Critical Care Nursing Practice Questions

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Step 1: Comfort care is focused on providing relief from suffering and improving quality of life. Step 2: Patient-centered care emphasizes the individual's preferences and values. Step 3: Patient autonomy is a fundamental principle in healthcare decision-making. Step 4: Patients have the right to determine what constitutes comfort care for themselves. Step 5: Therefore, statement C is correct as it aligns with the patient's autonomy and individualized care approach. Summary: - Choice A is incorrect because legal distinctions between withholding and withdrawing treatment may vary. - Choice B is incorrect as it focuses on evaluating procedures rather than the patient's preferences. - Choice D is incorrect as withdrawing life-sustaining treatments is not universally considered euthanasia.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Rationale: Accurately identifying patients is a National Patient Safety Goal to prevent errors in patient care. Proper patient identification ensures correct treatments and medications are given, reducing harm. Restraint elimination, medication reconciliation, and infection reduction are important goals but not specific National Patient Safety Goals. Accurate patient identification directly addresses patient safety concerns.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: The FACES scale. This scale uses facial expressions to assess pain, making it suitable for a patient who is unable to verbalize. The nurse can show the patient a series of faces depicting varying levels of pain and ask them to point to the one that best represents their pain level. This method is non-verbal and easy for patients to understand. The other choices are incorrect: B: The Pain Intensity Scale requires the patient to rate their pain on a numerical scale, which may be difficult for a non-verbal patient. C: The PQRST method is a mnemonic for assessing pain characteristics (provocation, quality, region, severity, timing), but it requires patient communication. D: The Visual Analogue Scale involves marking a point on a line to indicate pain intensity, which is not suitable for a non-verbal patient.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: a percutaneous catheter at the bedside. This is the most appropriate option for immediate hemodialysis when the patient has no vascular access. A percutaneous catheter can be quickly inserted at the bedside, allowing for immediate initiation of hemodialysis. Choice B, a percutaneous tunneled catheter, involves a more complex insertion process and is not typically done at the bedside. Choices C and D, arteriovenous fistula and arteriovenous graft, require advanced planning and surgical procedures, making them unsuitable for immediate hemodialysis in this scenario.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because peritoneal dialysis utilizes the patient's own semipermeable membrane, the peritoneal membrane, as the filtration surface. This allows for the exchange of waste products and excess fluids without the need for external dialysis equipment. Choice A is incorrect as peritoneal dialysis can be used for both acute and chronic kidney injury. Choice C is incorrect as peritoneal dialysis can help manage drug overdose and electrolyte imbalances. Choice D is incorrect as peritoneal dialysis can be used in cases of water intoxication to help remove excess fluids.