Friday, March 21, 2008

Pop Group Review - Rascal Flatts


Rascal Flatts is an American Grammy Award winning pop group founded in Nashville,Tennessee. The group has 3 members, Gary (lead vocals), Jay (bass guitar) and Joe (lead guitar). Their albums received multi-platinum awards and the most recent album entitled STILL FEELS GOOD is a certified platinum.
This group is a personal favorite of mine, their song lyrics really captivates your heart and you may be able to connect and relate with the songs. It is always uplifting, inspiring and it can really helps you to feel good. Gary's vocals is so fantastic and very entertaining. They went on tours and the tickets were all sold out. Rascal Flatts has the third highest US country tour in 2007, grossing $34 million.
The singles God Bless the Broken Road, What Hurts the Most, My Wish,Stand and Take Me There are my favorites. I featured one video lyrics for all of you to enjoy.


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Good Friday

Good Friday, the Friday within Holy Week, is traditionally a time of fasting and penance, commemorating the anniversary of Christ's crucifixion and death.

The Good Friday crucifixions in the Philippines have grown into a tourist attraction in recent years. The Catholic Church has distanced itself from the practice. The Filipino health authorities had stressed the importance of hygiene to the participants. They advised sterilizing the nails to prevent infection and recommended tetanus injections.
The voluntary crucifixions in the northern Philippines were the most extreme displays of religious devotion in this mainly Catholic country, where millions are praying and fasting ahead of the Easter weekend.

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PopCap Game- Bejeweled

For many years video games have been all about the hard core player. Typically young men, have the time, budget and patience to spend hours crafting an empire or honing their skills on a first-person shooter. But that focus is shifting dramatically thanks to a very simple game that involves creating rows of matching jewels. When it first appeared in 2001 the game was known as Diamond Mine but is best known as Bejeweled.

Bejeweled is known as a casual game because it can be played for a few minutes rather than for the hours that games such as World of Warcraft demand. It allows me to play in short burst, during breaks, while waiting for the food to be cooked. The ability to quickly reach a final stage, or continuous play with no need to save the game. I was able to unlock the Hyper version of this game and I am currently tagged as a Legendary Collector.

The objective of this game is to swap one gem with an adjacent gem to form a horizontal or vertical chain of three or more gems. Bonus points are given when more than three identical gems are formed or form two lines of identical gems in one swap. Gems disappear when chains are formed and gems fall from the top to fill in gaps. Sometimes chain reactions, called cascades, are triggered, where chains are formed by the falling gems. Cascades are awarded with bonus points.

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Restaurant Review - Thai Express


I was with my friends yesterday and visited ThaiExpress@East Coast Road. We are all thai food lovers. Anyway, we ordered.

The clear tom yum soup was great! It was sour, hot but not too spicy.
I had a soft shell crab that comes with a very tasty sauce…it was really mouth-watering.
We also had chicken, prawn toast, basil beef, kailan and mango salad. It all tasted very good.
I must say the overall experience was really fantastic. The ambience and service is also
commendable…what else can you ask for? I am really looking forward for our next visit.

Try it one of these days.





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Thursday, March 20, 2008

Flowers Say it All!



The power of color is well established. Throughout time, nature’s spectrum has played a vital role in areas that significantly impact our everyday lives, from the color of our walls, to our clothes, to our cars – and, even more meaningfully, our emotional responses.Color may be more essential to our consciousness than we realize.
Flowers, due to its various colors, can stimulate and relax the senses, release happy memories and enhance our moods.Scientific research shows that flowers and plants have a beneficial impact on state of mind and emotions.that flowers provide a simple way to improve emotional health – that the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed. Due to our fast paced life and busy schedules, we seek for something that can rejuvenate ourselves.



We also make use of flowers to let other people know what we feel towards them. Flowers comes in different shapes,colors and textures. It is famous during Weddings, Valentine's Day and occasions like graduations, being promoted at work, to cheer up the sick, to ask forgiveness, to let other people know how special they are. It is basically full of symbolization and meanings that words can never say.



I love flowers, they have a way of making me feel better about life in general and I hope that many more people will come to enjoy them as much as I do! Drawings and paintings of flowers are very nice to look at. It gives us serenity and peace.




"I am a kind word uttered and repeated. I decorated the plains with my beautiful colors
and the air scented with my fragrance.I drink dew for wine, and hearken to
the voices of the birds, and dance to the rhythmic swaying of the grass.
I am the lover's gift; I am the wedding wreath;
I am the memory of a moment of happiness;
I am the last gift of the living to the dead;
I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow. "
-Flowers




Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Dance Like there is no Tomorrow

Paula Abdul has put together a video for "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," her first single in over 10 years. It features American Idol pal Randy Jackson playing in the band. She used to choreograph Janet Jackson. I was a huge fan when this pop diva ruled the radio back in the 80's.
The song is about the joy and release of feelings while dancing. The music video is very entertaining, it has a cool moves and electrifying performance of Paula. But nothing spectacular though, but it is a great way for her comeback. At this time 50 million copies has been sold....way to go Paula!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Singapore Zoo




The Singapore Zoo is a must-see destination on every visitor's attractions list. It opens from 8.30am to 6.00pm daily. Entrance fees is S$16.5o for adults and S$ 8.50 for children ages 3-12 y/o. Located at 80 Mandai Lake Road, go to http://www.zoo.com.sg/visitor/gettinghere.htm.This zoo is certainly amazing which really make Singapore very unique. It can be enjoyed by the whole family. It is advisable to set aside an entire day so that you will be able to see all the animal shows. It is 28 hectares and housed about 2,800 animals.



The Singapore Zoo is a model of the `open zoo' concept.
The animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by dry or wet moats(a moat is deep, broad trench, usually filled with water, that surrounds a structure, installation, or town, normally to provide it with a preliminary line of defense). The moats are concealed with vegetation or dropped below the line of vision.

In case of dangerous animals such as leopards and jaguars which can climb very well, moat barriers are not used. Instead, these animals are housed in beautifully landscaped glass-fronted enclosures.
Oppressive cages which typify old zoos, are absent.
The end result is a feeling of openness.


A "must-see" for all the people who are planning to visit Singapore.
Singapore Zoo received numerous awards:

*Best Managed Tourism Attraction
*Best New Attraction in ASEAN for
Hamadryas Baboons Exhibit
*ASEAN Tourism Association Awards for
Excellence
*Best Leisure Attraction
*Leisure Attraction of the Year
*Voted one of the best loved pro-family
businesses

NCLEX tidbit notes

To test visual acuity, the nurse should ask the patient to cover each eye separately and read the eye chart with glasses and without, as appropriate.

Fundamental of Nursing

Before teaching any procedure to the patient, the nurse must first assess the patient’s willingness to learn and his current knowledge.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A blood pressure cuff that is too narrow can cause a falsely elevated blood pressure reading.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When preparing a single injection for a patient who takes regular and NPH insulin, the nurse should draw the regular insulin into the syringe first because it is clear and can be measured more accurately than the NPH insulin, which is turbid.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Rhonchi refers to the rumbling sounds heard on lung auscultation; they are more pronounced during expiration than during inspiration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Gavage refers to forced feeding, usually through a gastric tube (a tube passed into the stomach by way of the mouth).

Fundamentals of Nursing

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, physiologic needs (air, water, food, shelter, sex, activity, and comfort) have the highest priority.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Checking the identification band on a patient’s wrist is the safest and surest way to verify a patient’s identity.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient’s safety is the priority concern in developing a therapeutic environment.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should place the patient with a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube in semi-Fowler’s position.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse can elicit Trousseau’s sign by occluding the brachial or radial artery; hand and finger spasms during occlusion indicate Trousseau’s sign and suggest hypocalcemia.

Fundamentals of Nursing

For blood transfusion in an adult, the appropriate needle size is 16 to 20G.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Pain that incapacities a patient and can’t be relieved by drugs is called intractable pain.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In an emergency, consent for treatment can be obtained by fax, telephone, or other telegraphic transmission.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Decibel is the unit of measurement of sound.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Informed consent is required for any invasive procedure.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient who can’t write his or her name to give consent for treatment must have his or her X witnessed by two persons, such as a nurse, priest, or doctor.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The Z-track I.M. injection technique seals medication deep into the muscle, thereby minimizing skin irritation and staining. It requires a needle that is 1’’ (2.5 cm) or longer.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A registered nurse (RN) should assign a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) to perform bedside care, such as suctioning and medication administration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The therapeutic purposed of a mist tent is to increase hydration of secretions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If a patient can’t void, the first nursing action should be bladder palpation to assess for bladder distention.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The patient who uses a cane should carry it on the unaffected side and advance it at the same time as the affected extremity.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To fit a supine patient for crutches, the nurse should measure from the axilla to the sole and add 2” (5 cm) to that measurement.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Assessment begins with the nurse’s first encounter with the patient and continues throughout the patient’s stay. The nurse obtains assessment data through the health history, physical examination, and review of diagnostic studies.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The appropriate needle size for an insulin injection is 25G and ⅝" (1.5 cm) long.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Residual urine refers to urine that remains in the bladder after voiding. The amount of residual urine normally ranges from 50 to 100 ml.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The five stages of the nursing process are assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Planning refers to the stage of the nursing process in which the nurse assigns priorities to nursing diagnoses, defines short-term and long-term goals and expected outcomes, and establishes the nursing care plan.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Implementation refers to the stage of the nursing process in which the nurse puts the nursing care plan into action, delegates specific nursing interventions to members of the nursing team, and charts patient responses to nursing interventions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Evaluation refers to the stage of the nursing process in which the nurse compares objective and subjective data with the outcome criteria and, if needed, modifies the nursing care plan, making the nursing process circular.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In the event of fire, the nurse should (1) remove the patient, (2) call the fire department, (3) attempt to contain the fire by closing the door, and (4) extinguish the fire, if it can be done safely.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Before administering any as need pain medication, the nurse should ask the patient to indicate the pain’s location.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that they shouldn’t receive blood components donated by other people.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When providing oral care for an unconscious patient, the nurse should position the patient on the side to minimize the risk of aspiration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During assessment of distance vision, the patient should stand 20’ (6.1 m) from the chart.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The ideal room temperature for a geriatric patient or one who is extremely ill ranges form 66º to 76º F (18.8º to 24.4º C).

Fundamentals of Nursing

Normal room humidity ranges from 30% to 60%.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Hand washing is the single best method of limiting the spread of microorganisms. Hands should be washed for 10 seconds after routine contact with a patient and after gloves are removed.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To catheterize a female patient, the nurse should place her in the dorsal recumbent position.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A positive Homan’s sign may indicate thrombophlebitis.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Electrolytes in a solution are measured in milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). A milliequivalent equals the number of milligrams per 100 milliliters of a solution.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Metabolism takes a place in two phases: anabolism (the constructive phase) and catabolism (the destructive phase).

Fundamentals of Nursing

The basal metabolic rate represents the amount of energy needed to maintain essential body functions. It is measured when the patient is awake and resting, hasn’t eaten for 14 to 18 hours, and is in a comfortable, warm environment.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Dietary fiber (roughage), which is derived from cellulose, supplies bulk, maintains adequate intestinal motility, and helps establish regular bowel habits.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Alcohol is metabolized primarily in the liver. Smaller amounts are metabolized by the kidneys and lungs.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Petechiae refers to tiny, round, purplish red spots that appear on the skin and mucous membranes as a result of intradermal or submucosal hemorrhage.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Purpura refers to a purple skin discoloration caused by blood extravasation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (C6PD) deficiency is an inherited metabolic disorder characterized by red blood cells that are deficient in G6PD, a critical enzyme in aerobic glycolysis.

Fundamentals of Nursing

According to the standard precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nurse shouldn’t recap needles after use because most needle sticks result from missed needle recapping.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse administers a drug by I.V. push by delivering the dose directly into a vein, I.V. tubing, or catheter with a needle and syringe.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When changing the ties on a tracheostomy tube, the nurse should leave the old ties in place until the new ones are applied.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A nurse should have assistance when changing the ties on a tracheostomy tube.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A filter is always used for blood transfusions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A four-point (quad) cane is indicated when a patient needs more stability than a regular cane can provide.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The patient should carry a cane on the unaffected side to promote a reciprocal gait pattern and distribute weight away from the affected leg.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A good way to begin a patient interview is to ask “What made you seek medical help?”

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should adhere to standard precautions for blood and body fluids when caring for all patients.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Potassium (K+) is the most abundant cation in intracellular fluid.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In the four-point gait (or alternating gait), the patient first moves the right crutch followed by the left foot and then the left crutch followed by the right foot.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In the three-point gait, the patient moves two crutches and the affected leg simultaneously and then moves the unaffected leg.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In the two-point gait, the patient moves the right leg and the left crutch simultaneously and then moves the left leg and the right crutch.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Vitamin B complex, the water-soluble vitamins essential for metabolism, include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), and cyanocobalamin (B12).

Fundamentals of Nursing

When being weighed, an adult patient should be lightly dressed and shoeless.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Before taking an adult’s oral temperature, the nurse should ensure that the patient hasn’t smoked or consumed hot or cold substances in the past 15 minutes.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse shouldn’t take a rectal temperature on an adult patient if the patient has a cardiac disorder; anal lesions, or bleeding hemorrhoids or has recently undergone rectal surgery.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In a patient with cardiac problems, rectal temperature measurement may stimulate a vagal response, leading to vasodilation and decreased cardiac output.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When recording pulse amplitude and rhythm, the nurse should use these descriptive measures: +3 indicates a bounding pulse (readily palpable and forceful); +2, a normal pulse (easily palpable); +1, a thready or weak pulse (difficult to detect); and 0, an absent pulse (not detectable).

Fundamentals of Nursing

The intraoperative period begins when a patient is transferred to the operating room bed and ends when the patient is admitted to the postanesthesia recovery unit.

Fundamentals of Nursing

On the morning of surgery, the nurse should ensure that the informed consent form has been signed; that the patient hasn’t taken anything by mouth since midnight, has taken a shower with antimicrobial soap, has had mouth care (without swallowing the water, has removed common jewelry, and has received preoperative medication as prescribed; and that vital signs have taken and recorded. Artificial limbs and other prostheses are usually removed.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Comfort measures, such as positioning the patient, performing backrubs, and providing a restful environment, may decrease the patient’s need for analgesics or may enhance their effectiveness.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A drug has three names: its generic name, which is used in official publications; its trade name or brand name (such as Tylenol), which is selected by the drug company; and its chemical name, which describes the drug’s chemical composition.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The patient should take a liquid iron preparation through a straw to avoid staining the teeth.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should use the Z-track method to administer an I.M. injection of iron dextran (Imferon).

Fundamentals of Nursing

An organism may enter the body through the nose, mouth, rectum, urinary or reproductive tract, or skin.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In descending order, the levels of consciousness are alertness, lethargy, stupor, light coma, and deep coma.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To turn a patient by logrolling, the nurse folds the patient’s arms across the chest; extends the patient’s legs and inserts a pillow between them, if indicated; places a draw sheet under the patient; and turns the patient by slowly and gently pulling on the draw sheet.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The diaphragm of the stethoscope is used to hear high-pitched sounds such as breath sounds.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A slight blood pressure difference (5 to 10 mm Hg) between right and left arms is normal.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should place the blood pressure cuff 1'' (2.5 cm) above the antecubital fossa.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When instilling ophthalmic ointments, waste the first bed of ointment and then apply from the inner canthus to the outer canthus; twist the medication tube to detach the ointment.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should use a leg cuff to measure blood pressure in an obese patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If the blood pressure cuff is applied too loosely, the reading will be falsely elevated.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Ptosis refers to eyelid drooping.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A tilt table is useful for a patient with a spinal cord injury, orthostatic hypotension, or brain damage because it can move the patient gradually from a horizontal to a vertical (upright) position.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To perform venipuncture with the least injury to the vessel, the nurse should turn the bevel upward when the vessel’s lumen is larger than the needle and turn it downward when the lumen is only slightly larger than the needle.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To move the patient to the edge of the bed for transfer, follow these steps: (1) Move the patient’s head and shoulders toward the edge of the bed. (2) Move the patient’s feet and legs to the edge of the bed (crescent position). (3) Place both the arms well under the patient’s hips and straighten the back while moving the patient toward the edge of the bed.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When being measured for crutches, a patient should wear his or her shoes.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should attach a restraint to a part of the bed frame that moves with the head, not to the mattress or side rails.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The mist in a mist tent should never become so dense that it obscures clear visualization of the patient’s respiratory pattern.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To administer heparin subcutaneously, the nurse should follow these steps: (1) Clean, but don’t rub, the site with alcohol. (2) Stretch the skin taut or pick up a well-defined skin fold. (3)Hold the shaft of the needle in a dart position. (4)Insert the needle into the skin at a right (90-degree) angle. (5)Firmly depress the plunger; but don’t aspirate. (6)Leave the needle in place for 10 seconds. (7)Withdraw the needle gently at the same angle it was inserted. (8)Apply pressure to the injection site with an alcohol pad.

Fundamentals of Nursing

For a sigmoidoscopy, the nurse should place the patient in a knee-chest or Sims’ position, depending on the doctor’s preference.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs must be met in the following order: physiologic (oxygen, food, water, sex, rest, and comfort) safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem and recognition, and self-actualization.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When caring for patient with a nasogastric tube, the nurse should apply a water-soluble lubricant to the nostril to prevent soreness.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During gastric lavage, a nasogastric tube is inserted, the stomach is flushed, and ingested substances are removed through the tube.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In documenting drainage on a surgical dressing, the nurse should include the size, color, and consistency of the drainage, for example, “10 mm of brown mucoid drainage noted on dressing.”

Fundamentals of Nursing

To elicit Babinski’s reflex, the nurse strokes the sole of the patient’s foot with a moderately sharp object, such as thumbnail.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In a positive Babinski’s reflex, the great toe dorsiflexes and the other toes fan out.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When assessing a patient for bladder distention, the nurse should check the contour of the lower abdomen for a rounded mass above the symphysis pubis.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The best way to prevent pressure ulcers is to reposition the bedridden patient at least every 2 hours.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Antiembolism stockings decompress the superficial blood vessels, thereby reducing the risk of thrombus formation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The most convenient veins for venipuncture in a adult patient are the basilic and median cubital veins in the antecubital space.

Fundamentals of Nursing

From 2 to 3 hours before beginning a tube feeding, the nurse should aspirate the patient’s stomach contents to verify adequate gastric emptying.

Fundamentals of Nursing

People with type O blood are considered to be universal donors.

Fundamentals of Nursing

People with type AB blood are considered to be universal recipients.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Herts (Hz) refers to the unit of measurement of sound frequency.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Hearing protection is required when the sound intensity exceeds 84 dB; double hearing protection is required if it exceeds 104 dB.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Prothrombin, a clotting factor, is produced in the liver.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If a patient is menstruating when a urine sample is collected, the nurse should note this on the laboratory slip.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During lumbar puncture, the nurse must note the initial intracranial pressure and the cerebrospinal fluid color.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient who can’t cough to provide a sputum sample for culture may require a heated aerosol treatment to facilitate removal of a sample.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If eye ointment and eyedrops must be instilled in the same eye, the eyedrops should be instilled first.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When leaving an isolation room, the nurse should remove the gloves before the mask because fewer pathogens are on the mask.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Skeletal traction is applied to a bone using wire pins or tons. It is the most effective means of traction.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The total parenteral nutrition solution should be stored in a refrigerator and removed 30 to 60 minutes before use because delivery of a chilled solution can cause pain, hypothermia, venous spasm, and venous constriction.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Medication isn’t routinely injected I.M. into edematous tissue because it may not be absorbed.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When caring for a comatose patient, the nurse should explain each action to the patient in a normal voice.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When cleaning dentures, the sink should be lined with a washcloth.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient should void within 8 hours after surgery.

Fundamentals of Nursing

An EEG identifies normal and abnormal brain waves.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Stool samples for ova and parasite tests should be delivered to the laboratory without delay or refrigeration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The autonomic nervous system regulates the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When providing tracheostomy care, the nurse should insert the catheter gently into the tracheostomy tube. When withdrawing the catheter, the nurse should apply intermittent suction for no more than 15 seconds and use a slight twisting motion.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A low-residue diet includes such as foods as roasted chicken, rice, and pasta.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A rectal tube should not be inserted for longer than 20 minutes; it can irritate the mucosa of the rectum and cause a loss of sphincter control.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient’s bed bath should proceed in this order: face, neck, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, back, legs, perineum.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When lifting and moving a patient, the nurse should use the upper leg muscles most to prevent injury.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Patient preparation for cholecystography includes ingestion of a contrast medium and a low-fat evening meal.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During occupied bed changes, the patient should be covered with a black blanket to promote warmth and prevent exposure.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Anticipatory grief refers to mourning that occurs for an extended time when one realizes that death is inevitable.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The following foods can alter stool color: beets (red), cocoa (dark red or brown), licorice (black), spinach (green), and meat protein (dark brown).

Fundamentals of Nursing

When preparing a patient for a skull X-ray, have the patient remove all jewelry and dentures.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The fight-or-flight response is a sympathetic nervous system response.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Bronchovesicular breath sounds in peripheral lung fields are abnormal and suggest pneumonia.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Wheezing refers to an abnormal, high-pitched breath sound that is accentuated on expiration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Wax or a foreign body in the ear should be gently flushed out by irrigation with warm saline solution.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If a patient complains that his hearing aid is “not working,” the nurse should check the switch first to see if it’s turned on and then check the batteries.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should grade hyperactive biceps and triceps reflexes +4.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If two eye medications are prescribed for twice-daily instillation, they should be administered 5 minutes apart.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In a postoperative patient, forcing fluids helps prevent constipation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse must administer care in accordance with standards of care established by the American Nurses Association, state regulations, and facility policy.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The kilocalorie (kcal) is a unit of energy measurement that represents the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water 1º C.

Fundamentals of Nursing

As nutrients move through the body, they undergo ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, cell metabolism, and excretion.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The body metabolizes alcohol at a fixed rate regardless of serum concentration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In an alcoholic beverage, its proof reflects its percentage of alcohol multiplied by 2. For example, a 100-proof beverage contains 50% alcohol.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A living will is a witnessed document that states a patient’s desire for certain types of care and treatment, which depends on the patient’s wishes and views and quality of life.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should flush a peripheral heparin lock every 8 hours (if it wasn’t used during the previous 8 hours) and as needed with normal saline solution to maintain patency.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Quality assurance is a method of determining whether nursing actions and practices meet established standards.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The five rights of medication administration are the right patient, right medication, right dose, right route of administration, and the right time.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Outside of the hospital setting, only the sublingual and transligual forms of nitroglycerin should be used to relieve acute anginal attacks.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The implementation phase of the nursing process involves recording the patient’s response to the nursing plan, putting the nursing plan into action, delegating specific nursing interventions, and coordinating the patient’s activities.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The Patient’s Bill of Rights offers guidance and protection to patients by stating the responsibilities of the hospital and its staff toward patients and their families during hospitalization.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To minimize the omissions and distortion of facts, the nurse should record information as soon as it is gathered.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When assessing a patient’s health history, the nurse should record the current illness chronologically, beginning with the onset of the problem and continuing to the present.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Drug administration is a dependent activity. The nurse can administer or withhold a drug only with the doctor’s permission.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse shouldn’t give false assurance to a patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

After receiving preoperative medication, a patient isn’t competent to sign an informed consent form.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When lifting a patient, a nurse uses the weight of her body instead of the strength in her arms.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A nurse may clarify a doctor’s explanation to a patient about an operation or a procedure but must refer questions about informed consent to the doctor.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse shouldn’t use her thumb to take a patient’s pulse rate because the thumb has a pulse of its own and may be confused with the patient’s pulse.

Fundamentals of Nursing

An inspiration and an expiration count as one respiration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Normal respirations are known as eupnea.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During a blood pressure measurement, the patient should rest the arm against a surface because using muscle strength to hold up the arm may raise the blood pressure.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Major unalterable risk factors for coronary artery disease include heredity, sex, race, and age.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Inspection is the most frequently used assessment technique.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Family members of an elderly person in a long-term care facility should transfer some personal items (such as photographs, a favorite chair, and knickknacks) to the person’s room to provide a homey atmosphere.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The upper respiratory tract warms and humidifies inspired air and plays a role in taste, smell, and mastication.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Signs of accessory muscle use include shoulder elevation, intercostal muscle retraction, and scalene and sternocleidosmastoid muscle use during respiration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When patients use axillary crutches, their palms should bear the brunt of the weight.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Activities of daily living include eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and interacting socially.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Normal gait has two phases: the stance phase, in which the patient’s foot rests on the ground, and the swing phase, in which that patient’s foot moves forward.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The phases of mitosis are prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should follow standard precautions in the routine care of all patients.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should use the bell of the stethoscope to listen for venous hums and cardiac murmurs.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse can assess a patient’s general knowledge by asking questions such as “Who is the president for the United States?”

Fundamentals of Nursing

Cold packs are applied for the first 20 to 48 hours after an injury; then heat is applied. During cold application, the pack is applied for 20 minutes and then removed for 10 to 15 minutes to prevent reflex dilation (rebound phenomenon) and frostbite injury.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The pons is located above the medulla and consists of white matter (sensory and motor tracts) and gray matter (reflex centers).

Fundamentals of Nursing

The autonomic nervous system controls the smooth muscles.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A correctly written patient goal expresses the desired patient behavior, criteria for measurement, time frame for achievement, and conditions under which the behavior will occur. It is developed in collaboration with the patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The optic disk is yellowish pink and circular with a distinct border.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A primary disability results from a pathologic process; a secondary disability, from inactivity.

Nurses usually are held liable for failing to keep an accurate count of sponges and other devices during surgery.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The best dietary sources of vitamin B6 are liver, kidney, pork, soybeans, corn, and whole-grain cereals.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Iron-rich foods, such as organ meats, nuts, legumes, dried fruit, leafy vegetables, eggs, and whole gains, generally have low water content.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Collaboration refers to joint communication and decision making between nurses and doctors designed to meet patients’ needs by integrating the care regimens of both professions in one comprehensive approach.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Bradycardia refers to a heart rate of fewer than 60 beats/minute.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A nursing diagnosis is a statement of a patient’s actual or potential health problems that can be resolved, diminished, or otherwise changed by nursing interventions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During the assessment phase of the nursing process, the nurse collects and analyzes three types of data: health history, physical examination, and laboratory and diagnostic test data.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The patient’s health history consists primarily of subjective data, information supplied by patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The physical examination includes objective data obtained by inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When documenting patient care, the nurse should write legibly, use only standard abbreviations, and sign every entry. The nurse should never destroy or attempt to obliterate documentation or leave vacant lines.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Factors that affect body temperature include time of day, age, physical activity, phase of menstrual cycle, and pregnancy.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The most accessible and commonly used artery for measuring a patient’s pulse rate is the radial artery, which is compressed against the radius to take the pulse rate.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The normal pulse rate of a resting adult is 60 to 100 beats/minute. The rate is slightly faster in women than in men and much faster in children than in adults.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Laboratory test results are an objective form of assessment data.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The measurement systems most often used in clinical practice are the metric system, apothecaries’ system, and household system.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Before signing an informed consent, a patient should know whether other treatment options are available and should understand what will occur during the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phase; the risk involved; and the possible complications. The patient also should have a general idea of the time required from surgery to recovery and should have an opportunity to ask questions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient must sign a separate informed consent form for each procedure.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During percussion, the nurse uses quick, sharp tapping of the fingers or hands against body surfaces to produce sounds (that helps determine the size, shape, position, and density of underlying organs and tissues), elicit tenderness, or assess reflexes.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Ballottement is a form of light palpation involving gentle, repetitive bouncing of tissues against the hand and feeling their rebound.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A foot cradle keeps bed linen off the patient’s feet, which prevent skin irritation and breakdown, especially in a patient with peripheral vascular disease or neuropathy.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If the patient is a married minor, permission to perform a procedure can be obtained form the patient’s spouse.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Gastric lavage is the flushing of the stomach and removal of ingested substances through a nasogastric tube. It can be used to treat poisoning or drug overdose.

Fundamentals of Nursing

During the evaluation step of the nursing process, the nurse assesses the patient’s response to therapy.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Bruits commonly indicate a life- or limb-threatening vascular disease.

Fundamentals of Nursing

O.U. means each eye; O.D., right eye; and O.S, left eye.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To remove a patient’s artificial eye, the nurse depresses the lower lid.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should use a warm saline solution to clean an artificial eye.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A thready pulse is very fine and scarcely perceptible.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Axillary temperature usually is 1º F lower than oral temperature.

Fundamentals of Nursing

After suctioning a tracheostomy tube, the nurse must document the color, amount, consistency, and odor of secretions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

On a medication prescription, the abbreviation p.c. means that the medication should be administered after meals.

Fundamentals of Nursing

After bladder irrigation, the nurse should document the amount, color, and clarity of the urine and the presence of clots or sediment.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Laws regarding patient self-determination vary from state to state. Therefore, the nurse must be familiar with the laws of the state in which she works.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Gauge refers to the inside diameter of a needle. The smaller the gauge, the larger the diameter.

Fundamentals of Nursing

An adult normally has 32 permanent teeth.

Fundamentals of Nursing

After turning a patient, the nurse should document the position used, time turned, and skin assessment findings.

Fundamentals of Nursing

PERRLA is an abbreviation for normal pupil assessment findings: pupils equal, round, and reactive to light with accommodation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When purcussing a patient’s chest for postural drainage, the nurse’s hands should be cupped.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When measuring a patient’s pulse, the nurse should assess the rate, rhythms, quality, and strength.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Before transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair, the nurse should push the wheelchair’s footrests to the sides and lock its wheels.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When assessing respirations, the nurse should document the rate, rhythm, depth, and quality.

Fundamentals of Nursing

For a subcutaneous injection, the nurse should use a ⅝" 25G needle.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The notation “AA & O x 3” indicates that the patient is awake, alert, and oriented to person (knows who he is), place (knows where he is), and time (knows the date and time).

Fundamentals of Nursing

Fluid intake includes all fluids taken by mouth, including foods that are liquid at room temperature, such as gelatin, custard, and ice cream; I.V. fluids; and fluids administered in feeding tubes. Fluid output includes urine, vomitus, and drainage (such as from a nasogastric tube or from a wound) as well as blood loss, diarrhea or stool, and perspiration.

Fundamentals of Nursing

After administering an intradermal injection, the nurse shouldn’t massage the area because massage can irritate the site and interfere with results.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When administering an intradermal injection, the nurse should hold the syringe almost flat against the patient’s skin (at about a 15-degree angle) with the bevel up.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To obtain an accurate blood pressure, the nurse should inflate the manometer 20 to 30 mm Hg above the disappearance of the radial pulse before releasing the cuff pressure.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should count an irregular pulse for 1 full minute.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient who is vomiting while lying down should be placed in a lateral position to prevent aspiration of vomitus.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Prophylaxis is disease prevention.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Body alignment is achieved when the body parts are in proper relation to their natural position.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Trust is the foundation of a nurse-patient relationship.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Blood pressure in the force exerted by the circulating volume of blood on arterial walls.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Malpractice refers to the professional’s wrongful conduct, improper discharge of duties, or failure to meet standers of care, which causes harm to another.

Fundamentals of Nursing

As a general rule, nurses can’t refuse a patient care assignment; however, they may refuse to participate in abortions in most states.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A nurse can be found negligent if a patient is injured because the nurse failed to perform a duty that a reasonable and prudent person would perform or because the nurse performed an act that a reasonable and prudent person wouldn’t perform.

Fundamentals of Nursing

States have enacted Good Samaritan laws to encourage professionals to provide medical assistance at the scene of an accident without fear of a lawsuit arising from such assistance. These laws don’t apply to care provided in a health care facility.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A doctor should sign verbal and telephone orders within the time established by institutional policy, usually within 24 hours.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A competent adult has the right to refuse lifesaving medical treatment; however, the individual should be fully informed of the consequences of this refusal.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Although a patient’s health record or chart is the health care facility’s physical property, its contents belong to the patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Before a patient’s record can be released to a third party, the patient or patient’s legal guardian must give written consent.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Under the Controlled Substances Act, every dose of a controlled drug dispensed by the pharmacy must be counted for, whether the dose was administered to a particular patient or discarded accidentally.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A nurse can’t perform duties that violate a rule or regulation established by a state licensing board even if it is authorized by a health care facility or doctor.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should select a private room, preferably with a door that can be closed, to minimize interruptions during a patient interview.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In categorizing nursing diagnosis, the nurse should address actual life-threatening problems first, followed by potentially life-threatening concerns.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The major components of a nursing care plan are outcome criteria (patient goals) and nursing interventions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Standing orders, or protocols, establish guidelines for treating a particular disease or set of symptoms.

Fundamentals of Nursing

In assessing a patient’s heart, the nurse normally finds the point of maximal impulse at the fifth intercostals space near the apex.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The S1 sound heard on auscultation is caused by closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To maintain package sterility, the nurse should open the wrapper’s top flap away from the body, open side flap by touching only the outer part of the wrapper, and open the final flap by grasping the turned-down corner and pulling it toward the body.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse shouldn’t use a cotton-tipped applicator to dry a patient’s ear canal or remove wax because it may force cerumen against the tympanic membrane.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A patient’s identification bracelet should remain in place until the patient has been discharged from the health care facility and has left the premises.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The Controlled Substances Act designated five categories, or schedules, that classify controlled drugs according to their abuse liability.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, have a high abuse potential and have no currently accepted medical use in the United States.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Schedule II drugs, such as morphine, opium, and meperidine (Demerol), have a high abuse potential but have currently accepted medical uses. Their use may lead to physical or psychological dependence.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Schedule III drugs, such as paregoric and butabarbital (Butisol), have a lower abuse potential than Schedule I or II drugs. Abuse of Schedule III drugs may lead to moderate or low physical or psychological dependence, or both.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Schedule IV drugs, such as chloral hydrate, have a low abuse potential compared with Schedule III drugs.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Schedule V drugs, such as cough syrups that contain codeine, have the lowest abuse potential of the controlled substances.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Activities of daily living are actions that the patient must perform every day to provide self-care and interact with society.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Testing of the six cardinal fields of gaze evaluates the function of all extraocular muscles and cranial nerves III, IV, and VI.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The six types of heart murmurs are graded from 1 to 6. A grade 6 heart murmur can be heard with stethoscope slightly raised from the chest.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The most important goal to include in a care plan is the patient’s goal.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Fruits are high in fiber and low in protein and should be omitted from a low-residue diet.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should use an objective scale to assess and quantify pain because postoperative pain varies greatly among individuals.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Postmortem care includes cleaning and preparing the deceased patient for family viewing, arranging transportation to the morgue or funeral home, and determining the disposition of belongings.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should provide honest answers to the patient’s questions.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Milk shouldn’t be included in a clear liquid diet.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Consistency in nursing personnel is paramount when caring for a child, and infant, or a confused patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The hypothalamus secretes vasopressin and oxytocin, which are stored in the pituitary gland.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The three membranes that enclose that brain and spinal cord are the dura mater, pia mater, and arachnoid.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A nasogastric tube is used to remove fluid and gas from the small intestine preoperatively or postoperatively.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Psychologists, physical therapists, and chiropractors aren’t authorized to write prescriptions for medication.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The area around a stoma should be cleaned with mild soap and water.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Vegetables have a high fiber content.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should use a tuberculin syringe to administer an S.C. injection of less than 1 ml.

Fundamentals of Nursing

For adults, S.C. injections require a 25G 1" needle; for infants, children, elderly, or very thin patients, they require a 25G to 27G ½" needle.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Before administering medication, the nurse should identify the patient by checking the identification band and asking the patient to state his name.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To clean the skin before an injection, the nurse should use a sterile alcohol swab and wipe from the center of the site outward in a circular motion.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse always should inject heparin deep into S.C. tissue at a 90-degree angle (perpendicular to the skin) to prevent skin irritation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If blood is aspirated into the syringe before an I.M. injection, the nurse should withdraw the needle, prepare another syringe, and repeat the procedure.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse shouldn’t cut the patient’s hair without written consent from the patient or an appropriate relative.

Fundamentals of Nursing

If bleeding occurs after an injection, the nurse should apply pressure until the bleeding stops; if bruising occurs, the nurse should monitor the site for an enlarging hematoma.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When providing hair and scalp care, the nurse should begin combing at the end of the hair and work toward the head.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Frequency of patient hair care depends on the length and texture of the hair, duration of hospitalization, and patient’s condition.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Proper hearing aid function requires careful handling during insertion and removal, regular cleaning of the ear piece to prevent wax buildup, and prompt replacement of dead batteries.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The hearing aid marked with a blue dot is for the left ear; the one with the red dot is for the right ear.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A hearing aid shouldn’t be exposed to heat or humidity and shouldn’t be immersed in water.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should instruct a patient not to use hair spray while wearing a hearing aid.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The five branches of pharmacology are pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, toxicology, and pharmacognosy.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should remove heel protectors every 8 hours to inspect the foot for signs of skin breakdown.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The purpose of heat application is to promote vasodilation, which reduces pain caused by inflammation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A sutured surgical incision is an example of healing by first intention (healing directly, without granulation).

Fundamentals of Nursing

Healing by secondary intention (healing by granulation) is closure of the wound by the granulation tissue filling the defect and allowing reepithelialization to occur, beginning at the wound edges and continuing to the center, until the entire wound is covered.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Keloid formation is an abnormality in healing characterized by overgrowth of scar tissue at the wound site.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should administer procaine penicillin by deep I.M. injection in the upper outer portion of the buttocks in the adult or in the midlateral thigh in the child. The nurse shouldn’t massage the injection site.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The ascending colostomy drains fluid feces; the descending colostomy drains solid fecal matter.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A folded towel (called a scrotal bridge) can provide scrotal support for the patient with scrotal edema caused by vasectomy, epididymitis, or orchitis.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When giving an injection to the patient with a bleeding disorder, the nurse should use a small-gauge needle and apply pressure to the site for 5 minutes after the injection.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Platelets are the smallest and most fragile formed element of the blood and are essential for coagulation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

To insert a nasogastric tube, the nurse should first instruct the patient to tilt the head back slightly and then insert the tube. When the tube is felt curving at the pharynx, the nurse should tell the patient to tilt the head forward to close the trachea and open the esophagus by swallowing. (Sips of water can facilitate this action.)

Fundamentals of Nursing

According to families whose loved ones are in intensive care units, their four most important needs are to have questions answered honestly, to be assured that the best possible car is being provided, to know the prognosis, and to feel there is hope.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A double-bind communication when the verbal message contradicts the nonverbal message and the receiver is unsure of which message to respond to.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A nonjudgmental attitude displayed by the nurse demonstrates that she neither approves nor disapproves of the patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Target symptoms are those that the patient and others find most distressing.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Advise the patient to take aspirin on an empty stomach with a full glass of water and to avoid foods with acid such as coffee, citrus fruits, and cola.

Fundamentals of Nursing

For every patient problem, there is a nursing diagnosis; for every nursing diagnosis, there is a goal; and for every goal, there are interventions designed to make the goal a reality. The keys to answering examination questions correctly are identifying the problem presented, formulating a goal for that specific problem, and then selecting the intervention from the choices provided that will enable the patient to reach that goal.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Fidelity means loyalty and can be shown as a commitment to the profession of nursing and to the patient.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Giving an I.M. injection against the patient’s will and without legal authority is battery.

Fundamentals of Nursing

An example of a third-party payor is an insurance company.

Fundamentals of Nursing

On-call medication should be given within 5 minutes of receipt of the call.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Generally, the best method to determine the cultural or spiritual needs of the patient is to ask him.

Fundamentals of Nursing

An incident report shouldn’t be made part of the patient’s record but is an in-house document for the purpose of correcting the problem.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Critical pathways are a multidisciplinary guideline for patient care.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When prioritizing nursing diagnoses, use this hierarchy: (1) problems associated with airway, (2) those concerning breathing, and (3) those related to circulation.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The two nursing diagnoses with the highest priority that the nurse can assign are Ineffective airway clearance and Ineffective breathing pattern.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A subjective sign that a sitz bath has been effective is that patient expresses a decrease in pain or discomfort.

Fundamentals of Nursing

For the nursing diagnosis Diversional activity deficit to be valid, the patient must make the statement that he’s “bored, there is nothing to do” or words to that effect.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The most appropriate nursing diagnosis for an individual who doesn’t speak English is Communication, impaired, related to inability to speak dominant language (English).

Fundamentals of Nursing

The family of the patient who has been diagnosed as hearing impaired should be instructed to face the individual when they speak to him.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Up to age 3, the pinna should be pulled down and back to straighten the eustachian tube before instilling medication.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When administering eyedrops, the nurse should waste the first drop and instill the medication in the lower conjunctival sac to prevent injury to the cornea.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When administering eye ointment, the nurse should waste the first bead of medication and then apply the medication from the inner to the outer canthus.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When removing gloves and mask, the gloves, which most likely contain pathogens and are soiled, should be removed first.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Crutches should placed 6" (15 cm) in front of the patient and 6" to the side to assume a tripod position.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Listening is the most effective communication technique.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Process recording is a method of evaluating one’s communication effectiveness.

Fundamentals of Nursing

When feeding the elderly, limit high-carbohydrate foods because of the risk of glucose intolerance.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Passive range of motion maintains joint mobility whereas resistive exercises increase muscle mass.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Isometric exercises are performed on an extremity in a cast.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A back rub is an example of the gate-control theory of pain.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Anything below the waist is considered unsterile, a sterile field becomes unsterile when it comes in contact with nay unsterile item, a sterile field must be continuously monitored, and the 1" (2.5 cm) border around a sterile field is considered unsterile.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A “shift to the left” is evident when there is an increase in immature cells (bands) in the blood to fight an infection.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A “shift to the right” is evident when there is an increase in mature cells in the blood as seen in advanced liver diseases and pernicious anemia.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Before administering preoperative medication, make sure that an informed consent form has been signed and attached to the patient’s record.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should spend no more than 30 minutes per 8-hour shift in providing care to the patient with a radiation implant.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should stand near the patient’s shoulders for cervical implants and at the foot of the bed for head and neck implants.

Fundamentals of Nursing

The nurse should never be assigned to care for more than one patient with radiation implants.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Long-handled forceps and a lead-lined container should be in the room of the patient who has a radiation implant.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Generally, patients who have the same infection and are in strict isolation can share the same room.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Diseases requiring strict isolation include chickenpox, diphtheria, and viral hemorrhagic fever such as Marburg virus disease.

Fundamentals of Nursing













For the patient abiding by Jewish custom, milk and meat shouldn’t be served in the same meal.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Whether the patient can perform a procedure (psychomotor domain of learning) is a better indicator of the effectiveness of patient teaching than whether the patient can simply state the steps of the procedure (cognitive domain of learning).

Fundamentals of Nursing

Developmental stages according to Erik Erikson are trust versus mistrust (birth to 18 months), autonomy versus shame and doubt (18 months to 3 years), initiative versus guilt (3 to 5 years), industry versus inferiority (5 to 12 years), identity versus identity diffusion (12 to 18 years), intimacy versus isolation (18 to 25 years), generativity versus stagnation (25 to 60 years), and ego integrity versus despair (older than 60 years).

Fundamentals of Nursing

Face the hearing impaired patient when communicating with him.

Fundamentals of Nursing

A proper nursing intervention for the spouse of the patient who has suffered a serious incapacitating disease is to assist him in mobilizing a support system.

Fundamentals of Nursing

Hyperpyrexia refers to extreme elevation in temperature above 106º F (41.1º C).

Fundamentals of Nursing

Unlike false labor, true labor produces regular rhythmic contractions, abdominal discomfort, no changed in fetal movement, progressive fetal descent, bloody show, and progressive cervical effacement and dilation.

Maternal and Child

To help a mother break the suction of her breast-feeding infant, the nurse should teach her to insert a finger at the corner of the infant’s mouth.

Maternal and Child

Administering high levels of oxygen to a premature newborn can cause blindness secondary to retrolental fibroplasia.

Maternal and Child

Amniotomy refers to the artificial rupture of the amniotic membranes.

Maternal and Child

During pregnancy, weight gain averages 25 to 30 lb (11.3 to 13.5 kg).

Maternal and Child

Rubella has a teratogenic effect on the fetus during the first trimester and produces abnormalities in up to 40% of cases without interrupting the pregnancy.

Maternal and Child

Immunity to rubella can be measured by a hemagglutination inhibition test (rubella titer). This test identifies exposure to rubella infection and determines susceptibility to it in pregnant women (a woman has an immunity with a titer greater than 1:8).

Maternal and Child

In describing the degree of fetal descent during labor; floating occurs when the presenting part isn’t engaged in the pelvic inlet but is freely movable (ballotable) above the pelvic inlet.

Maternal and Child

In describing the degree of fetal descent, engagement occurs when the largest diameter of the presenting part has passed through the pelvic inlet.

Maternal and Child

To elicit Moro’s reflex, the nurse should hold the neonate in both hands and suddenly but gently drop the neonate’s head backward. Normally, this causes the neonate to abduct and extend all extremities bilaterally and symmetrically, form a C shape with thumb and forefinger, and first adducts and then flexes the extremities.

Maternal and Child

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (preeclampsia) is defined as an increased in blood pressure of 30/15 m Hg over baseline or a blood pressure of 140/95 mm Hg on two occasions at least 6 hours apart, edema, and albuminuria that occur after 20 weeks’ gestation.

Maternal and Child

Positive signs of pregnancy include ultrasound evidence, fetal heart tones, and fetal movement felt by the examiner (not usually present until 4 months’ gestation).

Maternal and Child

Goodell’s sign is softening of the cervix.

Maternal and Child

Hegar’s sign is softening of the lower uterine segment.

Maternal and Child

Quickening, a presumptive sign of pregnancy, occurs between 16 to 19 weeks’ gestation.

Maternal and Child

Ovulation ceases during pregnancy.

Maternal and Child

Vaginal bleeding is the number one danger sign in pregnancy.

Maternal and Child

To estimate the date of confinement using Nägele’s rule, the nurse counts backward 3 months from the first day of the last menstrual period and then adds 7 days to this date.

Maternal and Child

At 12 weeks’ gestation, the fundus should be at the top of the symphysis pubis.

Maternal and Child

Koplik’s spots are small, irregular red spots with minute bluish white centers that appear on the buccal mucosa of patients with measles (rubeola).

Maternal and Child

Cow’s milk shouldn’t be given to infants under age 1 year because of its low linoleic acid content and its protein, which is difficult for infants to digest.

Maternal and Child

If jaundice is suspected in a neonate, the nurse should examine the infant under natural light from a window. If natural light is unavailable, the nurse should examine the infant under a white light.

Maternal and Child

The three phases of a uterine contraction are increment, acme and decrement.

Maternal and Child

A labor contraction’s intensity can be assessed by indentability of the uterine wall at the contraction’s peak. Intensity is graded as mild (uterine muscle is somewhat tense), moderate (uterine muscle is moderately tense,) or strong (uterine muscle is boardlike).

Maternal and Child

Chloasma, the mask of pregnancy, refers to skin pigmentation of a circumscribed area (usually over the bridge of the nose and cheeks) that is seen is some pregnancies.

Maternal and Child

The gynecoid pelvis is most ideal for delivery. Other types of pelves include platypelloid (flat), anthropoid (apelike), and android (malelike).

Maternal and Child

Pregnant women should be advised that there is no safe level of alcohol intake.

Maternal and Child

A uterine contraction’s frequency is measured in minutes and represents the time from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next.

Maternal and Child

Vitamin K is administered to a newborn to prevent hemorrhagic fever because a newborn’s intestine is unable to synthesize vitamin K.

Maternal and Child

Before internal fetal monitoring can be done, a pregnant patient’s cervix must be dilated at least 2 cm, her amniotic membranes must be ruptured, and the fetus’s presenting part (scalp or buttocks) must be at station –1 or lower; so that a small electrode can be attached to it.

Maternal and Child

Fetal alcohol syndrome presents in the first 24 hours after birth and produces lethargy, seizures, poor sucking reflex, abdominal distention, and respiratory difficulty.

Maternal and Child

Variability refers to any change in the fetal heart rate (FHR) from its normal rate of 20 to 160 beats/minute. An increased FHR is known as acceleration; a decreased FHR is known as deceleration.

Maternal and Child

Fetal station (location of the presenting part) is described as -1, -2, -3, -4, or -5 to indicate the number of centimeters it is above the level of the ischial spines; station -5 is at the pelvic inlet.

Maternal and Child

Fetal station also is described as +1, +2, +3, +4, or +5 to indicate the number of centimeters it is below the level of the ischial spines; station 0 is at the level of the ischial spines.

Maternal and Child

During the first stage of labor, the side-lying position usually provides the greatest degree of comfort, although the patient may assume any position of comfort.

Maternal and Child

During delivery, if the umbilical cord can’t be loosened and slipped from around the neonate’s neck, it should be clamped with two clamps. Then the cord should be cut between the two clamps.

Maternal and Child

An Apgar score of 7 to 10 indicates no immediate distress, 4 to 6 indicates moderate distress, and 0 to 3 indicates severe distress.

Maternal and Child

Heroin withdrawal symptoms in a neonate may begin several hours to 4 days after birth.

Maternal and Child

Methadone withdrawal symptoms in a neonate may begin 7 days to several weeks after birth.

Maternal and Child

The cardinal signs of neonatal narcotic withdrawal include coarse flapping tremors, sleepiness, restlessness, prolonged and persistent high-pitched cry, and irritability.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should always count a neonate’s respirations for 1 full minute.

Maternal and Child

Circumcision is postponed in neonates with hypospadias.

Maternal and Child

Chlorpromazine hydrochloride (Thorazine) is used to treat an infant who is addicted to narcotics.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should provide a dark, quiet environment for an infant who is experiencing narcotic withdrawal.

Maternal and Child

A good technique for assessing jaundice in a neonate is to blanch the tip of the nose or gum line by applying slight pressure under natural light and watching for yellow discoloration after removing pressure.

Maternal and Child

Signs of respiratory distress in a premature infant include nostril flaring, substernal retractions, and inspiratory grunting.

Maternal and Child

Premature infants develop respiratory distress syndrome (hyaline membrane disease) because their pulmonary alveoli lack surfactant.

Maternal and Child

Any time an infant is being put down to sleep, the mother should position the infant on the back (remember “back to sleep”).

Maternal and Child

The male sperm contributes an X or a Y chromosome; the female ovum contributes an X chromosome.

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Fertilization produces a total of 46 chromosomes, including an XY combination (male) or an XX combination (female).

Maternal and Child

The percentage of water in a newborn’s body is about 78% to 80%.

Maternal and Child

To perform nasotracheal suctioning in an infant, the nurse should position the infant with the neck slightly hyperextended in a “sniffing” position with the chin up and the head tilted back slightly.

Maternal and Child

Organogenesis occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy; specifically, days 14 and 56 of gestation.

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After birth, the neonate’s umbilical cord is tied 1” (2.5 cm) from the abdominal wall with a cotton cord, plastic clamp, or rubber band.

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The term gravida refers to the number of pregnancies regardless of their outcomes.

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The term para refers to the number pregnancies that reached viability regardless of whether the fetus is delivered alive or stillborn. (A fetus is considered viable at 20 weeks’ gestation.)

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An ectopic pregnancy is one that implants abnormally, outside the uterus.

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The first stage of labor begins with the onset of labor and ends with full cervical dilation at 10 cm.

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The second stage of labor begins with full cervical dilation and ends with the neonate’s birth.

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The third stage of labor begins after the neonate’s birth and ends with expulsion of the placenta.

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In a full-term infant, skin creases appear over two-thirds of the newborn’s feet. Heel creases of less than two-thirds are seen in preterm infants.

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The fourth stage of labor (postpartal stabilization) lasts for up to 4 hours after delivery if the placenta (the time required to stabilize the mother’s physical and emotional state after the stress of childbirth).

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At 20 weeks’ gestation, the fundus should be at the height of the umbilicus.

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At 36 weeks’ gestation, the fundus should be at the lower border of the rib cage.

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A premature infant is one born before the end of the 37th week of gestation.

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Pregnancy-induced hypertension is a leading cause of maternal death in the United States.

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A habitual aborter is a woman who has had three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions.

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Threatened abortion occurs when bleeding is present without cervical dilation.

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A complete abortion occurs when all products of conception have been expelled.

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Hydramnios (polyhydramnios) refers to excessive amniotic fluid (more than 2,000 ml in the third trimester).

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Stress, dehydration, and fatigue may reduce a breast-feeding mother’s milk supply.

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During the transition phase of the first stage of labor; the cervix is dilated 8 to 10 cm and contractions usually occur 2 to 3 minutes apart and last for 60 seconds.

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A nonstress test is considered noreactive (positive) if fewer than two fetal heart rate accelerations of at least 15 beats/minute occur in 20 minutes.

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A nonstress test is considered reactive (negative) if two or more fetal heart rate accelerations of 15 beats/minute above baseline occur in 20 minutes.

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A nonstress test usually is used to assess fetal well-being in a pregnant patient with a prolonged pregnancy (42 weeks or more), diabetes, a history of poor pregnancy outcomes, or pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Maternal and Child

A pregnant woman should drink at least eight 8-oz glasses (about 2,000 ml) of water daily.

Maternal and Child

When both breasts are used for breast-feeding, the infant usually doesn’t empty the second breast; therefore, the second breast should be used first at the next feeding.

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A low-birth-weight infant is one who weighs 2,500 g (5 lb 8 oz) or less at birth.

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A very-low-birth-weight infant is one who weighs 1,500 (3 lb 5 oz) of less at birth.

Maternal and Child

When teaching parents to provide umbilical cord care, the nurse should teach them to clean the umbilical area with alcohol on a cotton ball after every diaper change to prevent infection and promote drying.

Maternal and Child

Teenage mothers are more likely to have low-birth-weight infants because they seek prenatal care late in the pregnancies (as a result of denial) and are more likely to have nutritional deficiencies.

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Linea nigra, a dark line that extends from the umbilicus to the mons pubis, commonly appears during pregnancy and disappears after pregnancy.

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Implantation in the uterus occurs 6 to 10 days after ovum fertilization.

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Placenta previa refers to the abnormally low implantation of the placenta so that it encroaches on or covers the cervical os.

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In complete (total) placenta previa, the placenta completely covers the cervical os.

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In partial (incomplete or marginal) placenta previa, the placenta covers only a portion of the cervical os.

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Abruptio placentae refers to the premature separation of a normally implanted placenta. It may be partial or complete and usually causes abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and a board-like abdomen.

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Cutis marmorata (mottling or purple skin discoloration) refers to a transient vasomotor response that occurs primarily in the arms and legs of infants exposed to cold.

Maternal and Child

The classic triad of symptoms of preeclampsia are hyperextension, edema, and proteinura. Additional symptoms in severe preeclampsia include hyperreflexia, cerebral and visual disturbances, and epigastric pain.

Maternal and Child

Ortolani’s sign (an audible click or palpable jerk with thigh abduction) confirms congenital hip dislocation in a neonate.

Maternal and Child

The first immunization for a newborn is the hepatitis B vaccine, which is given in the nursery shortly after birth.

Maternal and Child

If a patient misses a menstrual period while taking an oral contraceptive exactly as prescribed, she should continue taking the contraceptive.

Maternal and Child

If a patient misses two consecutive menstrual periods while taking an oral contraceptive, she should discontinue the contraceptive and have a pregnancy test.

Maternal and Child

If a patient taking an oral contraceptive misses a dose, she should take the pill as soon as she remembers or take two at the next scheduled interval and continue with the normal schedule.

Maternal and Child

If a patient taking an oral contraceptive misses two consecutive doses, she should double the dose for 2 days and then resume her normal schedule. She should also use an additional birth control method for 1 week.

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Eclampsia is the occurrence of seizures not caused by a cerebral disorder in a patient with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

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In placenta previa, bleeding is painless and seldom fatal on the first occasion but becomes heavier with each subsequent episode.

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Treatment for abruptio placentae usually is immediate cesarean section.

Maternal and Child

Drugs used to treat neonatal withdrawal symptoms include phenobarbital (Luminal), camphorated opium tincture (paregoric), and diazepam (Valium).

Maternal and Child

Infants with Down syndrome typically display marked hypotonia, floppiness, slanted eyes, excess skin on the back of the neck, flattened bridge of the nose, flat facial features, spade-like hands, short and broad feet, small male genitalia, absence of Moro’s reflex, and a simian crease on the hands.

Maternal and Child

Amniocentesis (needle aspiration of amniotic fluid) usually is performed at 15 to 17 weeks’ gestation to detect fetal abnormalities.

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The ectoderm is the outermost layer of the three primary germ layers of the embryo.

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The failure rate of a contraceptive is determined by the experience of 100 women for 1 year and is expressed as pregnancies per 100 women years.

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The narrowest diameter of a pelvic inlet is the anteroposterior (diagonal conjugate).

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The chorion is the outermost extraembryonic membrane that gives rise to the placenta.

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The corpus luteum secretes large quantities of progesterone.

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From the 8th week of gestation through delivery, the developing cells are termed a fetus.

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In an incomplete abortion, the fetus is expelled but parts of the placenta and membrane remain in the uterus.

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A neonate’s head circumference is normally 2 to 3 cm greater than the chest circumference.

Maternal and Child

After administering magnesium sulfate to a pregnant patient for hypertension or preterm labor, the nurse should monitor her respiratory rate and deep tendon reflexes.

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During her first hour after birth (the period of reactivity), the neonate is alert and awake.

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When a pregnant patient has undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, vaginal examination should be avoided until ultrasonography rules out placenta previa.

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After a neonate is delivered, the first nursing action is to establish the neonate’s airway.

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Nursing interventions for a patient with placenta previa include positioning the patient on her left side for maximum fetal perfusion, monitoring fetal heat tones, and administering I.V. fluids and oxygen, as ordered.

Maternal and Child

The specific gravity of a neonate’s urine is 1.003 to 1.030. A lower specific gravity suggests overhydration; a higher one suggests dehydration.

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The neonatal period extends from birth to day 28. It may also be called the first 4 weeks or first months of life.

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A woman who is breast-feeding should rub a mild emollient cream or a few drops of breast milk (or colostrum) on the nipples after each feeding and let breasts air-dry to prevent them from cracking.

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Breast-feeding mothers should increase their fluid intake to 2.5 to 3 qt (2,500 to 3,000 ml) daily.

Maternal and Child

After feeding an infant with a cleft lip or palate, the nurse should rinse the infant’s mouth with sterile water.

Maternal and Child

The nurse instills erythromycin in the neonate’s eyes primarily to prevent blindness caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia.

Maternal and Child

Because the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been cultured in breast milk, it could be transmitted by an HIV-positive mother who breast-feeds her infant.

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A fever in the first 24 hours postpartum is most likely caused by dehydration, rather than infection.

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Preterm infants or infants who can’t maintain a skim temperature of at least 97.6º F (36.4º C) should receive care in an incubator (Isolette) or a radiant warmer. In a radiant warmer, a heat-sensitive probe taped to the infant’s skin activates the heater unit automatically to maintain the desired temperature.

Maternal and Child

During labor, the resting phase between contractions should be at least 30 seconds.

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Lochia rubra refers to the vaginal discharge of almost pure blood that occurs during the first few days after childbirth.

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Lochia serosa refers to the serous vaginal discharge that occurs 4 to7 days after childbirth.

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Lochia alba refers to the vaginal discharge of decreased blood and increased leukocytes that is the final stage of lochia; it occurs 7 to 10 days after childbirth.

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Colostrum (the precursor of milk) refers to the first secretion from a maternity patient’s breasts.

Maternal and Child

The length of the uterus increases from 2.6” (6.5 cm) before pregnancy to 12.8” (32 cm) at term.

Maternal and Child

To estimate the true conjugate (the smallest inlet measurement of the pelvis), deduct 1.5 cm from the diagonal conjugate (usually 12 cm). A true conjugate of 10.5 cm will enable the fetal head (usually 10 cm) to pass.

Maternal and Child

The smallest outlet measurement of the pelvis is the intertuberous diameter, which is the transverse diameter between the ischial tuberosities.

Maternal and Child

Electronic fetal monitoring is used to assess fetal well-being during labor. If compromised fetal status is suspected, fetal blood pH may be evaluated by obtaining a scalp sample.

Maternal and Child

In an emergency delivery, enough pressure should be applied to the emerging fetus’s head to guide the descent and prevent a rapid change in pressure within the molded fetal skull.

Maternal and Child

After delivery, a multiparous woman is more prone to bleeding than a primiparous woman because her uterine muscles may be overstretched and may not contact efficiently.

Maternal and Child

Neonates delivered by cesarean section have a higher incidence of respiratory distress syndrome.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should suggest ambulation to a postpartal patient who complains of gas pain and flatulence.

Maternal and Child

Massaging the uterus helps stimulate contractions after the placenta is delivered.

Maternal and Child

When providing phototherapy to an infant, the nurse should cover the infant’s eyes and genital area.

Maternal and Child

The narcotic antagonist naloxone (Narcan) may be given to a neonate to correct respiratory depression caused by narcotic administration to the mother during labor.

Maternal and Child

Symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome in a neonate include expiratory grunting or whining, sandpaper breath sounds, and seesaw retractions.

Maternal and Child

Cerebral palsy presents as asymmetrical movement, irritability, and excessive feeble crying in long, thin infant.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should assess a breech-birth neonate for hydrocephalus, hematomas, fractures, and other anomalies caused by birth trauma.

Maternal and Child

When a patient is admitted to the unit in active labor, the nurse’s first action is to listen for fetal heart tones.

Maternal and Child

In a neonate, long, brittle fingernails are a sign of postmaturity.

Maternal and Child

Desquamation (skin peeling) is common in postmature neonates.

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A mother should allow her infant to breast-feed until he or she is satisfied. This time may vary from 5 to 20 minutes.

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Nitrazine paper is used to test the presence of amniotic fluid.

Maternal and Child

The average weight gain during a normal pregnancy is 25 to 30 lb (11.3 to 13.6 kg) total. The patient normally gains 2 to 5 lb (0.9 to 2.3 kg) during the first trimester and slightly less than 1 lb (0.45 kg) per week during the last two trimesters.

Maternal and Child

Neonatal jaundice in the first 24 hours after birth is known as pathological jaundice and is sign of erythroblastosis fetalis.

Maternal and Child

A classic difference between abruptio placentae and placenta previa is the degree of pain; abruptio placentae produces pain, whereas placenta previa causes painless bleeding.

Maternal and Child

Because a major role of the placenta is to function as a fetal lung, any condition that interrupts normal blood flow to or from placenta will increase fetal partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide and decrease fetal pH.

Maternal and Child

Precipitate labor lasts for only 3 hours and ends with delivery of the neonate.

Maternal and Child

Methylergonovine maleate (Methergine) is an oxytocic agent used to prevent and treat postpartum hemorrhage caused by uterine atony or subinvolution.

Maternal and Child

As emergency treatment for excessive uterine bleeding, 0.2 mg of methylergonovine maleate (Methergine) is injected I.V. over 1 minute while the patient’s blood pressure and uterine contractions are monitored.

Maternal and Child

Braxton-Hicks contractions usually are felt in the abdomen and don’t cause cervical change, whereas true labor contractions are felt in the front of the abdomen and back and lead to progressive cervical dilation and effacement.

Maternal and Child

The average birth weight of neonates born to mothers who smoke is 6 oz (170 g) less than that of neonates born to non-smoking mothers.

Maternal and Child

Culdoscopy is visualization of the pelvic organs through the posterior vaginal fornix.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should teach a pregnant vegetarian to obtain protein from alternative sources, such as nuts, soybeans, and legumes.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should instruct a pregnant patient to take only prescribed prenatal vitamins because over-the-counter megavitamins may harm the fetus.

Maternal and Child

High-sodium foods can cause fluid retention, especially in pregnant patients.

Maternal and Child

A pregnant patient can avoid constipation and hemorrhoids by adding fiber to her diet.

Maternal and Child

If the fetus develops late deceleration (a sign of fetal hypoxia), the nurse should instruct the mother to lie on her left side and then should administer 8 to 10 L of oxygen per minute by mask or cannula. The nurse should notify the doctor. (The side-lying position removes pressure on the inferior vena cava.)

Maternal and Child

Oxytocin (Pitocin) promotes lactation and uterine contractions.

Maternal and Child

Lanugo covers the fetus’s body until about 20 weeks’ gestation. Then it begins to disappear from the face, trunk, arms, and legs, in the order.

Maternal and Child

In a neonate, hypoglycemia is manifested by temperature instability, hypotonia, jitteriness, and seizures. Premature, postmature, small-for-gestational-age, and large-for-gestational-age neonates are prone to this disorder.

Maternal and Child

Neonates typically need to consume 50 to 55 cal/lb of body weight daily.

Maternal and Child

Because oxytocin (Pitocin) stimulates powerful uterine contractions during labor, it must be administered under close observation to help prevent maternal and fetal distress.

Maternal and Child

During fetal heart monitoring, variable deceleration indicates umbilical cord compression or prolapse.

Maternal and Child

Cytomegalovirus is the leading cause of congenital viral infections.

Maternal and Child

Tocolytic therapy is indicated in premature labor but contraindicated in fetal death, fetal distress, or severe hemorrhage.

Maternal and Child

Through ultrasonography, the biophysical profile assesses fetal well-being by measuring fetal breathing movements, gross body movements, fetal tone, reactive fetal heart rate (nonstress test), and qualitative amniotic fluid volume.

Maternal and Child

A neonate whose mother has diabetes should be assessed for hyperinsulinism.

Maternal and Child

Epigastric pain is a late symptom in a patient with preeclampsia and requires immediate medical intervention.

Maternal and Child

After a stillbirth, the mother should be allowed to hold the neonate to help her come to terms with the death.

Maternal and Child

Molding describes the process by which the fetal head changes shape to facilitate movement through the birth canal.

Maternal and Child

If a patient receives a pudendal block before delivery, the nurse should monitor the patient’s blood pressure closely.

Maternal and Child

If a patient suddenly becomes hypotensive during labor, the nurse should increase the infusion rate of I.V. fluids, as prescribed.

Maternal and Child

The best technique for assessing jaundice in neonate is to blanch the tip of the nose or the area just above the umbilicus.

Maternal and Child

During fetal heart monitoring, early decelerations is caused by head compression during labor.

Maternal and Child

After the placenta is delivered, the nurse may add oxytocin (Pitocin) to the patient’s I.V. solution as prescribed to promote postpartum involution of the uterus and stimulate lactation.

Maternal and Child

A pregnant patient should take folic acid because this nutrient is required for rapid cell division.

Maternal and Child

The patient taking clomiphene citrate (Clomid) to induce ovulations should be informed of the possibility of multiple births with this drug.

Maternal and Child

If needed, cervical suturing usually is done between 14 and 18 weeks’ gestation to reinforce an incompetent cervix and maintain pregnancy. Such suturing typically is removed by 35 weeks’ gestation.

Maternal and Child

During the first trimester, a pregnant woman should avoid all medications unless doing so would adversely affect her health.

Maternal and Child

Most medications a breast-feeding mother takes appear in breast milk.

Maternal and Child

The Food and Drug Administration has established five categories of drugs based on their potential for causing birth defects: A – No evidence of risk; B – No risk found in animals, but no studies have been done in women; C – Animal studies have shown an adverse effect, but the drug may be beneficial to women despite the potential risk; D – Evidence of risk, but its benefits may outweigh its risk; and X – Fetal anomalies noted, and the risks clearly outweigh the potential benefits.

Maternal and Child

A patient with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy commonly has sharp lower abdominal pain with spotting and cramping and may experience abdominal rigidity, rapid and shallow respirations, tachycardia, and shock.

Maternal and Child

TORCH infections include toxoplasmosis, other diseases (chlamydia, group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus, syphilis, and varicella zoster), rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpesvirus. Because these infections can harm an embryo or a fetus, the nurse assesses for these in a pregnant patient or one considering pregnancy.

Maternal and Child

The mechanics of delivery are engagement, descent and flexion, internal rotation, extension, external rotation, restitution, and expulsion.

Maternal and Child

A probable sign of pregnancy, McDonald’s sign is characterized by an ease in flexing the body of the uterus against the cervix.

Maternal and Child

A pregnant woman’s partner should avoid introducing air into the vagina during oral sex because of the possibility of air embolism.

Maternal and Child

The presence of human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood or urine is a probable sign of pregnancy.

Maternal and Child

Radiography usually isn’t used in a pregnant patient because it may harm the developing fetus. However, if radiograph is essential, if should be performed only after 36 weeks’ gestation.

Maternal and Child

After a fracture, bone healing occurs in these stages: hematoma formation, cellular proliferation and callus formation, and ossification and remodeling.

Maternal and Child

A pregnant patient who has experienced membrane rupture or vaginal bleeding shouldn’t engage in sexual intercourse.

Maternal and Child

A patient scheduled for positron emission tomography should avoid alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine for 24 hours before the test.

Maternal and Child

Milia may occur as pinpoint spots over a neonate’s nose.

Maternal and Child

The duration of a contraction is timed from the moment the uterine muscle begins to tense to the moment it reaches full relaxation and is measured in seconds.

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The union of a male and a female gamete produces a zygote, which divides into the fertilized ovum.

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Spermatozoa (or their fragments) remain in the vagina for 72 hours after sexual intercourse.

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Prolactin stimulates and sustains milk production.

Maternal and Child

Strabismus is a normal finding in a neonate.

Maternal and Child

A postpartum patient may resume sexual intercourse when perineal and uterine wounds have healed (usually within 4 weeks after delivery).

Maternal and Child

A pregnant staff member shouldn’t be assigned to work with a patient who has a cytomegalovirus infection.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should suspect elder abuse if wounds are inconsistent with the history, multiple wounds are present, or wounds are in different stages of healing.

Maternal and Child

Fetal demise refers to death of the fetus after viability.

Maternal and Child

Premature infants develop respiratory distress syndrome because their alveoli lack surfactant.

Maternal and Child

The most common method of inducing labor after artificial rupture of the membrane is oxytocin (Pitocin) infusion.

Maternal and Child

After the patient’s amniotic membranes rupture, the initial nursing action is to assess the fetal heart rate.

Maternal and Child

The most common reasons for caesarean birth are malpresentation, fetal distress, cephalopelvic disproportion, pregnancy-induced hypertension, previous cesarean birth, and inadequate progress in labor.

Maternal and Child

Amniocentesis increases the risk of spontaneous abortion, trauma to the fetus or placenta, premature labor, infection, and Rh sensitization of the fetus.

Maternal and Child

After amniocentesis, abdominal cramping or spontaneous vaginal bleeding may indicate complications.

Maternal and Child

An Rh-negatvie primagravida should receive Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) after delivering an Rh-positive infant to prevent her from developing Rh antibodies.

Maternal and Child

If a pregnant patient’s test results are negative for glucose but positive for acetone, the nurse should assess the patient’s diet for inadequate caloric intake.

Maternal and Child

Calcium deficiency and lack of proper exercise can result in leg cramps during pregnancy.

Maternal and Child

Rubella infection is a pregnant patient, especially during the first trimester, can lead to spontaneous abortion or stillbirth as well as fetal cardiac and other birth defects.

Maternal and Child

The Glasgow Coma Scale evaluates verbal, eye, and motor responses to determine level of consciousness.

Maternal and Child

A pregnant patient may receive a prescription for an iron supplement to help prevent anemia.

Maternal and Child

Direct antiglobulin (direct Coombs’) test is used to detect maternal antibodies attached to red blood cells in the neonate.

Maternal and Child

Nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy are caused by rising levels of hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Maternal and Child

Before discharging a patient who has had an abortion, the nurse should instruct her to report bright red clots, bleeding that lasts longer than 7 days, or signs of infection, such as a temperature above 100º F (37.8º C), foul-smelling vaginal discharge, severe uterine cramping, nausea, or vomiting.

Maternal and Child

When informed that a patient’s amniotic membrane has broken, the nurse should first check fetal heart tones and then maternal vital signs.

Maternal and Child

The duration of pregnancy averages 280 days, 40 weeks, 9 calendar months, or 10 lunar months.

Maternal and Child

The initial weight loss for a healthy neonate is 5% to 10% of the birth weight.

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The hemoglobin value in neonates normally ranges from 17 to 20 g/dl.

Maternal and Child

Crowning describes the appearance of the fetus’s head when its largest diameter is encircled by the vulvovaginal ring.

Maternal and Child

A multipara is a woman who has had two or more pregnancies that progressed to viability (whether or not the offspring were alive at birth).

Maternal and Child

In a pregnant patient, preeclampsia may progress to eclampsia, which is characterized by seizures and may lead to coma.

Maternal and Child

The nurse assigns an Apgar score to a neonate at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. The score is based on respiratory effort, heart rate, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color.

Maternal and Child

Insulin requirements increase during the third trimester because of the anti-insulin effects of placental hormones.

Maternal and Child

Gestational age can be estimated by ultrasound measurement of abdominal circumference, femur length, and fetal head size. Such measurements are most accurate between 12 to 18 weeks’ gestation.

Maternal and Child

Skeletal system abnormalities and ventricular septal defects are the most common disorders of infants born to diabetic women. The incidence of congenital malformation is three times higher in these infants than in those born to nondiabetic women.

Maternal and Child

Kegel exercises require contraction and relaxation of the perineal muscles to help strengthen pelvic muscles and improve urine control in postpartum patients.

Maternal and Child

Symptoms of postpartum depression range form mild postpartum blues to an intense, suicidal, depressive psychosis.

Maternal and Child

The preterm neonate may require gavage feedings because of a weak sucking reflex, uncoordinated sucking, or respiratory distress.

Maternal and Child

Acrocyanosis (blueness and coolness of the arms and legs) is normal in neonates because of their immature peripheral circulatory system.

Maternal and Child

To prevent ophthalmia neonatorum (a severe eye infection caused by maternal gonorrhea), the nurse may administer one of three medications, as prescribed, in the neonate’s eyes: tetracycline, silver nitrate, or erythromycin.

Maternal and Child

Neonatal testing for phenylketonuria has become mandatory in most states.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should place the neonate in a 30-degree Trendelenburg position to facilitate mucus drainage.

Maternal and Child

The nurse may suction the neonate’s nose and mouth as needed with a bulb syringe or suction trap.

Maternal and Child

To prevent heat loss, the nurse first should place the neonate under a radiant warmer during suctioning and initial delivery-room care and then should wrap the neonate in a warmed blanket for transport to the nursery.

Maternal and Child

The umbilical cord normally has two arteries and one vein.

Maternal and Child

When providing care, the nurse should expose only one part of an infant’s body at a time.

Maternal and Child

Lightening is the setting of the fetal head into the brim of the pelvis.

Maternal and Child

If the neonate is stable, the mother should be allowed to breastfeed within the neonate’s first hour of life.

Maternal and Child

The nurse should check the neonate’s temperature every 1 to 2 hours until it is maintained within normal limits.

Maternal and Child

At birth, the neonate normally weighs 5 to 9 lb (2.3 to 4.1 kg), measures 18"to 22" (45.7 to 55.9 cm) in length, has a head circumference if 13½" to 14" (34.3 to 35.6 cm), and has a chest circumference that is 1" (2.5 cm) less than the head circumference.

Maternal and Child

In the neonate, temperature normally ranges form 98º to 99º F (36.7º to 37.2º C), apical pulse rate averages 120 to 160 beats/minute, and respirations are 40 to 60 breaths/minute.

Maternal and Child

Prostaglandin gel may be applied to the vaginal or cervix to ripen an unfavorable cervix before labor induction with oxytocin (Pitocin).

Maternal and Child

Supernumerary nipples occasionally are seen on neonates and usually appear along a line that runs from each axilla through the normal nipple area to the groin.

Maternal and Child

Meconium is a material that collects in the fetus’s intestines and forms the neonate’s first stools, which are black and tarry.

Maternal and Child

The presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid during labor indicates possible fetal distress and then need to evaluate the neonate for meconium aspiration.

Maternal and Child

To assess the rooting reflex, the nurse touches a finger to the neonate’s check or corner of mouth. Normally, the neonate turns his head toward the stimulus, opens the mouth, and searches for the stimulus.

Maternal and Child

Harlequin sign is present when the neonate lying on the side appears red on the dependent side and pale on the upper side.

Maternal and Child