A patient has just been transferred to the acute medicine unit from the intensive care unit and the patient's arterial line has not yet been discontinued.
The nurse on the acute medicine unit is a recent graduate and does not have experience in caring for an arterial line. As a result, the nurse is unsure how to safely address this aspect of the patient's care. How should the nurse best respond?
A) Look up arterial lines in the policy and procedures manual on the unit.
B) Inform the unit manager that this patient assignment is inappropriate.
C) Enlist the help of a more senior nurse on the unit.
D) Have the patient transferred back to the intensive care unit.
Question 2
A nurse working in a hospital setting is accused of malpractice. Which statement accurately represents a legal element of this type of negligence?
A) Malpractice is present only if a breach of duty was the cause of the harm.
B) When the harm is not clear and needs to be proved in court, the legal term res ipsa loquitur
is used.
C) Breach of duty is clearly defined as the expression of malicious intent.
D) A breach of duty is a failure to act as a prudent professional according to standards of care
designated by the federal government.
Position of patient to assess jugular vein distention
Functional medicine
Deliver abdominal thrusts to the supine unconscious patient.
Amyloid plaques (stained blue) in the brain of a deceased patient who had Alzheimer’s disease.
Denture sore mouth in a patient who never removed partial dentures at night.
ACCM Definitions of ICU Levels of Care