Cardiac & Respiratory
Your CHF patient suddenly reports shortness of breath. What assessment should you perform first?
What is: Assess airway, breathing, oxygen saturation, lung sounds, and work of breathing
The difference between a symptom and a sign?
What is: Symptom = what the patient reports. Sign = what the nurse observes or measures
ABC stands for?
What is: Airway, Breathing, Circulation.
Name 5 rights of medication administration.
What is: Right patient, medication, dose, route, time, documentation, reason, or response.
What clinical skill improved most this semester?
What is: Any appropriate student response.
Which finding requires immediate intervention? A. BP 150/90 B. O2 sat 84% C. HR 102 D. Temp 99.1°F
What is: B. O2 sat 84%. Hypoxemia is an immediate threat to oxygenation.
A patient says, "I don't feel right." What should be your next action?
What is: Assess the patient immediately and gather objective data. Never ignore a patient's concern.
Which patient should you see first? Blood glucose 62 mg/dL, pain score 8/10, discharge ready, or waiting for lunch tray.
What is: Blood glucose 62 mg/dL.
What should you assess before administering a beta blocker?
What is: Heart rate and blood pressure.
Name one strategy for managing stress during nursing school.
What is: Exercise, time management, sleep, support systems, mindfulness, or self-care, etc.
A patient with chest pain receives nitroglycerin. What should be reassessed immediately after administration?
What is: A patient with chest pain receives nitroglycerin. What should be reassessed immediately after administration?
What does "trend the data" mean?
What is: Look at changes over time rather than relying on one isolated measurement
Which task can be delegated to a UAP/NA?
What is: Obtain routine vital signs on a stable patient.
A patient asks, "What is this medication for?" How should you respond if you are unsure?
What is: Verify the medication information before providing an answer (Micromedex).
What is one piece of advice you would give next semester's students?
What is: Any thoughtful response.
A COPD patient becomes increasingly restless. Why is this concerning?
What is: Restlessness may be an early sign of hypoxia and respiratory deterioration.
Your patient's BP has dropped from 135/80 to 98/60 over four hours. Why is the trend important?
What is: The decline may indicate deterioration despite the BP still appearing acceptable.
Which patient is most concerning? New confusion, fever 100.4°F, BP 145/88, or pain 4/10.
What is: New confusion.
Which medication error is most likely to cause patient harm and why?
What is: Errors involving high-alert medications such as insulin, anticoagulants, or opioids due to risk for serious adverse outcomes.
What patient encounter had the biggest impact on you?
What is: Any thoughtful response.
Prioritize: chest pain patient, COPD patient with O2 sat 88%, stable postop patient requesting pain medication, CHF patient with crackles.
What is: 1. Chest pain patient, 2. COPD patient with O2 sat 88%, 3. CHF patient with crackles, 4. Stable postop patient requesting pain medication.
Describe one situation in which a normal vital sign could still indicate patient deterioration.
What is: Example: BP decreases from 180/100 to 120/80. It may look normal, but the significant drop from baseline may indicate deterioration.
Explain why "stable" patients can sometimes become the highest priority.
What is: Changes from baseline and trends may indicate deterioration before obvious instability develops.
You discover a near miss. What should you do next?
What is: Ensure patient safety, notify appropriate personnel, and complete required reporting according to policy.
Complete the sentence: "The nurse I hope to become is someone who..."
What is: Any reflective response demonstrating professional values and growth.