15 Comprehensive Clinical Judgment Practice Free Online FlashCards

What are the six linked steps of clinical judgment?

Recognize cues, analyze cues, prioritize hypotheses, generate solutions, take action, and evaluate outcomes.

What does recognizing cues involve?

Identify findings that are new, abnormal, worsening, or inconsistent with the patient’s baseline.

Which problems generally take priority over routine care?

Address immediate threats to life or safety first, especially problems with airway, breathing, circulation, acute mental-status changes, or uncontrolled bleeding.

What should a practical nurse do when a situation exceeds their assigned role?

Work within jurisdictional scope-of-practice rules, employer policy, and the assigned role. Promptly notify the appropriate supervising clinician when a situation exceeds that role.

What identification check is needed before medication administration?

Use two identifiers before medication administration, specimen collection, or a procedure. A room number is not an identifier.

What should you do if a medication label does not match the active order?

Hold the medication and clarify the discrepancy through the appropriate process; do not independently change the order.

What should be checked before administering a medication?

Verify the patient, medication, dose, route, timing, allergies, relevant assessment data, and any prescribed hold parameters.

How should you respond when a patient reports a previous bad reaction to a prescribed medication?

Ask about the reaction, check the allergy and medication record, and clarify before administration if safety is uncertain.

What should you do when a required pre-medication measurement is outside the order’s parameters?

Follow the order’s hold instructions and promptly notify the appropriate clinician. Do not independently change the dose.

What must you do after giving a PRN medication?

Reassess the targeted symptom and relevant safety indicators within the appropriate timeframe, then document the response.

What are key Standard Precautions for all patients?

Use Standard Precautions for all patients. Perform hand hygiene, choose PPE based on anticipated exposure, and change gloves when indicated; gloves do not replace hand hygiene.

What does SBAR stand for?

SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation.