A 75-year-old patient in an acute care hospital who underwent ...

[LaDunn]

A 75-year-old patient in an acute care hospital who underwent surgery for an abdominal aneurysm developed a urinary tract infection 3 days after placement of a Foley catheter.
 
  The nurse believes that this is a reportable incident, and which of the following will happen as a re-sult? a. Medicare will be denied to the patient.
  b. Medicare will take the hospital to court.
  c. Nothing; it is not a reportable incident.
  d. Medicare will not reimburse the hospital for this infection.

Question 2

A patient has recently been diagnosed with heart failure and has been put on a low sodium diet in the hospital. In addition, the patient has a fluid restriction.
 
  The nurse should suggest that half the total oral fluid allotment occur between which two times? a. 7 AM; 7 PM
  b. 3 AM; 3 PM
  c. 7 AM; 3 PM
  d. 3 PM; 7 AM

[mmpiza]

Answer to Question 1

D
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) names select serious reportable events (SREs) as Never Events (adverse events that should never occur in a health care setting) (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). The CMS now denies payment to hospitals for any hospital-acquired conditions resulting from or complicated by the occurrence of certain Never Events that were not present on admission. Many of the hospital-acquired conditions are nurse-sensitive indicators, meaning that nursing interventions directly affect their development. Medicare is not denied to the patient and this is a reportable incident. Medicare does not take hospitals to court; it just denies payment for the Never Event.

Answer to Question 2

C
In acute care settings, fluid restrictions often allot half the oral fluids between 7 AM and 3 PM, the period when patients usually are more active, receive two meals, and take most of their oral medications. Offer the remainder of the fluid allowance during the evening and night shifts.

[LaDunn]

Excellent

[marict]

TYSM