A Patient Has Arrived at the Critical Care Unit with a Head

question 16

Multiple Choice

A patient has arrived at the critical care unit with a head injury. On admission, the patient is talking and is a little drowsy but oriented. Two hours later, the nurse discovers that the patient is talking at a rapid pace and keeps repeating his words. Which of the following examples best depicts Benner's stages and appropriate critical-thinking processes in this situation?

• A) Advanced beginner-thinks that the patient is trying to be funny
• B) Competent-thinks that the patient is experiencing effects from cerebral edema
• C) Novice-thinks that the patient is stressed and has had a surge of adrenaline
• D) Proficient-thinks that the patient is waking up from a coma

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Definitions:

Constants

In mathematics and science, fixed values that remain the same throughout an equation or experiment.

Indifference Curve

A graph representing combinations of goods between which a consumer is indifferent, showing preference levels and trade-offs.

Midterm Grade

The grade assigned to a student's performance in a course midway through the term, often used as an indicator of the student's understanding of the material so far.

Horizontal Axis

A line that runs left to right across the chart or graph, often used to represent the independent variable in a data set.