Nursing fundamentals worksheet with answers

Why might a patient be given thickened fluids?

1. AThey are allergic to water
2. BThey have difficulty swallowing thin liquids safely
3. CThey need more calories than they can get from food
4. DThey have a stomach ulcer

What is the main reason patients are kept nil by mouth before a general anaesthetic?

1. ATo make the patient lose weight before surgery
2. BTo lower the blood pressure during the operation
3. CTo reduce the risk of inhaling stomach contents
4. DTo make the anaesthetic drugs taste better

Which ethical principle is about the patient's right to make their own decisions?

1. ABeneficence
2. BFidelity
3. CJustice
4. DAutonomy

What is the most reliable way to check that a nasogastric tube is in the stomach before use?

1. AListening for a "whoosh" after injecting air
2. BPlacing the end of the tube in water to look for bubbles
3. CAsking the patient whether it feels right
4. DTesting aspirate pH, with a chest X-ray if needed

A patient is at high risk of falling. Which measure is most appropriate?

1. AGive a sedative at night
2. BKeep the bed low, the call bell within reach and non-slip footwear on
3. CRaise all bed rails routinely and keep the patient in bed until reviewed
4. DRestrict the patient to bed without assessment

What is the purpose of the Z-track technique for intramuscular injections?

1. AIt seals the drug in the muscle and stops it leaking into the tissue above
2. BIt lets the nurse give a larger volume into a small muscle
3. CIt makes the injection go into the fatty tissue instead of the muscle
4. DIt numbs the skin before the needle goes in

An infusion pump alarms "occlusion". What should the nurse check first?

1. AThe patient's blood glucose level
2. BThe battery level of the pump
3. CThe clamps, the tubing for kinks and the cannula site
4. DThe fluid prescription chart and the infusion rate written on it

Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (England and Wales), a patient with capacity makes a decision staff think is unwise. What follows?

1. AThe family must be asked to make the decision instead
2. BAn unwise decision on its own proves that the person lacks capacity
3. CStaff may override any decision they think is unwise
4. DAn unwise decision alone does not mean the person lacks capacity