A labor and birth nurse receives a call from the laboratory regarding a preeclamptic patient receiving an IV infusion of magnesium sulfate. The laboratory technician reports that the patient’s magnesium level is 6 mg/dL. What is the nurse’s priority action?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Stop the infusion of magnesium. A magnesium level of 6 mg/dL is above the therapeutic range (4-7 mg/dL) for preeclamptic patients receiving magnesium sulfate. Continuing the infusion can lead to magnesium toxicity, causing respiratory depression, cardiac arrest, and neuromuscular blockade. Stopping the infusion is crucial to prevent further complications. Assessing the patient's respiratory rate (B) and deep tendon reflexes (C) are important, but stopping the infusion takes priority to prevent harm. Notifying the health care provider (D) is important but may delay immediate action to address the high magnesium level.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Baked apricot chicken and steamed broccoli. This menu selection is the best choice for potentially reducing the risks of cancer due to several reasons. Baked apricot chicken is a lean protein source without the harmful effects of excessive red or processed meats, which are linked to an increased cancer risk. Apricots are rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C and beta-carotene, which can help protect cells from damage that may lead to cancer. Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable containing compounds like sulforaphane that have anti-cancer properties. Steaming broccoli helps retain its nutrients better compared to frying or overcooking. Therefore, this menu selection is a balanced, nutritious choice that includes cancer-fighting ingredients and avoids potentially harmful foods like red meats or fried items.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Communication. Healthcare records are essential for effective communication among healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care. They help convey important information about a patient's condition, treatment plan, and progress. Explanation: 1. Communication: Healthcare records facilitate communication between different healthcare team members, ensuring coordinated and efficient care delivery. 2. Legal documentation: While important, legal documentation is a separate purpose of healthcare records, not directly related to communication. 3. Reimbursement: Healthcare records are used for billing and reimbursement purposes, but this is not directly related to communication. 4. Nursing process: The nursing process involves assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care, which is documented in healthcare records. However, this is not a primary purpose related to communication.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Those who develop critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills enable nurses to assess situations, analyze information, and communicate effectively with patients. By using critical thinking, nurses can tailor their communication style to each patient's needs, leading to better understanding and rapport. A: Learning effective psychomotor skills is important but does not directly correlate with being a good communicator. C: Liking different kinds of people is beneficial for interpersonal relationships, but it does not necessarily make one a better communicator. D: Maintaining perceptual biases hinders effective communication as it can lead to misunderstandings and barriers in the communication process.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Maintaining a closed urinary drainage system. This action prevents infection by reducing exposure to external pathogens. Step 1: A closed system minimizes the risk of contamination. Step 2: It prevents entry of bacteria into the urinary tract. Step 3: Regularly emptying the drainage bag helps maintain a closed system. Step 4: This action promotes patient safety and reduces infection risk. Summary: Choice B (strict clean technique) may reduce infection risk during catheter insertion but does not prevent infections post-insertion. Choice C (replacing drainage bag once per shift) increases infection risk due to frequent disconnection. Choice D (fully inflating catheter balloon) is unrelated to infection prevention.