PCCN review questions with correct answers

Your patient had an exacerbation of COPD. The rapid response team was called and is currently intubating the patient and preparing him for transfer to ICU. When the family visits, they are shocked to see the people working with the patient. No one had told them the patient had deteriorated and required intubation. After the patient is intubated and is being wheeled past them, family members try to communicate verbally with the patient, but he does not respond except to gesture. The nurse should CORRECT ANSWER The tube used for breathing prevents the patient from speaking This is a case where communication is clearly the problem. The family should have been informed by someone that the patient needed assistance with breathing and that they should expect a transfer. It should also have been mentioned how the patient might look in the ICU. In addition, it could have been communicated about the patient's inability to speak. The other answers are all non-theraputic responses. The family is clearly distressed, so a simple explaination in best. Ben was just transferred to the PCU. He had been in ICU for 2 weeks. Ben was intubated for a time because of his ARDs. On arrival to your unit, you note that he is tachycardic and restless. Ben states, "I can't be here now. What if something like this happens to me again?" The nurse's best response would be: -The nurses in our unit can take care of you -We are not very far away at the nurses'