A patient in the intensive care unit has been receiving treatment for several weeks following ...

A patient in the intensive care unit has been receiving treatment for several weeks following complications from cardiac surgery. The nurse knows that this long course of treatment creates an increased risk of ICU-acquired weakness.
 
  What prevention measure should be instituted to mitigate this risk?
  A) Involve the patient in decisions surrounding his care and rehabilitation.
  B) Teach the patient about the consequences of prolonged immobility.
  C) Maintain the patient's blood glucose levels within normal range.
  D) Wean the patient from his ventilator as soon as possible.

Question 2

A patient is being admitted to the intensive care unit with multiple trauma, and the nurse is reviewing and implementing the admission orders, which include the insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter.
 
  Which nursing diagnosis is a consequence of this intervention?
  A) Risk for Excess Fluid Volume
  B) Risk for Infection
  C) Risk for Acute Urinary Retention
  D) Risk for Dysfunction Gastrointestinal Motility

Question 3

In recent days, a female patient on the critical care unit has developed diarrhea and has begun to experience skin breakdown in her perineal area. How should the nurse first respond to this development?
 
  A) Attempt to identify the specific causes of the patient's diarrhea.
  B) Advocate for a change in the patient's diet orders.
  C) Ask the primary care provider to prescribe loperamide as needed.
  D) Obtain an order for a rectal tube.

Question 4

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) has been ordered for a patient who is recovering from burns in the intensive care unit. The patient currently has a peripheral intravenous (IV) line as well as a central venous catheter.
 
  The nurse should reiterate in the patient's care plan the importance of administering TPN in a central line because:
  A) Central lines are more durable than peripheral IV lines.
  B) Infiltration of a peripheral IV that is being used to deliver TPN can result in tissue necrosis.
  C) The high osmolarity of TPN requires administration into a large volume of blood.
  D) TPN must be infused at an hourly rate that exceeds the capacity of a peripheral IV.

Question 5

In order to meet her nutritional needs while being treated for a traumatic brain injury, a patient in the intensive care unit has had a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placed.
 
  What nursing responsibility related to this intervention should the nurse prioritize?
  A) Teaching the patient's family to manage the PEG tube and the patient's feedings
  B) Administering a hypertonic solution between feedings
  C) Aspirating gastric contents 15 minutes after each feeding
  D) Confirming tube placement on a regular basis

Question 6

An intensive care nurse recognizes that there are numerous factors that contribute to a risk of unstable blood glucose levels in the acutely ill patient.
 
  When planning care for patients in the ICU, what goal for blood glucose levels is appropriate for the majority of patients?
  A) 80 to 110 mg/dL
  B) 95 to 115 mg/dL
  C) 105 to 130 mg/dL
  D) 120 to 145 mg/dL

Question 7

An older adult patient has been admitted to the intensive care unit with urosepsis. As a consequence of this infection, the patient is experiencing low levels of cortisol.
 
  What sequela of low cortisol should the nurse anticipate when planning this patient's care?
  A) Low body temperature
  B) Confusion
  C) Hypertension
  D) Increased intracranial pressure