Nokea
A patient is suspected to have sustained a spinal cord injury. What best describes the overarching principles used to guide the care for this type of condition?
- A. Immobilize the cervical area to prevent further injury
- B. Monitor the patient's level of consciousness to prevent neurologic deterioration
- C. Help the patient with activities of daily living and provide emotional and physical support to help them adjust to their injury
- D. Facilitate tissue perfusion to the spinal cord while maintaining airway and breathing
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is to facilitate tissue perfusion to the spinal cord while maintaining airway and breathing. In the acute phase of a spinal cord injury, ensuring proper tissue perfusion to the spinal cord is crucial to prevent further damage. Maintaining airway, breathing, and circulation is essential in guiding the overall care for a patient with a spinal cord injury. Choices A, B, and C, while important in certain aspects of care, are not the overarching principles that guide the immediate management of a suspected spinal cord injury.
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The clinic nurse reviews the record of an infant and notes that the primary health care provider (PHCP) has documented a diagnosis of suspected Hirschsprung's disease. The nurse reviews the assessment findings documented in the record, knowing that which sign most likely led the mother to seek health care for the infant?
- A. Diarrhea
- B. Projectile vomiting
- C. Regurgitation of feedings
- D. Constipation
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Hirschsprung's disease, also known as congenital aganglionosis or aganglionic megacolon, is characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the rectum and other parts of the affected intestine. Clinical manifestations of Hirschsprung's disease include chronic constipation with pellet-like or ribbon-like foul-smelling stools, delayed or absent passage of meconium in the neonatal period, bowel obstruction (especially in the neonatal period), abdominal pain and distention, and failure to thrive. In the case of an infant with suspected Hirschsprung's disease, regurgitation of feedings is a sign that may have led the mother to seek healthcare. This symptom can be associated with the bowel dysfunction and obstruction seen in Hirschsprung's disease. Options A, B, and D are not typically associated with Hirschsprung's disease. Diarrhea is not a common symptom, projectile vomiting is not a typical presentation, and constipation, while a symptom of the disease, is not the sign that would most likely prompt a visit to seek healthcare in an infant suspected of having Hirschsprung's disease.
The nurse reviews the record of a child who is suspected to have glomerulonephritis. Which statement by the child's parent should the nurse expect that is associated with this diagnosis?
- A. His pediatrician said his kidneys are working well.''
- B. I noticed his urine was the color of cola lately.''
- C. I'm so glad they didn't find any protein in his urine.''
- D. The nurse who admitted my child said his blood pressure was low.''
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Glomerulonephritis refers to a group of kidney disorders characterized by inflammatory injury in the glomerulus. Gross hematuria, resulting in dark, smoky, cola-colored, or brown-colored urine, is a classic symptom of glomerulonephritis. Blood urea nitrogen levels and serum creatinine levels may be elevated, indicating that kidney function is compromised. A mild to moderate elevation in protein in the urine is associated with glomerulonephritis. Hypertension is also common because of fluid volume overload secondary to the kidneys not working properly. Therefore, the parent's statement about noticing cola-colored urine aligns with the expected symptom in glomerulonephritis. The other options are less indicative of glomerulonephritis: choice A indicates normal kidney function, choice C mentions absence of protein in the urine (which is not expected in glomerulonephritis), and choice D talks about low blood pressure (hypertension is more common in glomerulonephritis).
The nurse is caring for clients in the pediatric unit. A 6-year-old patient is admitted with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his arms. The nurse should assign the new patient to which of the following roommates?
- A. A 4-year-old with sickle-cell disease
- B. A 12-year-old with chickenpox
- C. A 6-year-old undergoing chemotherapy
- D. A 7-year-old with a high temperature
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse should be concerned about the burn patient's vulnerability to infection due to compromised skin integrity. Sickle cell disease is not a communicable disease, so rooming the burn patient with a 4-year-old with sickle-cell disease would not pose an increased risk of infection transmission. Rooming the burn patient with a 12-year-old with chickenpox would increase the risk of infection for the burn patient. Rooming with a 6-year-old undergoing chemotherapy may expose the burn patient to potential infections. A 7-year-old with a high temperature could potentially have a contagious illness, which could be risky for the burn patient.
A nurse frequently treats patients in the 72-hour period after a stroke has occurred. The nurse would be most concerned about which of these assessment findings?
- A. INR is 3 seconds long
- B. Heart rate is 110 beats per minute
- C. Intracranial Pressure is 22 mmHg
- D. Blood pressure is 140/80
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse would be most concerned about the assessment finding of an Intracranial Pressure (ICP) reading of 22 mmHg in a patient 72 hours post-stroke. Elevated ICP can indicate increased risk of edema and further brain damage. A target ICP should ideally be maintained at less than or equal to 15-20 mmHg. While the other options may also be important to monitor, an elevated ICP poses a more immediate threat to the patient's neurological status and requires prompt attention.
When orally administering alendronate (Fosamax), a bisphosphonate drug, to a largely bed-bound patient being treated for osteoporosis, what is the most important nursing consideration?
- A. Sit the head of the bed up for 30 minutes after administration
- B. Give the patient a small amount of water to drink
- C. Feed the patient soon, at most 10 minutes after administration
- D. Assess the patient for back pain or abdominal pain
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct nursing consideration when administering bisphosphonates like alendronate is to sit the head of the bed up for 30 minutes after administration. Bisphosphonates are known to cause esophageal irritation, which can lead to esophagitis. By sitting upright, the patient reduces the time the medication spends in the esophagus, decreasing the risk of irritation and potential adverse effects. Giving the patient water to drink or feeding them immediately after administration can increase the risk of esophageal irritation. Assessing the patient for back pain or abdominal pain is important but not the most critical consideration during drug administration.