Nokea
A client is resting comfortably after delivering her first child. When assessing her pulse rate, the nurse would recognize the following finding to be typical:
- A. Thready pulse
- B. Irregular pulse
- C. Tachycardia
- D. Bradycardia
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Puerperal bradycardia with rates of 50-70 bpm commonly occurs during the first 6-10 days of the postpartal period. It may be related to decreased cardiac strain, decreased blood volume, contraction of the uterus, and increased stroke volume.
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A client is admitted to the emergency room with a gunshot wound to the right arm. After dressing the wound and administering the prescribed antibiotic, the nurse should:
- A. Ask the client if he has any medication allergies.
- B. Check the client's immunization record.
- C. Apply a splint to immobilize the arm.
- D. Administer medication for pain.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Immobilizing the arm with a splint is critical to prevent further damage to the injured area, reduce pain, and promote healing. Asking about allergies should have been done prior to administering antibiotics, checking immunization records is not a priority in this acute situation, and pain medication, while important, is secondary to stabilizing the injury.
A 16-year-old client comes to the prenatal clinic for her monthly appointment. She has gained 14 lb from her 7th to 8th month; her face and hands indicate edema. She is diagnosed as having PIH and referred to the high-risk prenatal clinic. The client's weight increase is most likely due to:
- A. Overeating and subsequent obesity
- B. Obesity prior to conception
- C. Hypertension due to kidney lesions
- D. Fluid retention
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Overeating can lead to obesity, but not to edema. There is no indication of obesity prior to pregnancy. PIH is more prevalent in the underweight than in the obese in this age group. Hypertension can be due to kidney lesions, but it would have been apparent earlier in the pregnancy. The weight gain in PIH is due to the retention of sodium ions and fluid and is one of the three cardinal symptoms of PIH.
The most important reason to closely assess circumferential burns at least every hour is that they may result in:
- A. Hypovolemia
- B. Renal damage
- C. Ventricular arrhythmias
- D. Loss of peripheral pulses
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Full-thickness circumferential burns are nonelastic and create an internal tourniquet effect, compromising distal blood flow in extremities or respiratory motion in the torso, leading to loss of peripheral pulses.
The client at 34 weeks gestation is admitted with a diagnosis of gestational hypertension. Which assessment finding requires immediate intervention?
- A. Blood pressure of 150/100
- B. 2+ proteinuria
- C. Absence of deep tendon reflexes
- D. Edema of the lower extremities
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Absence of deep tendon reflexes in gestational hypertension suggests magnesium toxicity (if receiving magnesium sulfate) or severe neurological complications requiring immediate intervention. The other findings while concerning are less urgent.
The client is admitted to the ER with multiple rib fractures on the right. The nurse's assessment reveals that an area over the right clavicle is puffy and that there is a "crackling" noise with palpation. The nurse should further assess the client for which of the following problems?
- A. Flail chest
- B. Subcutaneous emphysema
- C. Infiltrated subclavian IV
- D. Pneumothorax
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Puffy skin and crackling (crepitus) over the clavicle suggest subcutaneous emphysema, where air escapes into tissues, often with rib fractures. Flail chest (A) involves paradoxical chest movement, infiltrated IV (C) is unrelated, and pneumothorax (D) causes absent breath sounds.