During an abdominal assessment, what is the correct sequence of steps for a healthcare provider to follow?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: During an abdominal assessment, the correct sequence of steps is inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation. This sequence is followed to prevent altering bowel sounds. Inspection allows for visual observation, followed by auscultation to listen for bowel sounds without causing disturbance, percussion to assess for tympany or dullness, and finally palpation to feel for any abnormalities or tenderness. Choice A is incorrect because palpation should come after percussion. Choice B is incorrect as auscultation should be performed after inspection. Choice C is incorrect because palpation should be the final step after percussion.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Measuring the tube from the client's nose to the earlobe to the xiphoid process ensures the tube is inserted to the correct depth. This measurement helps prevent complications such as tube misplacement or lung insertion. Positioning the client with the head of the bed elevated to 30° is important to facilitate easier insertion but is not the most crucial step. Lubricating the entire length of the tube with water-soluble lubricant is essential for smooth insertion but is not the most critical action. Instructing the client to cough during insertion is not necessary and may lead to unnecessary discomfort.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: To prevent dislocation of the hip prosthesis, the client should avoid bending their hips more than 90 degrees. Excessive bending at the hips can increase the risk of hip dislocation, which is a significant concern following total hip arthroplasty. Sitting with crossed legs at the ankles (choice A) can also increase the risk of hip dislocation and should be avoided. Sitting in a low-seated chair (choice C) can make it more challenging for the client to stand up safely. Twisting the body when standing up (choice D) can also strain the hip joint and increase the risk of dislocation. Therefore, the correct instruction to include during discharge teaching is to avoid bending the hips more than 90 degrees.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Elevating the head of the bed to 30° is the correct action to take when a client is receiving continuous enteral feedings through a nasogastric tube. This position helps prevent aspiration of the enteral feedings into the lungs, reducing the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Additionally, elevating the head of the bed promotes proper digestion and absorption of the feedings by utilizing gravity to facilitate movement into the stomach and through the gastrointestinal tract. Flushing the tube with water every 2 hours (Choice B) is not necessary for continuous feedings and may disrupt the feeding schedule. Replacing the feeding bag and tubing every 72 hours (Choice C) is not the standard recommendation unless there are specific concerns or complications. Checking the client's gastric residual every 8 hours (Choice D) is important but not the immediate action needed to prevent aspiration during enteral feedings.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. Administering an intramuscular injection at a 90° angle is essential for proper medication delivery into the muscle tissue. Injecting at a 45° angle is incorrect for intramuscular injections and is typically used for subcutaneous injections where the needle is inserted into the fatty tissue layer beneath the skin. Choice A is correct as selecting a 25-gauge needle is appropriate for an intramuscular injection. Choice C is also correct as the ventrogluteal site is a suitable site for intramuscular injections. Choice D is correct as aspirating for blood return is a necessary step to ensure the needle is not in a blood vessel before injecting the medication.