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Fundamentals of Nursing

What Should the Nurse Do?

Fundamentals of NursingWhat Should the Nurse Do?

What Should the Nurse Do?

1 .
A patient is scheduled for a surgical procedure to have a large mole removed from the back of their hand. What type of anesthetic should the nurse be prepared to assist with to prepare the patient for this procedure, and how will the nurse know if the anesthetic is working?
2 .
A patient cut their ankle while doing yard work and needs several stitches. The patient was given a regional anesthetic and is upset because they cannot feel their foot, the area around the ankle, or the lower part of their leg. What should the nurse do?
3 .
A patient is scheduled for surgery early the next morning and refuses to follow the fasting guidelines. The nurse overhears the patient order a cheeseburger that they intend to eat shortly before going to sleep for the night, which will be less than eight hours before their surgery. What should the nurse do?
4 .
During a patient’s preoperative assessment, the nurse notices that the patient seems nervous and uncomfortable. What should the nurse do?
5 .
About an hour after surgery begins, a first-year surgical intern opens the door of the OR. The intern is not wearing a surgical gown or gloves, and they are wearing shoes from outside the OR without shoe covers. The intern starts to step inside the OR. Why is this a problem, and what actions should the RN circulator take to correct the problem?
6 .
During surgery on a urology patient, the surgeon plans to use electrosurgery for part of the procedure. To ensure that this part of the surgery is handled safely without creating a fire risk, what should the RN circulator ensure happens before the electrosurgery device is triggered?
7 .
While overseeing a new nurse’s work, the head nurse finds that the new nurse’s immediate postoperative assessment of a patient provides details about the patient’s circulation, pain, temperature, and surgical site. But no other information is included in the assessment. Why is this a problem, and what should the head nurse do to correct this?
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