Two nursing students discuss career plans after graduation. One ...

[Deast7027]

Two nursing students discuss career plans after graduation. One student wants to enter psychiatric nursing. The other student asks, Why would you want to be a psychiatric nurse? All they do is talk. You'll lose your skills.
 
  Select the best response by the student interested in psychiatric nursing.
 
  a. Psychiatric nurses practice in safer environments than other specialties. Nurse-to-patient ratios must be better because of the nature of patients' problems.
  b. Psychiatric nurses use complex communication skills, as well as critical thinking, to solve multidimensional problems. I'm challenged by those situations.
  c. I think I'll be good in the mental health field. I do not like clinical rotations in school, so I don't want to continue them after I graduate.
  d. Psychiatric nurses don't have to deal with as much pain and suffering as medical surgical nurses. That appeals to me.

Question 2

A patient shows the nurse an article from the Internet about a health problem. Which characteristic of the web site's address most alerts the nurse that the site may have biased and prejudiced information?
 
  a. Address ends in .org.
  b. Address ends in .com.
  c. Address ends in .gov.
  d. Address ends in .net.

Question 3

A nurse says, When I was in school I learned to call upset patients by name to get their attention, but I read a descriptive research study that says that this approach doesn't work. I'm going stop calling patients by name.
 
  Which statement is the best appraisal of this nurse's comment?
 
  a. One descriptive research study rarely provides enough evidence to change practice.
  b. Staff nurses apply new research findings only with the help from clinical nurse specialists.
  c. New research findings should be incorporated into clinical algorithms before using them in practice.
  d. The nurse misinterpreted the results of the study. Classic tenets of practice do not change.

[thall411]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The practice of psychiatric nursing requires a different set of skills than medical surgical nursing, although substantial overlap does exist. Psychiatric nurses must be able to help patients with medical and mental health problems, reflecting the holistic perspective these nurses must have. Nurse-patient ratios and workloads in psychiatric settings have increased, similar to other specialties. Psychiatric nursing involves clinical practice, not simply documentation. Psychosocial pain is real and can cause as much suffering as physical pain.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Financial influences on a site are a clue that the information may be biased. .com at the end of the address indicates that the site is a commercial one. .gov indicates that the site is maintained by a government entity. .org indicates that the site is nonproprietary; the site may or may not have reliable information, but it does not profit from its activities. .net can have multiple meanings.

Answer to Question 3

ANS: A
Descriptive research findings provide evidence for practice but must be viewed in relation to other studies before practice changes. One study is not enough. Descriptive studies are low on the hierarchy of evidence. Clinical algorithms use flow charts to manage problems and do not specify one response to a clinical problem. Classic tenets of practice should change as research findings provide evidence for change.