Chapter 71- Emergency Nursing
Brunner: Medical-Surgical Nursing, 11th Edition
Test Bank
Chapter 71: Emergency Nursing
Multiple Choice
1. Which patient would the nurse prioritize as needing emergent treatment, assuming no
other injuries are present except the ones outlined below?
A) A patient with a blunt chest trauma with some difficulty breathing
B) A patient with a sore neck that was immobilized in the field on a backboard with a cervical
collar
C) A patient with a possible fractured tibia with adequate pedal pulses
D) A patient with confusion
Ans: A
Chapter: 71
Cognitive Level: Application
Difficulty: Moderate
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 2
Patient Needs: A-1
Feedback: The patient with blunt chest trauma possibly has a compromised airway. An emergent
situation is potentially life-threatening.
2. The nurse notes that the family members of a patient who was injured in an accident are
blaming each other for the event. The nurse appropriately lets the family members express
their remorse, while explaining that there was probably little they could do to prevent the
injury. The family is in which stage of crisis?
A) Anxiety and denial
B) Remorse and guilt
C) Anger
D) Grief
Ans: B
Chapter: 71
, Chapter 71- Emergency Nursing
Cognitive Level: Analysis
Difficulty: Moderate
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 1
Patient Needs: C-2
Feedback: Remorse and guilt are natural processes of the stages of a crisis and should be
facilitated for the family members to process the crisis.
3. The physician notes that an unconscious patient brought to the emergency room needs
emergency surgery. No family members are present, and the patient does not have
identification. Which of the following actions by the nurse is most important regarding
obtaining consent to examine and treat the patient?
A) Ask the social worker to come and sign the consent.
B) Contact the police to obtain the patient's identity.
C) Obtain a court order to treat the patient.
D) Document in the patient's chart the level of consciousness and health status of patient.
Ans: D
Chapter: 71
Cognitive Level: Application
Difficulty: Moderate
Integrated Process: Documentation/Communication
Objective: 2
Patient Needs: A-2
Feedback: When a patient is unconscious and in critical condition, the level of consciousness
and health status of the patient should be documented so that treatment can be quickly
administered when consent cannot be obtained by usual routes.
4. The patient is experiencing respiratory insufficiency and is unable to maintain spontaneous
respirations. The nurse expects that the physician will perform or insert which of the
following airway management techniques or devices?
A) Oropharyngeal airway
B) Jaw thrust maneuver
C) Endotracheal intubation
D) Cricothyroidotomy
Ans: C
Chapter: 71
Cognitive Level: Application
Difficulty: Moderate
Brunner: Medical-Surgical Nursing, 11th Edition
Test Bank
Chapter 71: Emergency Nursing
Multiple Choice
1. Which patient would the nurse prioritize as needing emergent treatment, assuming no
other injuries are present except the ones outlined below?
A) A patient with a blunt chest trauma with some difficulty breathing
B) A patient with a sore neck that was immobilized in the field on a backboard with a cervical
collar
C) A patient with a possible fractured tibia with adequate pedal pulses
D) A patient with confusion
Ans: A
Chapter: 71
Cognitive Level: Application
Difficulty: Moderate
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 2
Patient Needs: A-1
Feedback: The patient with blunt chest trauma possibly has a compromised airway. An emergent
situation is potentially life-threatening.
2. The nurse notes that the family members of a patient who was injured in an accident are
blaming each other for the event. The nurse appropriately lets the family members express
their remorse, while explaining that there was probably little they could do to prevent the
injury. The family is in which stage of crisis?
A) Anxiety and denial
B) Remorse and guilt
C) Anger
D) Grief
Ans: B
Chapter: 71
, Chapter 71- Emergency Nursing
Cognitive Level: Analysis
Difficulty: Moderate
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Objective: 1
Patient Needs: C-2
Feedback: Remorse and guilt are natural processes of the stages of a crisis and should be
facilitated for the family members to process the crisis.
3. The physician notes that an unconscious patient brought to the emergency room needs
emergency surgery. No family members are present, and the patient does not have
identification. Which of the following actions by the nurse is most important regarding
obtaining consent to examine and treat the patient?
A) Ask the social worker to come and sign the consent.
B) Contact the police to obtain the patient's identity.
C) Obtain a court order to treat the patient.
D) Document in the patient's chart the level of consciousness and health status of patient.
Ans: D
Chapter: 71
Cognitive Level: Application
Difficulty: Moderate
Integrated Process: Documentation/Communication
Objective: 2
Patient Needs: A-2
Feedback: When a patient is unconscious and in critical condition, the level of consciousness
and health status of the patient should be documented so that treatment can be quickly
administered when consent cannot be obtained by usual routes.
4. The patient is experiencing respiratory insufficiency and is unable to maintain spontaneous
respirations. The nurse expects that the physician will perform or insert which of the
following airway management techniques or devices?
A) Oropharyngeal airway
B) Jaw thrust maneuver
C) Endotracheal intubation
D) Cricothyroidotomy
Ans: C
Chapter: 71
Cognitive Level: Application
Difficulty: Moderate
