Nokea
A 75-year-old man with a history of hypertension was recently changed to a new antihypertensive
drug. He reports feeling dizzy at times. How would the nurse evaluate his blood pressure?
- A. Blood pressure and pulse should be recorded in the supine, sitting, and standing
positions. - B. The patient should be directed to walk around the room and his blood pressure
assessed after this activity. - C. Blood pressure and pulse are assessed at the beginning and at the end of the
examination. - D. Blood pressure is taken on the right arm and then 5 minutes later on the left arm.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Orthostatic vital signs should be taken when the person is hypertensive or is taking antihypertensive
medications, when the person reports fainting or syncope, or when volume depletion is suspected.
The blood pressure and pulse readings are recorded in the supine, sitting, and standing positions.
You may also like to solve these questions
Which of these guidelines would a healthcare professional follow when measuring a patient's weight?
- A. The patient is always weighed wearing only undergarments.
- B. The type of scale matters and should be consistent day to day.
- C. The patient should remove heavy outer clothing, shoes, and jackets before weighing.
- D. Attempts should be made to weigh the patient at approximately the same time of day if a sequence of weights is necessary.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When measuring a patient's weight, it is important to ensure accuracy and consistency. If a sequence of repeated weights is necessary, the healthcare professional should attempt to weigh the patient at the same time of day and with the same types of clothing worn each time. It is crucial to use a standardized balance or electronic standing scale for accurate weight measurement. Choice A is incorrect as patients should remove heavy outer clothing, shoes, and jackets before being weighed for accurate results. Choice B is incorrect because the type of scale used does matter and should be consistent for reliable weight tracking. Choice C is incorrect as patients should not leave on heavy outer clothing, shoes, or jackets as these items can add to the weight recorded inaccurately.
What type of blood pressure measurement error is most likely to occur if the nurse does not check for the presence of an auscultatory gap?
- A. Diastolic blood pressure may not be heard.
- B. Diastolic blood pressure may be falsely low.
- C. Systolic blood pressure may be falsely low.
- D. Systolic blood pressure may be falsely high.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: If an auscultatory gap is undetected, a falsely low systolic reading may occur. This gap can lead to an underestimation of the systolic blood pressure, causing potential misinterpretation of the patient's condition. The diastolic blood pressure may not be heard due to the gap, but the critical issue in this scenario is the risk of underestimating systolic blood pressure, which can impact clinical decision-making. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the key concern in this context is the potential for a falsely low systolic blood pressure reading when an auscultatory gap is not assessed.
When checking for proper blood pressure cuff size, which guideline is correct?
- A. The standard cuff size is appropriate for all sizes.
- B. The length of the rubber bladder should equal 80% of the arm circumference.
- C. The width of the rubber bladder should equal 80% of the arm circumference.
- D. The width of the rubber bladder should equal 40% of the arm circumference.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When selecting the correct blood pressure cuff size, it is essential to ensure that the width of the rubber bladder equals 40% of the circumference of the person's arm. This ensures proper fitting and accurate readings. The length of the bladder should actually equal 80% of the arm circumference, not 80% of the width, making choices B and C incorrect. Choice A stating that the standard cuff size is appropriate for all sizes is inaccurate, as using an incorrectly sized cuff can lead to inaccurate blood pressure readings.
A leukemia patient has a relative who wants to donate blood for transfusion. Which of the following donor medical conditions would prevent this?
- A. A history of hepatitis C five years previously
- B. Cholecystitis requiring cholecystectomy one year previously
- C. Asymptomatic diverticulosis
- D. Crohn's disease in remission
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A history of hepatitis C five years previously would prevent a donor from donating blood for transfusion. Hepatitis C is a viral infection transmitted through bodily fluids, such as blood, causing inflammation of the liver. Patients with hepatitis C may not donate blood for transfusion due to the high risk of infection in the recipient. Cholecystitis requiring cholecystectomy one year previously, asymptomatic diverticulosis, and Crohn's disease in remission are not contraindications for blood donation as they do not pose a risk of transmitting infections to the recipient.
A new staff nurse completes orientation to the psychiatric unit. This nurse will expect to ask an advanced practice nurse to perform which action for patients?
- A. Perform mental health assessment interviews
- B. Establish therapeutic relationships
- C. Prescribe psychotropic medications
- D. Individualize nursing care plans
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Prescriptive privileges are granted to Master's-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken special courses on prescribing medications. The nurse prepared at the basic level performs mental health assessments, establishes relationships, and provides individualized care planning. In this scenario, the new staff nurse would ask the advanced practice nurse to prescribe psychotropic medications, as this is within their scope of practice and expertise. Establishing therapeutic relationships, performing mental health assessments, and individualizing care plans are typically responsibilities of staff nurses at the basic level, not advanced practice nurses.