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A client had a C5 spinal cord contusion that resulted in quadriplegia. Two days after the injury occurred, the nurse sees his mother crying in the waiting room. The mother asks the nurse whether her son will ever play football again. Which of the following is the best initial response?
- A. "Given time and motivation, your son may regain some function, but I will seek more information from the physician."?
- B. Maintain a calm demeanor and speech pattern while addressing the mother's concerns.
- C. "I'm not sure, but I'll call the physician to discuss this with you promptly."?
- D. "It's not beneficial for your son if you get upset."?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best initial response in this situation is to acknowledge the mother's concern, express uncertainty, and offer to obtain more information from the physician. By saying, "I'm not sure, but I'll call the physician to discuss this with you promptly,"? the nurse demonstrates empathy, honesty, and a commitment to providing accurate information. Offering vague reassurance (Choice A) may raise false hopes as outcomes for spinal cord injuries are unpredictable. While maintaining a calm demeanor (Choice B) is important, it does not directly address the mother's immediate need for information. Discouraging the mother from feeling upset (Choice D) is dismissive of her emotions and does not address her question, which is seeking information about her son's prognosis.
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For a client with suspected appendicitis, where should the nurse expect to find abdominal tenderness?
- A. upper right
- B. upper left
- C. lower right
- D. lower left
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: lower right. Abdominal tenderness in the lower-right quadrant is a classic symptom of appendicitis. This tenderness is known as McBurney's point, which is located in the lower-right quadrant of the abdomen. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the tenderness associated with appendicitis is typically localized to the lower-right quadrant.
The client diagnosed with end-stage liver disease has completed an advance directive and a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) document and wishes to receive palliative care. Which of the following would correspond to the client's wish for comfort care?
- A. Positioning frequently to prevent skin breakdown and providing pain management and other comfort measures
- B. Carrying out vigorous resuscitation efforts if the client were to stop breathing, but no resuscitation if the heart stops beating
- C. Providing intravenous fluids when the client becomes dehydrated
- D. Providing total parenteral nutrition (TPN) if the client is not able to eat
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Palliative care includes measures to prevent skin breakdown, pain management, and management of other symptoms that cause discomfort, as well as encouraging contact with family and friends. A DNR request precludes all resuscitative efforts related to respiratory or cardiac arrest, making choice B incorrect. Dehydration is a natural part of the dying process, so providing intravenous fluids as in choice C would not align with the client's wish for comfort care. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) as in choice D is an invasive procedure meant to prolong life and is not part of palliative care, which focuses on improving quality of life rather than extending it.
The nurse teaching about preventable diseases should emphasize the importance of getting the following vaccines:
- A. human papillomavirus, genital herpes, measles.
- B. pneumonia, HIV, mumps.
- C. syphilis, gonorrhea, pneumonia.
- D. polio, pertussis, measles.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Vaccines are one of the most effective methods of preventing and controlling certain communicable diseases. The smallpox vaccine is not currently in use because the smallpox virus has been declared eradicated from the world's population. Diseases such as polio, diphtheria, pertussis, and measles are mostly controlled by routine childhood immunization. They have not, however, been eradicated, so children need to be immunized against these diseases. Choices A, B, and C contain vaccines that do not protect against preventable diseases like polio, pertussis, and measles. Therefore, the correct choice is D.
When administering intravenous electrolyte solution, which of the following precautions should the nurse take?
- A. Infuse hypertonic solutions cautiously.
- B. Mix no more than 60 mEq of potassium per liter of fluid.
- C. Prevent infiltration of calcium, which causes tissue necrosis and sloughing.
- D. Monitor the client's digitalis dosage for potential adjustments due to IV calcium administration.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When administering intravenous electrolyte solutions, it is crucial to prevent infiltration of calcium to avoid tissue necrosis and sloughing. Hypertonic solutions should be infused cautiously (Choice A) to prevent adverse effects. The correct amount of potassium to be mixed in a liter of fluid is no more than 60 mEq, making Choice B incorrect. While monitoring the client's digitalis dosage for potential adjustments due to IV calcium administration is important, the statement suggesting an increased dosage is incorrect as IV calcium diminishes digitalis's action, making Choice D incorrect.
Nursing care for a client undergoing chemotherapy includes assessment for signs of bone marrow depression. Which finding accounts for some of the symptoms related to bone marrow depression?
- A. erythrocytosis
- B. leukocytosis
- C. polycythemia
- D. thrombocytopenia
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Thrombocytopenia is an abnormal decrease in the number of platelets, which results in bleeding tendencies. During chemotherapy, bone marrow depression can lead to a reduction in platelet production, causing thrombocytopenia. Erythrocytosis is an abnormal increase in red blood cells, leukocytosis is an increase in white blood cells, and polycythemia is an excess of red blood cells, which is synonymous with erythrocytosis. In the context of chemotherapy, the focus is on the decrease in red and white blood cells, making thrombocytopenia the most relevant finding.