CHAPTER 72: EMERGENCY NURSING
(SUDDARTH) EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
1. Which patient should the nurse prioritize as needing emergent treatment, assumin
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g no other injuries are present except the ones outlined below?
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A) A patient with a blunt chest trauma with some difficulty breathing
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B) A patient with a sore neck who was immobilized in the field on a backboard with a
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cervical collar
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C) A patient with a possible fractured tibia with adequate pedal pulses
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D) A patient with an acute onset of confusion - ANSWERS-Ans: A
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Feedback: The patient with blunt chest trauma possibly has a compromised airway.
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Establishment and maintenance of a patent airway and adequate ventilation is prioriti 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
zed over other health problems, including skeletal injuries and changes in cognition.
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2. The nurse observes that the family members of a patient who was injured in an ac
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cident are blaming each other for the circumstances leading up to the accident. The
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nurse appropriately lets the family members express their feelings of responsibility, w
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hile explaining that there was probably little they could do to prevent the injury. In wh
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at stage of crisis is this family? A) Anxiety and denial B) Remorse and guilt C) Anger
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D) Grief - ANSWERS-
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: B Feedback: Remorse and guilt are natural processes of the stages of a crisis and
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should be facilitated for the family members to process the crisis. The familys sense
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of blame and responsibility are more suggestive of guilt than anger, grief, or anxiety.
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3. A patient is brought to the ED by ambulance with a gunshot wound to the abdome
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n. The nurse knows that the most common hollow organ injured in this type of injury i
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s what?
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A) Liver 5f 5f
B) Small bowel 5f 5f 5f
C) Stomach 5f 5f
D) Large bowel - ANSWERS-
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ans: B Feedback: Penetrating abdominal wounds have a high incidence of injury to h
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ollow organs, especially the small bowel. The liver is also injured frequently, but it is
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a solid organ.
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4. A patient has been brought to the ED with multiple trauma after a motor vehicle ac
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cident. After immediate threats to life have been addressed, the nurse and trauma te
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am should take what action?
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A) Perform a rapid physical assessment.
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B) Initiate health education.
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C) Perform diagnostic imaging.
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D) Establish the circumstances of the accident. - ANSWERS-
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ans: A Feedback: Once immediate threats to life have been corrected, a rapid physic
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al examination is done to identify injuries and priorities of treatment. Health educatio
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n is initiated later in the care process and diagnostic imaging would take place after a
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, rapid physical assessment. It is not the care teams responsibility to determine the cir
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cumstances of the accident. 5f 5f 5f
5. The nursing educator is reviewing the signs and symptoms of heat stroke with a gr
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oup of nurses who provide care in a desert region. The educator should describe wh
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at sign or symptom? A) Hypertension with a wide pulse pressure B) Anhidrosis C) C
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opious diuresis - 1351 D) Cheyne-Stokes respirations - ANSWERS-
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: B Feedback: Heat stroke is manifested by anhidrosis confusion, bizarre behavior, c
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oma, elevated body temperature, hot dry skin, tachypnea, hypotension, and tachycar
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dia. This health problem is not associated with anhidrosis or Cheyne-
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Stokes respirations. 5f
6. A patient is brought to the ED by ambulance after swallowing highly acidic toilet bo
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wl cleaner 2 hours earlier. The patient is alert and oriented. What is the care teams
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most appropriate treatment? 5f 5f 5f
A) Administering syrup of ipecac
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B) Performing a gastric lavage
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C) Giving milk to drink
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D) Referring to psychiatry - ANSWERS-
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ans: C Feedback: A patient who has swallowed an acidic substance, such as toilet b
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owl cleaner, may be given milk or water to drink for dilution. Gastric lavage must be p
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erformed within 1 hour of ingestion. A psychiatric consult may be considered once th
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e patient is physically stable and it is deemed appropriate by the physician. Syrup of i
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pecac is no longer used in clinical settings.
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7. A patient is admitted to the ED with suspected alcohol intoxication. The ED nurse i
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s aware of the need to assess for conditions that can mimic acute alcohol intoxicatio
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n. In light of this need, the nurse should perform what action?
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A) Check the patients blood glucose level.
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B) Assess for a documented history of major depression.
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C) Determine whether the patient has ingested a corrosive substance.
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D) Arrange for assessment of serum potassium levels. - ANSWERS-
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ans: A Feedback: Hypoglycemia can mimic alcohol intoxication and should be asses
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sed in a patient suspected of alcohol intoxication. Potassium imbalances, depression
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, and poison ingestion are not noted to mimic the characteristic signs and symptoms
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of alcohol intoxication.
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8. The paramedics bring a patient who has suffered a sexual assault to the ED. What
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is important for the sexual assault nurse examiner to do when assessing a sexual as
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sault victim? A) Respect the patients privacy during assessment. B) Shave all pubic
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hair for laboratory analysis. C) Place items for evidence in plastic bags. D) Bathe the
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patient before the examination. - ANSWERS- 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
: A Feedback: The patients privacy and sensitivity must be respected, because the p
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atient will be experiencing a stress response to the assault. Pubic hair is combed or t
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rimmed for sampling. Paper bags are used for evidence collection because plastic b
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ags retain moisture, which promotes mold and mildew that can destroy evidence. Bat
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hing the patient before the examination would destroy or remove key evidence.
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9. A patient with a history of major depression is brought to the ED by her parents. W
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hich of the following nursing actions is most appropriate? A) Noting that symptoms of
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(SUDDARTH) EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
1. Which patient should the nurse prioritize as needing emergent treatment, assumin
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g no other injuries are present except the ones outlined below?
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A) A patient with a blunt chest trauma with some difficulty breathing
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B) A patient with a sore neck who was immobilized in the field on a backboard with a
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cervical collar
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C) A patient with a possible fractured tibia with adequate pedal pulses
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D) A patient with an acute onset of confusion - ANSWERS-Ans: A
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Feedback: The patient with blunt chest trauma possibly has a compromised airway.
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Establishment and maintenance of a patent airway and adequate ventilation is prioriti 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
zed over other health problems, including skeletal injuries and changes in cognition.
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2. The nurse observes that the family members of a patient who was injured in an ac
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cident are blaming each other for the circumstances leading up to the accident. The
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nurse appropriately lets the family members express their feelings of responsibility, w
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hile explaining that there was probably little they could do to prevent the injury. In wh
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at stage of crisis is this family? A) Anxiety and denial B) Remorse and guilt C) Anger
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D) Grief - ANSWERS-
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: B Feedback: Remorse and guilt are natural processes of the stages of a crisis and
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should be facilitated for the family members to process the crisis. The familys sense
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of blame and responsibility are more suggestive of guilt than anger, grief, or anxiety.
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3. A patient is brought to the ED by ambulance with a gunshot wound to the abdome
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n. The nurse knows that the most common hollow organ injured in this type of injury i
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s what?
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A) Liver 5f 5f
B) Small bowel 5f 5f 5f
C) Stomach 5f 5f
D) Large bowel - ANSWERS-
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ans: B Feedback: Penetrating abdominal wounds have a high incidence of injury to h
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ollow organs, especially the small bowel. The liver is also injured frequently, but it is
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a solid organ.
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4. A patient has been brought to the ED with multiple trauma after a motor vehicle ac
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cident. After immediate threats to life have been addressed, the nurse and trauma te
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am should take what action?
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A) Perform a rapid physical assessment.
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B) Initiate health education.
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C) Perform diagnostic imaging.
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D) Establish the circumstances of the accident. - ANSWERS-
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ans: A Feedback: Once immediate threats to life have been corrected, a rapid physic
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al examination is done to identify injuries and priorities of treatment. Health educatio
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n is initiated later in the care process and diagnostic imaging would take place after a
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, rapid physical assessment. It is not the care teams responsibility to determine the cir
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cumstances of the accident. 5f 5f 5f
5. The nursing educator is reviewing the signs and symptoms of heat stroke with a gr
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oup of nurses who provide care in a desert region. The educator should describe wh
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at sign or symptom? A) Hypertension with a wide pulse pressure B) Anhidrosis C) C
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opious diuresis - 1351 D) Cheyne-Stokes respirations - ANSWERS-
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: B Feedback: Heat stroke is manifested by anhidrosis confusion, bizarre behavior, c
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oma, elevated body temperature, hot dry skin, tachypnea, hypotension, and tachycar
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dia. This health problem is not associated with anhidrosis or Cheyne-
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Stokes respirations. 5f
6. A patient is brought to the ED by ambulance after swallowing highly acidic toilet bo
5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
wl cleaner 2 hours earlier. The patient is alert and oriented. What is the care teams
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most appropriate treatment? 5f 5f 5f
A) Administering syrup of ipecac
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B) Performing a gastric lavage
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C) Giving milk to drink
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D) Referring to psychiatry - ANSWERS-
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ans: C Feedback: A patient who has swallowed an acidic substance, such as toilet b
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owl cleaner, may be given milk or water to drink for dilution. Gastric lavage must be p
5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
erformed within 1 hour of ingestion. A psychiatric consult may be considered once th
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e patient is physically stable and it is deemed appropriate by the physician. Syrup of i
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pecac is no longer used in clinical settings.
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7. A patient is admitted to the ED with suspected alcohol intoxication. The ED nurse i
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s aware of the need to assess for conditions that can mimic acute alcohol intoxicatio
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n. In light of this need, the nurse should perform what action?
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A) Check the patients blood glucose level.
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B) Assess for a documented history of major depression.
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C) Determine whether the patient has ingested a corrosive substance.
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D) Arrange for assessment of serum potassium levels. - ANSWERS-
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ans: A Feedback: Hypoglycemia can mimic alcohol intoxication and should be asses
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sed in a patient suspected of alcohol intoxication. Potassium imbalances, depression
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, and poison ingestion are not noted to mimic the characteristic signs and symptoms
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of alcohol intoxication.
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8. The paramedics bring a patient who has suffered a sexual assault to the ED. What
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is important for the sexual assault nurse examiner to do when assessing a sexual as
5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
sault victim? A) Respect the patients privacy during assessment. B) Shave all pubic
5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
hair for laboratory analysis. C) Place items for evidence in plastic bags. D) Bathe the
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patient before the examination. - ANSWERS- 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
: A Feedback: The patients privacy and sensitivity must be respected, because the p
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atient will be experiencing a stress response to the assault. Pubic hair is combed or t
5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
rimmed for sampling. Paper bags are used for evidence collection because plastic b
5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f
ags retain moisture, which promotes mold and mildew that can destroy evidence. Bat
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hing the patient before the examination would destroy or remove key evidence.
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9. A patient with a history of major depression is brought to the ED by her parents. W
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hich of the following nursing actions is most appropriate? A) Noting that symptoms of
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