A nurse is preparing to assist with a thoracentesis procedure for a patient with pleural effusion. What action should the nurse prioritize to ensure procedural safety?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Confirming the patient's informed consent before the procedure is the most crucial action for the nurse to prioritize to ensure procedural safety during a thoracentesis. Informed consent is a legal and ethical requirement that ensures the patient understands the purpose of the procedure, its potential risks, benefits, and alternatives. By confirming informed consent, the nurse ensures that the patient has the necessary information and has willingly agreed to undergo the procedure. This process promotes patient autonomy, prevents misunderstandings, and reduces the likelihood of legal issues related to the procedure. Additionally, verifying informed consent helps establish a foundation of trust between the healthcare team and the patient. While other actions like positioning the patient correctly and ensuring pre-procedure antibiotics may also contribute to the safety of the procedure, obtaining informed consent is the foundational step that must be prioritized.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: In Stage I of Hodgkin's disease, the most commonly seen early symptom is usually unexplained fever and night sweats. Other common symptoms at this stage may include unexplained weight loss, itching, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, or groin. Chest and back pains, subnormal body temperature, and swelling of extremities are not typically early indicators of Stage I Hodgkin's disease.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The engagement of the fetus refers to the baby's head moving down into the mother's pelvis in preparation for birth. This factor is not typically used to distinguish between true and false labor because it is a sign of progress in labor rather than a defining characteristic of true labor. In contrast, the factors that are commonly used to differentiate between true and false labor include contractions (e.g., regularity, intensity, duration), cervical changes observed through vaginal examination (e.g., effacement and dilation), and monitoring vital signs.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Health education is a crucial component of public health aimed at promoting health, preventing diseases, and empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health. It is not limited to only professionals like nurses but is the responsibility of every health worker across various disciplines. Health workers, including doctors, community health workers, public health educators, and others, play a vital role in delivering health education to the community they serve. By ensuring that health education is a shared responsibility among all health workers, a more comprehensive and effective approach to public health promotion can be achieved. It is continuously evolving to adapt to changing health needs and challenges, making it dynamic rather than remaining constant. Therefore, option B is the most accurate statement regarding health education in public health.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The patient's symptoms of chest pain occurring during heavy lifting or physical exertion and being relieved by rest are classic characteristics of stable angina. Stable angina is caused by transient myocardial ischemia due to a fixed coronary artery obstruction. Typically, the pain is predictable and reproducible, occurring with exertion and relieved by rest. The transient ST-segment depression on ECG is also a common finding in stable angina, reflecting myocardial ischemia during episodes of chest pain.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: A physical therapist would be the best member of the multidisciplinary team to collaborate with when a patient can benefit from using a leg prosthesis. Physical therapists specialize in assessing and treating movement disorders, including those related to amputation and prosthetic use. They can help the patient improve their mobility, strength, balance, and overall functional abilities with the prosthesis. Physical therapists can provide training on how to use the prosthesis effectively, reduce the risk of falls, and optimize the patient's independence and quality of life. Collaborating with a physical therapist ensures that the patient receives comprehensive care tailored to their specific needs and goals related to using a leg prosthesis.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Patients like Emmy who have experienced delayed hypersensitivity to latex typically present with symptoms such as rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose) and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eyes). In addition, delayed hypersensitivity reactions often involve skin manifestations, such as blisters. These symptoms are reflective of the inflammatory response triggered by exposure to latex in individuals with delayed hypersensitivity. Symptoms like flushing, bronchospasm, urticaria, laryngeal edema, papules, vesicles, and pruritus are more commonly associated with immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions rather than delayed hypersensitivity reactions in latex-sensitive individuals.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Confirming the patient's informed consent before the procedure is the most crucial action for the nurse to prioritize to ensure procedural safety during a thoracentesis. Informed consent is a legal and ethical requirement that ensures the patient understands the purpose of the procedure, its potential risks, benefits, and alternatives. By confirming informed consent, the nurse ensures that the patient has the necessary information and has willingly agreed to undergo the procedure. This process promotes patient autonomy, prevents misunderstandings, and reduces the likelihood of legal issues related to the procedure. Additionally, verifying informed consent helps establish a foundation of trust between the healthcare team and the patient. While other actions like positioning the patient correctly and ensuring pre-procedure antibiotics may also contribute to the safety of the procedure, obtaining informed consent is the foundational step that must be prioritized.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Involution refers to the process of the uterus returning to its nonpregnant state after childbirth. During pregnancy, the uterus undergoes significant changes and enlarges to accommodate the growing fetus. After childbirth, the uterus begins to contract, leading to a decrease in its size and a return to its pre-pregnant state. This process involves the shedding of the excess endometrial tissue and the reduction of the size of the uterine muscle fibers. It is a normal and essential process for postpartum recovery. Failure of the uterus to undergo proper involution is known as subinvolution, which can lead to complications such as postpartum hemorrhage.