame pattern secures the dressing and maintains a sterile barrier without restricting circulation.
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a patient who will self-administer insulin at home. Which site rotation strategy should the nurse teach?
Answer: Use the same anatomical region consistently and rotate within that region
Using the same anatomical region and rotating within it prevents lipodystrophy and provides consistent insulin absorption.
Which laboratory value indicates a patient may be at risk for impaired wound healing?
Answer: Serum albumin 2.1 g/dL
Serum albumin below 3.5 g/dL indicates protein malnutrition, which impairs collagen synthesis and wound healing.
A nurse is teaching a patient to use a cane. The cane should be held on which side, and how high should it be adjusted?
Answer: On the stronger side; adjusted to the level of the greater trochanter with a 20–30° elbow flexion
The cane is held on the stronger side to bear weight opposite the weak leg, and adjusted to the greater trochanter with slight elbow flexion for optimal support.