Pre-Sim Questions

Pre-simulation Questions

Keola Akana

1.What are the nutritional implications, key assessment findings, and nursing interventions for a patient with hypokalemia?

The nutritional implications of hypokalemia are the effects that the diet has on your body. To avoid this, eat potassium rich foods such as Bananas, Tomatoes, Cantaloupe, Peaches and Oranges. The Key assessment findings of hypokalemia are tachycardia, irregular heartrate, tachypnea, muscle weakness, fatigue, flaccid paralysis, and in severe enough cases bradycardia, cardiac arrhythmias and acute respiratory failure. The nursing interventions for a patient with Hypokalemia are discontinue use of diuretics and laxatives, use potassium sparing diuretics, treat vomiting and diarrhea, and control hyperglycemia.

2.What are the signs and symptoms of digoxin toxicity and how would the nurse assess for these symptoms? In your response, be sure to include specific body systems.

The signs and symptoms of dig toxicity are confusion, irregular pulse, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, fast heartbeat, headache, anxiety, depression, skin rash and although unusual vision changes can occur. Body systems most affected by gig toxicity are GI, Neuro, and Cardiac.

3.How would the nurse provide family-centered care?

The Nurse would provide family centered care through recognizing the three basic needs of the patients and the patient’s family which are the need for information, the need for reassurance and support, and the need to be near one another throughout the health care experience. The four principles of Family Centered Care are Dignity and Respect, Information Sharing, Participation, and Collaboration.

Nancy Gilbert

1. How can a patient and nurse effectively interact and communicate when that patient has a

tracheostomy?

Never assume the patient cannot hear or understand what you are saying, always explain what is going on, comfort the patient and have empathy for their frustration, allow the patient to respond and be patient with the time it takes the patient to response, know what questions need to be asked. As a nurse, you can also utilize a notepad for the patient to more effectively tell you what they need, and some phone apps allow you to type something and the app will then “say” what the person types. There are many ways to effectively communicate and make the patient feel like they are a part of a say in their care without the patient having to speak.

2. What are three nursing interventions when treating someone with MRSA?

The three interventions when treating someone with MRSA are Assessment, Planning and Implementation, and Discharge planning.

3. What are the nutritional challenges for patients with a tracheostomy?

The Nutritional challenges for a patient with a tracheostomy are impaired swallowing which compromises their nutritional status. A swallow assessment would be needed as well as a meeting with a dietician to assess nutritional needs and for consideration of artificial nutritional support until the patient is able to swallow with the trach in, and the cuff is deflated. If the patient has a speaking valve, they can leave it in while eating as to it makes it easier to swallow. If the patient cannot swallow with the trach in they will need an NG or peg tube until 75% of their diet is from oral nutrition.