Clinical Flashcards

Which of the following does not cause postural hypotension?

Answer: insufficient exercise

Postural hypotension (orthostatic hypotension) is a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing. It is commonly caused by factors like recent food consumption (blood pooling in the gut), the time of day (often worse in the morning), and temperature (vasodilation in heat). Insufficient exercise, while impacting overall cardiovascular health, is not a direct or immediate cause of an acute drop in blood pressure upon changing position.

Which of the following is not a predicted side effect of lumbar tap?

Answer: Nausea and vomiting

While headaches, back pain, swelling, and bruising are common predicted side effects of a lumbar puncture, nausea and vomiting are not typically expected as direct side effects of the procedure itself. Headaches are very common due to CSF leakage, and localized pain/bruising can occur at the puncture site. Nausea and vomiting might occur secondary to a severe post-lumbar puncture headache, but not as a primary, direct side effect.

A patient was diagnosed as having an infection. What is not an indication or symptom of infection?

Answer: Chills and sweats

Chills and sweats are the body's thermoregulatory responses to a fever, which is a direct symptom of infection. While commonly experienced during infection, they are considered secondary manifestations rather than primary, direct indications of the infection's presence itself. Other options like a temperature above 38°C, aching muscles, and warm skin are more direct physiological signs of the body's inflammatory response to an infection.

What exactly is respiration?

Answer: The transfer of oxygen from the outside air to cells within tissues, as well as the transport of carbon dioxide in the reverse way.

Respiration is the overall physiological process of gas exchange, encompassing both external respiration (breathing and gas exchange in the lungs) and internal respiration (gas exchange between the blood and body tissues). It involves taking oxygen from the environment, transporting it to the cells for metabolic processes, and removing carbon dioxide, the waste product, from the cells back to the environment. This definition covers the entire journey of gases.

You saw that a coworker made a medicine administration mistake. What should be done in this situation?

Answer: You should immediately notify the nurse in charge.

When a medicine administration mistake occurs, patient safety is the immediate priority. Notifying the nurse in charge ensures that the situation is promptly assessed, appropriate actions are taken to mitigate harm to the patient, and the incident can be properly documented and managed according to hospital protocols. This immediate escalation allows for swift intervention and adherence to professional guidelines.

A patient on your ward complains that her heart is 'racing', and you discover that the pulse is too quick to manually palpate. What would be your actions?

Answer: A complete set of measurements: blood pressure, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, and temperature. It is critical to do a 12 lead ECG. The patient should next be evaluated by a physician.

A 'racing heart' and unpalpable pulse indicate a potentially life-threatening cardiac emergency requiring urgent assessment. Obtaining a complete set of vital signs provides crucial baseline data, and a 12-lead ECG is essential for diagnosing the specific cardiac rhythm disturbance. Prompt evaluation by a physician is then necessary to determine the cause and initiate appropriate medical treatment.

You are caring for a postoperative patient, and when conducting their observations, you notice that they are tachycardic and agitated, with an elevated respiratory rate. What may be happening? What would you do?

Answer: The patient displays signs of hypovolaemic shock. Investigate the source of fluid loss, provide fluid replacement, and seek medical attention.

Tachycardia, agitation, and an elevated respiratory rate in a postoperative patient are classic signs of hypovolemic shock, often due to significant fluid or blood loss. The immediate nursing actions involve identifying the source of fluid loss, initiating fluid replacement to restore circulating volume, and urgently seeking medical attention. This comprehensive approach is critical for stabilizing the patient and preventing further deterioration.

Which of the following is the proper response for a nurse taking observations on adult patients in an acute hospital setting?

Answer: When they are accepted or first assessed. A strategy should be carefully written, indicating which observations should be conducted and how frequently future observations should be performed.

Upon admission or initial assessment, establishing a patient's baseline observations is fundamental to understanding their normal physiological state. A carefully written observation strategy, detailing the type and frequency of future observations, ensures that any changes in the patient's condition are promptly detected. This systematic approach is crucial for safe and effective patient monitoring in an acute setting.

Choose the appropriate indication for you to provide information about a patient to a police officer.

Answer: If the patient has the potential to do urgent and significant damage to themself.

Patient confidentiality is a fundamental ethical and legal principle in healthcare. Information can only be disclosed without consent in very specific, exceptional circumstances, such as when there is a serious and immediate risk of harm to the patient or others. In this scenario, the potential for urgent and significant self-harm overrides confidentiality to ensure the patient's safety and well-being.

Select the appropriate indication for the purpose of "The NMC Code" from the options below.

Answer: It is a tool for educating aspiring nurses and midwives.

The NMC Code outlines the professional standards of practice and behavior expected of nurses and midwives. While it guides current practitioners, it also serves as a foundational educational resource for aspiring professionals. It teaches them the ethical principles, responsibilities, and expected conduct necessary to provide safe and effective care throughout their careers.

Why are anti-embolic stockings considered an effective way to reduce the risk of getting vein thrombosis?

Answer: They promote venous blood flow.

Anti-embolic stockings apply graduated compression to the legs, which helps to squeeze the veins and improve the return of deoxygenated blood to the heart. This increased venous blood flow prevents blood pooling and stasis, which are major risk factors for the formation of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). By promoting circulation, they effectively reduce the risk of clot formation.