Test question - how would you answer?

PJMommy · Oct 10, 2003

Hi guys...

The answer was BP (see my earlier post) for the reasons mentioned. Pain won't kill you but blood loss (hypovolemia = hypotension) will. :)

pj

bedpan · Oct 10, 2003

ok - My guess was BP so I got that one right (wonder if my instructor will give me extra credit on my next test cause I got that right here?)

My rule of thumb on tests has definitely been to always think of Maslow's hierarchy, unless of course one of the answers is "wash your hands" in which case choose that

sixes · Oct 10, 2003

Originally posted by EMcDLPN
now i'm very curious. read the question carefully... first nursing intervention...? b/p is an assesment leading you to different interventions. emphasis should be on b/p, but i say intervention would be pain control. lets see if my few years experience is correct?

:D I'm of the same opionion B/P is and assessment which gives you indications for intervention. therefor I too say pain control. Very curious too what the answer was

sixes · Oct 10, 2003

I don't believe the answer was B/P Ask your teacher why

B/P is an assessment that leads you to an intervention.

FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I · Oct 10, 2003

My answer would be B/P because not everyone shows the pain they're having. The B/P will be elevated if the pt is in pain, therefore, the nurse then knows to administer pain meds.

Another reason for B/P first: As mentioned earlier, if the B/P is too low, that's an indicator of internal bleeding.

And there would be no reason to check a freshly dressed wound unless you see an abnormal discharge coming through it.

My answer, and I'm a stickin' 2 it.

sbic56, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2003

Easy choice; definitely B/P. I'd rather see my patient be in pain than bleeding out internally.

NYCRN16 · Oct 11, 2003

Pain is important in caring for your patients, but if the patient is unstable or potentially unstable, pain goes out the window. If you answer pain as a priority on NCLEX, than you can bet your a$$ that you got that one wrong.

sixes · Oct 11, 2003

The questions clearly states what INTERVENTION

B/P is an assessment is it not?????

Which gives you indication to INTERVENTION

sbic56, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2003

Originally posted by sixes
The questions clearly states what INTERVENTION
B/P is an assessment is it not?????
Which gives you indication to INTERVENTION

I didn't see it written as an exercise intending to teach the student how to distinguish between the terms assessment and intervention.

I saw it as asking what would be your priority in this situation. Being sure the patient did not bleed out would be priority as this is a major complication in this type of surgery.

NYCRN16 · Oct 12, 2003

Nursing school exams are tricky as is the NCLEX, but the overall purpose is to become a safe and competent nurse. Because of this, the answers to the questions MUST deal with providing safe care to the patients so that they recover and go home alive. Prioritizing is key to becoming a good nurse. On the test its tricky, but if you were in a situation where you must chose the priority, you probably wouldnt have a problem with it. For instance, last night I had a patient with abdominal pain who I was attending to, when my patient in the next cubicle started going into convulsions out of the clear blue sky. (This man has never had a seizure before in his life) You dont have to ask a question on the test in order to know that I dropped what I was doing (about to give the patient I was with some morphine), and ran over to the other patient. It doesnt matter that pain management is important, it does matter that my other patient is in danger. That is what these nursing tests are testing you on. You all know this already, its just a matter of thinking it over on paper. In the question we are debating, you know that this guy is at risk for hemmorrage. If his b/p goes high we know that this puts pressure on it, and it can bleed out. This will always be the priority over pain management. There is no way around it. Pain management is important, but not the priority in this situation. I dont care if its assessment, intervention, whatever. People get too caught up in trying to figure out the strategy of the question, and not thinking about the situation and thier knowledge of anatomy and pathophysiology. Part of the blame goes to NCLEX prep courses. I took kaplan and although that was a godsend when studying for NCLEX, you cant really use it for nursing school. You have to LEARN the knowledge before you can try to strategize to answer a question. Choosing an answer based on assessment or intervention does not help you learn the knowledge behind it. The strategy plan is used because they are assuming you already have been through nursing school and have covered every topic. It would be impossible and unfair to expect someone to know knowledge they havent covered yet.

opalmRN · Oct 12, 2003

As a newbie nursing student myself, that was a great explaination.

Bleeding out will lead to death a whole lot fast than pain will.

I also like the post that said think of Masolow's hierarchy. That is also good to remember.

Thanks again,

C

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2003

Originally posted by imagin916
Pain is important in caring for your patients, but if the patient is unstable or potentially unstable, pain goes out the window. If you answer pain as a priority on NCLEX, than you can bet your a$$ that you got that one wrong.

Amen!

If the B/P is neglected in favor of pain mgmt, then the pt won't have any pain at all.... because he won't be alive.