When a client with a chest injury is suspected of experiencing a pleural effusion, which typical manifestations of this respiratory problem should the nurse assess for? Select all that apply.
- A. Dry cough
- B. Moist cough
- C. Dyspnea at rest
- D. Productive cough
- E. Dyspnea on exertion
- F. Nonproductive cough
Correct Answer: A,E,F
Rationale: A pleural effusion is the collection of fluid in the pleural space. Typical assessment findings in the client with a pleural effusion include dyspnea, which usually occurs with exertion, and a dry, nonproductive cough. The cough is caused by bronchial irritation and possible mediastinal shift.
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The nurse is reviewing the results of a sweat test performed on a child diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). Which finding should the nurse identify as supporting this diagnosis?
- A. An evening sweat potassium concentration greater than 60 mEq/L
- B. A sweat chloride concentration that is consistently greater 60 mEq/L
- C. An early morning sweat chloride concentration of less than 40 mEq/L
- D. A sweat potassium concentration that is consistently less than 40 mEq/L
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cystic fibrosis is a chronic multisystem disorder characterized by exocrine gland dysfunction. A consistent finding of abnormally high chloride concentrations in the sweat is a unique characteristic of CF. Normally the sweat chloride concentration is less than 40 mEq/L. A sweat chloride concentration greater than 60 mEq/L is diagnostic of CF. Potassium concentration is unrelated to the sweat test.
The nurse provides discharge instructions to a client beginning oral hypoglycemic therapy. Which statements if made by the client indicate a need for further teaching? Select all that apply.
- A. If I am ill, I should skip my daily dose.
- B. If I overeat, I will double my dosage of medication.
- C. Oral agents are effective in managing type 2 diabetes.
- D. If I become pregnant, I will discontinue my medication.
- E. Oral hypoglycemic medications will cause my urine to turn orange.
- F. My medications are used to manage my diabetes along with diet and exercise.
Correct Answer: A,B,D,E
Rationale: Clients are instructed that oral agents are used in addition to diet and exercise as therapy for diabetes mellitus. During illness or periods of intense stress, the client should be instructed to monitor her or his blood glucose level frequently and should contact the primary health care provider if the blood glucose is elevated because insulin may be needed to prevent symptoms of acute hyperglycemia. The medication should not be skipped or the dosage should not be doubled. Taking extra medication should be avoided unless specifically prescribed by the primary health care provider. Medication should never be discontinued unless instructed to do so by the primary health care provider. However, the diabetic who becomes pregnant will need to contact her primary health care provider because the oral diabetic medication may have to be changed to insulin therapy because some oral hypoglycemics can be harmful to the fetus. These medications do not change the color of the urine.
A client receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) through a subclavian catheter suddenly develops dyspnea, tachycardia, cyanosis, and decreased level of consciousness. Based on these findings, which is the best intervention for the nurse to implement for the client?
- A. Obtain a stat oxygen saturation level.
- B. Examine the insertion site for redness.
- C. Perform a stat finger-stick glucose level.
- D. Turn the client to the left side in Trendelenburg's position.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Clinical indicators of air embolism include chest pain, tachycardia, dyspnea, anxiety, feelings of impending doom, cyanosis, and hypotension. Positioning the client in Trendelenburg's and on the left side helps isolate the air embolism in the right atrium and prevents a thromboembolic event in a vital organ.
A client seeks medical attention for intermittent signs and symptoms that suggest a diagnosis of Raynaud's disease. The nurse should assess the trigger of these signs/symptoms by asking which question?
- A. Does being exposed to heat seem to cause the episodes?
- B. Do the signs and symptoms occur while you are asleep?
- C. Does drinking coffee or ingesting chocolate seem related to the episodes?
- D. Have you experienced any injuries that have limited your activity levels lately?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Raynaud's disease is vasospasm of the arterioles and arteries of the upper and lower extremities. It produces closure of the small arteries in the distal extremities in response to cold, vibration, or external stimuli. Episodes are characterized by pallor, cold, numbness, and possible cyanosis of the fingers, followed by erythema, tingling, and aching pain. Attacks are triggered by exposure to cold, nicotine, caffeine, trauma to the fingertips, and stress. Prolonged episodes of inactivity are unrelated to these episodes.
Skin closure with heterograft will be performed on a client with a burn injury. When the client asks the nurse where the heterograft comes from, the nurse should explain it is from which source?
- A. A cadaver
- B. Another animal species
- C. The burned client themselves
- D. A man-made synthetic source
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Biologic dressings are usually heterograft or homograft material. Heterograft is skin from another species. The most commonly used type of heterograft is pig skin because of its availability and its relative compatibility with human skin. Homograft is skin from another human, which is usually obtained from a cadaver and is provided through a skin bank. Autograft is skin from the client. Synthetic dressings are also available for covering burn wounds.