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A 65-year-old woman has a two-year history of mucous diarrhoea due to a large villous adenoma of the rectum. She is also taking digoxin and diuretics for chronic congestive failure. Which of the following investigations would be the most helpful prior to surgery?
- A. Serum chloride.
- B. Serum digoxin.
- C. Serum calcium.
- D. Serum potassium.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Villous adenomas cause potassium loss via diarrhea, and diuretics exacerbate this, risking hypokalemia, which is dangerous with digoxin (toxicity risk). Serum potassium (D) is critical pre-surgery.
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An 82-year-old widow with Alzheimer's disease lives with her daughter's family, which owns a catering business. During the week, the patient attends a day care center for patients with dementia. During the evenings, members of the family care for the patient. One day, the nurse at the day care center notices the patient's appearance is disheveled and that she startles easily. She has a strong odor of urine, and her hair is uncombed. When the nurse escorts the patient to the bathroom, she notices bruises on her wrists and back. What most likely explains the nurse's observations?
- A. The patient is being neglected and abused within the family.
- B. The dementia is progressing, reducing self-care and increasing falls.
- C. The patient is being inadequately cared for, resulting in accidents.
- D. The patient has developed delirium, resulting in poor hygiene and injuries.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: The patient is being neglected and abused within the family. The nurse's observations of the patient's disheveled appearance, strong odor of urine, uncombed hair, and bruises indicate signs of neglect and abuse. Here's the rationale:
1. Disheveled appearance and strong odor of urine suggest lack of personal care.
2. Uncombed hair signals neglect in grooming.
3. Bruises on wrists and back are indicative of physical abuse.
4. Startling easily may be due to fear or anxiety from abuse.
In summary, the other choices (B, C, D) are incorrect because they do not account for the combination of neglect, poor hygiene, and physical injuries seen in the patient, which are more indicative of abuse and neglect within the family.
A client, age 70, was brought into the Emergency Department by family members who reported a fall. During the assessment, the nurse became suspicious that the client had suffered physical abuse. The client denied that she had been abused. Her denial is most likely based on her:
- A. Fear of retaliation.
- B. Emotional response to the situation.
- C. Cognitive impairment.
- D. None of the above.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Emotional response to the situation. The client's denial is likely due to emotional factors such as shame, embarrassment, or fear of causing trouble for family members. This emotional response can lead the client to deny abuse even when it has occurred. Choice A is incorrect because fear of retaliation may be a factor, but emotional response is more likely. Choice C is incorrect as cognitive impairment would affect the client's ability to understand and respond to the situation, not necessarily lead to denial. Choice D is incorrect as the client's denial is influenced by emotional factors.
A patient being treated for major depression is the CEO of her own business. She has shown significant improvement and is about to be discharged after completing a course of 15 electroconvulsive therapy sessions. She will continue on SSRI medications. The patient has been counseled not to make a major business decision for a month. The rationale for this is that:
- A. SSRIs may cause confusion in susceptible persons.
- B. ECT often causes temporary memory impairment.
- C. Lingering depression makes the patient incompetent.
- D. The patient needs months to readjust to work pressures.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: ECT often causes temporary memory impairment. This is because electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is known to have side effects, including temporary memory loss and confusion. As the patient has just completed a course of 15 ECT sessions, it is important to allow time for the effects of ECT to subside before making major decisions, especially in a high-pressure role like being a CEO. Choices A and C are incorrect as SSRIs do not typically cause confusion and lingering depression alone does not necessarily make a patient incompetent. Choice D is incorrect as there is no indication that the patient needs months to readjust to work pressures; the primary concern here is the potential memory impairment from ECT.
A researcher seeking an organic basis for schizophrenia would be well-advised to investigate the role of
- A. amphetamines and amphetamine receptors
- B. adrenaline and noradrenaline
- C. histamine and antihistamine
- D. dopamine and dopamine receptors
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Dopamine dysregulation, particularly via receptors, is a primary organic focus in schizophrenia research.
After a person was abducted and raped at gunpoint by an unknown assailant, which assessment finding best indicates the acute phase of the rape-trauma syndrome?
- A. Decreased motor activity
- B. Confusion and disbelief
- C. Flashbacks and dreams
- D. Fears and phobias
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Confusion and disbelief. During the acute phase of rape-trauma syndrome, the victim may experience feelings of confusion and disbelief as they try to process the traumatic event. This initial reaction is a common response to such a severe and violating experience. The victim may struggle to comprehend what has happened to them, leading to feelings of shock and disbelief. This phase is characterized by emotional numbing, disorientation, and difficulty in making decisions.
Decreased motor activity (Choice A) is not specific to the acute phase of rape-trauma syndrome and can be a general response to trauma. Flashbacks and dreams (Choice C) are more commonly associated with the intrusion phase of the syndrome, which occurs after the acute phase. Fears and phobias (Choice D) may develop later in the reorganization phase of the syndrome as the victim tries to cope with the aftermath of the trauma.