Question 1

The nurse adds a medication to an intravenous (IV)fluid container to be hung on the patient's existing IV line.Which is the first action the nurse takes after adding the medication to the container?

Accepted Answer

The first action after adding medication to an IV fluid container is to rotate the bag to ensure the medication is evenly distributed throughout the solution.

Question 2

The nurse is providing care to a trauma patient who will require the rapid administration of large volumes of fluid in addition to a blood transfusion.Which gauge should the nurse use when initiating intravenous (IV)access for this patient?

Accepted Answer

When a trauma patient requires the rapid administration of large volumes of fluid, the nurse should use an 18-gauge or larger cannula for IV access. An 18-gauge cannula allows for a larger flow rate and can rapidly infuse fluids and blood products to help maintain hemodynamic stability. Using a smaller gauge cannula will decrease the flow rate, resulting in a slower infusion and potentially leading to hypotension and shock.

Question 3

The nurse working in the emergency department (ED)is caring for a patient who experienced deep-thickness burns over 40% of the body and is in shock.Which intravenous (IV)prescription does the nurse anticipate for this patient?

Accepted Answer

Volume expanders are the best choice in this case as the patient is in shock due to fluid loss from the burns. Volume expanders are given to replace lost fluids and improve tissue perfusion. Nutrient solutions and total parenteral nutrition may be given later when the patient is stabilized, but they are not the priority at this time. Electrolyte solutions may be necessary, but volume expanders will also contain electrolytes.

Question 4

The nurse is setting up an intravenous (IV)infusion on an electronic infusion pump for a patient recently admitted to the unit.After leaving the room,the pump alarms and reads high pressure.Which is the priority action by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

When the IV pump alarms and reads high pressure, it indicates that the IV fluid is not flowing properly. The nurse should first assess the IV site and the tubing for kinks or closed roller clamps as these are the most common causes of high pressure alarms. Once the issue is identified and resolved, the pump can be reset to resume infusion. Asking the patient if the pump has been tampered with or discontinuing the IV access and restarting in a different area are not necessary actions at this point.

Question 5

The nurse is initiating intravenous (IV)therapy for an adult patient who requires IV fluid infusion for 2-3 days and might require blood administration.Which would the nurse choose as the best option for IV catheterization?

Accepted Answer

Angiocatheters are a common choice for short-term IV therapy because they are easier to insert and are less invasive than other options. The butterfly and Huber needle are not suitable options for this patient's needs, as they are typically used for specific situations such as phlebotomy or accessing implanted ports, respectively. Implantable venous access devices may be appropriate for long-term access needs, but may not be necessary for a 2-3 day IV therapy course.

Question 6

Which intravenous (IV)fluid should the nurse prepare when a patient requires a hypertonic solution?

Accepted Answer

5% dextrose in Lactated Ringers is a hypertonic solution, as it has a higher concentration of solutes compared to the other options listed.

Question 7

The nurse is caring for a patient with a medical diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure (ICP).Which intravenous (IV)fluid order would the nurse accept without questioning?

Accepted Answer

5% dextrose in 0.45% NaCl is an isotonic solution that will not alter ICP.

Question 8

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient is not responding to crystalloids for volume expansion?

Accepted Answer

If a patient is not responding to crystalloids for volume expansion, the nurse should anticipate that albumin will be prescribed. Albumin is a colloid that can help increase oncotic pressure and fluid retention when crystalloids alone are not effective. Platelets, fresh frozen plasma, and packed red blood cells are not typically used for volume expansion.

Question 9

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient with severe thrombocytopenia?

Accepted Answer

Severe thrombocytopenia refers to a low platelet count. Therefore, platelets would be the appropriate component to prescribe to help increase the patient's platelet count.

Question 10

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient with an elevated prothrombin time (PT)and international normalized ratio (INR)who is at an increased risk for bleeding?

Accepted Answer

Fresh frozen plasma is often prescribed for patients with elevated PT and INR levels at increased risk for bleeding because it contains clotting factors that can help promote clotting and prevent excessive bleeding. Platelets are typically prescribed for patients with low platelet counts, and packed red blood cells are prescribed for patients with low red blood cell counts. Albumin may be prescribed for patients with low protein levels or fluid imbalances.

Question 11

When removing a patient's central line dressing,which action by the nurse is the priority?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When removing a patient's central line dressing,which...

Question 12

The nurse is assessing an intravenous (IV)insertion site noting redness,warmth,and mild swelling.The patient reports a burning pain along the course of the vein during medication administration.Which term should the nurse use when documenting these findings in the medical record?

Accepted Answer

Phlebitis is inflammation of a vein, which can cause redness, warmth, swelling, and pain along the course of the vein. It can be caused by irritants from medications or the IV catheter itself. Infiltration and extravasation refer to the leaking of the IV fluid or medication into the surrounding tissue, while inflammation is a general term for the body's response to injury or irritation. However, in this scenario, the symptoms described are consistent with phlebitis.

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a patient who is to have a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)line inserted tomorrow afternoon.The patient's current peripheral access line is infiltrated,and needs to be restarted.Which site would the nurse avoid using?

Accepted Answer

The nurse should avoid using the median cubital vein because it is often used for PICC line insertion. Using it for a peripheral IV could complicate or interfere with the PICC line placement.

Question 14

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient with acute blood loss?

Accepted Answer

Packed red blood cells would be the best choice for a patient with acute blood loss as they contain a high concentration of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin and can increase the patient's oxygen-carrying capacity quickly. Platelets are used to treat thrombocytopenia and bleeding disorders and would not necessarily be indicated in acute blood loss. Albumin is a plasma protein that can help increase blood volume but is not indicated as the first choice for acute blood loss. Fresh frozen plasma contains coagulation factors and is typically used to treat bleeding disorders or clotting factor deficiencies, but may not be the first choice for acute blood loss.

Question 15

Which intravenous (IV)fluid should the nurse prepare when a patient requires an isotonic solution?

Accepted Answer

Isotonic solutions have the same concentration of solutes as the blood and are used to replace fluid losses, expand intravascular volume, and maintain electrolyte balance. 0.9% normal saline is an isotonic solution and is the best choice for the patient requiring an isotonic solution.

Question 16

The nurse is providing care to a patient who is receiving a blood transfusion.Ten minutes after the infusion is initiated,the patient reports a headache.Upon further assessment the nurse notes that the patient is experiencing dyspnea and feels warm to the touch.Which is the priority nursing action by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

The patient is exhibiting symptoms of a transfusion reaction, specifically a febrile non-hemolytic reaction. The priority nursing action is to immediately stop the transfusion to prevent further exacerbation of the patient's symptoms. Once the transfusion has been stopped, the nurse can then notify the healthcare provider, decrease the rate of the transfusion, and prepare for a full resuscitation if necessary.

Question 17

The nurse is caring for a patient with a central venous catheter used for intermittent medication administration.When flushing the catheter prior to administering the next dose of medication,which initial action by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Aspirating the catheter for blood is the initial action to ensure patency and confirm proper placement before flushing and administering medication.

Question 18

Which aspect of intravenous (IV)therapy could the nurse safely delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?

Accepted Answer

Reporting patient's complaints of pain or leakage from the IV site when bathing the patient can be safely delegated to the UAP as it involves basic observation and communication skills. The other options involve more complex skills and interventions that require nursing knowledge and expertise, and should not be delegated to UAPs.

Question 19

The nurse is administering a blood transfusion to an adult patient.The patient reports feeling cold and is shivering 15 minutes after the initiation of the transfusion.The patient's blood pressure has decreased since the last assessment.Which is the nurse's priority action?

Accepted Answer

The priority action is to stop the blood transfusion and replace the tubing with normal saline to prevent further infusion of potentially harmful blood products, as these symptoms may indicate a transfusion reaction.

Question 20

Which intravenous (IV)fluid should the nurse prepare when a patient requires a hypotonic solution?

Accepted Answer

A hypotonic solution has a lower concentration of solutes compared to the intracellular fluid, making it useful for rehydrating cells. 0.33% sodium chloride is a hypotonic solution that can be administered intravenously in situations of cellular dehydration.

Quiz 10: Overview of Infusion Therapies

The nurse adds a medication to an intravenous (IV) fluid container to be hung on the patient's existing IV line.Which is the first action the nurse takes after adding the medication to the container?

The nurse is providing care to a trauma patient who will require the rapid administration of large volumes of fluid in addition to a blood transfusion.Which gauge should the nurse use when initiating intravenous (IV) access for this patient?

The nurse working in the emergency department (ED) is caring for a patient who experienced deep-thickness burns over 40% of the body and is in shock.Which intravenous (IV) prescription does the nurse anticipate for this patient?

The nurse is setting up an intravenous (IV) infusion on an electronic infusion pump for a patient recently admitted to the unit.After leaving the room,the pump alarms and reads high pressure.Which is the priority action by the nurse?

The nurse is initiating intravenous (IV) therapy for an adult patient who requires IV fluid infusion for 2-3 days and might require blood administration.Which would the nurse choose as the best option for IV catheterization?

Which intravenous (IV) fluid should the nurse prepare when a patient requires a hypertonic solution?

The nurse is caring for a patient with a medical diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) .Which intravenous (IV) fluid order would the nurse accept without questioning?

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient is not responding to crystalloids for volume expansion?

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient with severe thrombocytopenia?

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient with an elevated prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) who is at an increased risk for bleeding?

When removing a patient's central line dressing,which action by the nurse is the priority?

The nurse is assessing an intravenous (IV) insertion site noting redness,warmth,and mild swelling.The patient reports a burning pain along the course of the vein during medication administration.Which term should the nurse use when documenting these findings in the medical record?

The nurse is caring for a patient who is to have a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line inserted tomorrow afternoon.The patient's current peripheral access line is infiltrated,and needs to be restarted.Which site would the nurse avoid using?

Which component should the nurse anticipate will be prescribed for a patient with acute blood loss?

Which intravenous (IV) fluid should the nurse prepare when a patient requires an isotonic solution?

The nurse is caring for a patient with a central venous catheter used for intermittent medication administration.When flushing the catheter prior to administering the next dose of medication,which initial action by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Which aspect of intravenous (IV) therapy could the nurse safely delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) ?

The nurse is administering a blood transfusion to an adult patient.The patient reports feeling cold and is shivering 15 minutes after the initiation of the transfusion.The patient's blood pressure has decreased since the last assessment.Which is the nurse's priority action?

Which intravenous (IV) fluid should the nurse prepare when a patient requires a hypotonic solution?