FREE CMSRN Medical-Surgical Nursing General Questions and Answers Flashcards
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Read the first 6 FREE CMSRN Medical-Surgical Nursing General Questions and Answers flashcards as text
A patient with heart failure is prescribed furosemide 40 mg IV. Which assessment finding should the nurse report immediately?
Answer: Potassium level of 2.8 mEq/L
A potassium level of 2.8 mEq/L indicates hypokalemia, a dangerous side effect of loop diuretics that can cause fatal cardiac dysrhythmias.
Which intervention is the priority for a postoperative patient with a PCA pump who has a respiratory rate of 8 breaths per minute?
Answer: Stop the PCA infusion and administer naloxone as ordered
A respiratory rate of 8 indicates opioid-induced respiratory depression requiring immediate cessation of the PCA and naloxone administration.
A nurse is caring for a patient with cirrhosis who has developed ascites. Which dietary modification is most appropriate?
Answer: Sodium restriction to 2 g per day
Sodium restriction helps reduce fluid retention and ascites formation in patients with cirrhosis.
A patient with type 2 diabetes has a blood glucose of 648 mg/dL, serum osmolality of 340 mOsm/kg, and no ketonuria. Which condition does the nurse suspect?
Answer: Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state
Markedly elevated glucose and osmolality without ketones is characteristic of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, seen in type 2 diabetes.
Which assessment finding in a patient 6 hours post-thyroidectomy requires the most urgent nursing intervention?
Answer: Tingling and numbness around the mouth and fingertips
Perioral and fingertip tingling indicates hypocalcemia from accidental parathyroid removal, which can progress to tetany and laryngospasm.
A nurse is preparing to administer a unit of packed red blood cells. Which action is correct regarding transfusion safety?
Answer: Verify the blood product with two licensed nurses at the bedside
Two licensed nurses must independently verify patient identity and blood product compatibility at the bedside before transfusion.