Assuming that adherence has been excellent, which of the following should have returned to normal 6 weeks following appropriate oral iron treatment for a child with severe dietary iron deficiency (hemoglobin [Hgb] 5.0 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume [MCV] 48 fL at the beginning of therapy)?
- A. Hgb concentration
- B. MCV
- C. Red cell distribution width
- D. Peripheral blood smear
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Rationale for Correct Answer (A): Hgb concentration reflects the amount of hemoglobin in the blood, which is directly affected by iron levels. After 6 weeks of appropriate oral iron treatment, the child's severe iron deficiency should have improved, leading to an increase in Hgb concentration back to normal levels.
Explanation of Incorrect Choices:
B: MCV measures the size of red blood cells, which is affected by iron deficiency anemia. However, it may take longer than 6 weeks for MCV to return to normal.
C: Red cell distribution width indicates the variation in red blood cell sizes and is not directly related to iron levels. It may not necessarily return to normal within 6 weeks.
D: Peripheral blood smear provides information on the morphology of red blood cells but does not directly reflect iron levels. It may not show significant changes within 6 weeks of iron treatment.
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A patient receiving blood begins complaining of severe chest pain and a feeling of warmth. What should the nurse do first?
- A. Call the physician.
- B. Administer diuretics as ordered.
- C. Discontinue the blood transfusion.
- D. Assess vital signs and cardiovascular status.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct first action is to discontinue the blood transfusion (Choice C). This is because the patient's symptoms of severe chest pain and warmth suggest a possible transfusion reaction, which can be life-threatening. By stopping the transfusion, the nurse can prevent further harm to the patient. Calling the physician (Choice A) can be done after stopping the transfusion. Administering diuretics (Choice B) without knowing the cause of symptoms can exacerbate the situation. Assessing vital signs and cardiovascular status (Choice D) is important but should come after stopping the transfusion to prioritize patient safety.
A nurse is caring for a client who is about to begin alteplase therapy to treat pulmonary embolism. Which of the following drugs should the nurse have available in the event of a severe adverse reaction?
- A. Vitamin K
- B. Aminocaproic acid
- C. Protamine
- D. Deferoxamine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Rationale: Aminocaproic acid is used to manage bleeding complications associated with thrombolytic therapy, like alteplase. In case of severe adverse reaction such as uncontrolled bleeding, aminocaproic acid can help by inhibiting fibrinolysis. Vitamin K (A) is not used for this purpose. Protamine (C) is used to reverse heparin anticoagulation, not for thrombolytic therapy. Deferoxamine (D) is used for iron toxicity, not related to thrombolytic therapy. Thus, having aminocaproic acid available is crucial for managing potential adverse reactions during alteplase therapy.
A 4-year-old girl with a history of relapsed pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is being admitted for unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation conditioning. Pretransplant workup shows the following: Recipient: CMV IgG: negative, CMV IgM: negative, HSV I/II antibody: negative, Varicella IgG: positive (vaccinated), Hepatitis B surface antigen: negative, Hepatitis B surface antibody: positive (vaccinated), Hepatitis B core antibody: negative, Hepatitis C antibody: negative. Donor: CMV IgG: negative, CMV IgM: negative, HSV I/II antibody: positive, Varicella IgG: positive, Hepatitis B surface antigen: negative, Hepatitis B core antibody: negative, Hepatitis C antibody: negative. How should the patient be managed during the admission with respect to infection prophylaxis?
- A. Acyclovir IV for herpes simplex virus (HSV) suppression
- B. Weekly screening by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for cytomegalovirus (CMV) in blood
- C. Antifungal prophylaxis
- D. Valganciclovir PO for CMV suppression
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Antifungal prophylaxis. In this case, the patient is at high risk for fungal infections post-transplant due to immunosuppression from the conditioning regimen. The patient is negative for CMV IgG and IgM, so CMV prophylaxis is not necessary (eliminating choices B and D). The patient is also negative for HSV antibodies, so acyclovir for HSV suppression is not indicated (eliminating choice A). Therefore, antifungal prophylaxis is the most appropriate choice to prevent fungal infections in this immunocompromised patient. It is essential to protect the patient from opportunistic infections, and antifungal prophylaxis is a crucial component of post-transplant care.
A study is designed to investigate the rates of central line–associated blood stream infections among pediatric hematology/oncology patients. Three common central line types (totally implanted catheter [port], peripherally inserted central catheter [PICC], and tunneled externalized catheter [TEC]) were included in the study. What data structure is central line type?
- A. Continuous
- B. Dichotomous
- C. Nominal
- D. Ordinal
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Nominal. Central line type is a nominal data structure because it represents categories without any inherent order or ranking. In this study, the central line types (port, PICC, TEC) are distinct categories with no numerical significance or order. They are simply different types of central lines used for medical purposes. Continuous (A) data involves numerical values with infinite possibilities, which is not the case here. Dichotomous (B) data consists of only two categories, while in this study there are three central line types. Ordinal (D) data involves categories with a specific order or ranking, which is not applicable to central line types as they do not have a natural order.
A nurse is caring for four clients. After reviewing today's laboratory results, which client should the nurse see first?
- A. Client with an international normalized ratio of 2.8
- B. Client with a platelet count of 128000/mm³
- C. Client with a prothrombin time (PT) of 28 seconds
- D. Client with a red blood cell count of 5.1 million/L
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. The nurse should see the client with a prothrombin time (PT) of 28 seconds first because PT measures the time it takes for blood to clot. A PT of 28 seconds is prolonged, indicating potential bleeding risk. This requires immediate attention to prevent complications.
Choice A: A client with an international normalized ratio of 2.8 may indicate anticoagulant therapy but is not as urgent as a prolonged PT.
Choice B: A platelet count of 128,000/mm³ is low but doesn't necessarily require immediate intervention compared to a prolonged PT.
Choice D: A red blood cell count of 5.1 million/L is within normal range and does not indicate an urgent issue related to clotting or bleeding.