A patient newly diagnosed with breast cancer states that her physician suspects regional lymph node involvement and told her that there are signs of metastatic disease. The nurse learns that the patient has been diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. What is an implication of this diagnosis?
- A. The patient is not a surgical candidate.
- B. The patients breast cancer is considered highly treatable.
- C. There is a 10% chance that the patients cancer will self-resolve.
- D. The patient has a 15% chance of 5-year survival.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Rationale for Correct Answer A: Stage IV breast cancer indicates distant metastasis, making the patient ineligible for curative surgery. Treatment for stage IV focuses on palliative care to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Summary of Other Choices:
B: Stage IV breast cancer is not considered highly treatable as it has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes, making it more challenging to cure.
C: There is no evidence to suggest that stage IV breast cancer will self-resolve. The prognosis for metastatic breast cancer is typically poor.
D: The 5-year survival rate for stage IV breast cancer is generally lower than 15%, making this choice incorrect.
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When administering a patients eye drops, the nurse recognizes the need to prevent absorption by the nasolacrimal duct. How can the nurse best achieve this goal?
- A. Ensure that the patient is well hydrated at all times.
- B. Encourage self-administration of eye drops.
- C. Occlude the puncta after applying the medication.
- D. Position the patient supine before administering eye drops.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Occlude the puncta after applying the medication. By occluding the puncta after applying the eye drops, the nurse can prevent the medication from draining into the nasolacrimal duct and being absorbed systemically. This is important to ensure that the medication remains in the eye and exerts its intended local effect.
Choice A (Ensure that the patient is well hydrated at all times) is incorrect because hydration status does not directly prevent absorption through the nasolacrimal duct.
Choice B (Encourage self-administration of eye drops) is incorrect as the method of administration does not prevent absorption through the nasolacrimal duct.
Choice D (Position the patient supine before administering eye drops) is incorrect as it does not address the specific issue of preventing absorption through the nasolacrimal duct.
A nurse who works in the specialty of palliative care frequently encounters issues and situations that constitute ethical dilemmas. What issue has most often presented challenging ethical issues, especially in the context of palliative care?
- A. The increase in cultural diversity in the United States
- B. Staffing shortages in health care and questions concerning quality of care
- C. Increased costs of health care coupled with inequalities in access
- D. Ability of technology to prolong life beyond meaningful quality of life
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Ability of technology to prolong life beyond meaningful quality of life. In palliative care, the focus is on improving the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses. The use of technology to prolong life can sometimes conflict with this goal, leading to ethical dilemmas. Technology may extend life without considering the patient's comfort or dignity, raising questions about the meaningfulness of prolonging life in such situations. This issue is particularly challenging in palliative care as it requires balancing the benefits of technology with the patient's quality of life.
Other choices are incorrect:
A: The increase in cultural diversity in the United States - While cultural diversity can present challenges in palliative care, it is not the most often presented challenging ethical issue.
B: Staffing shortages in health care and questions concerning quality of care - Staffing shortages are important issues in healthcare, but they do not directly relate to the ethical dilemmas specific to palliative care.
C: Increased costs of health care coupled with
A patient with HIV infection has begun experiencing severe diarrhea. What is the most appropriate nursing intervention to help alleviate the diarrhea?
- A. Administer antidiarrheal medications on a scheduled basis, as ordered.
- B. Encourage the patient to eat three balanced meals and a snack at bedtime.
- C. Increase the patients oral fluid intake.
- D. Encourage the patient to increase his or her activity level.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Increase the patient's oral fluid intake. This is because severe diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which can be dangerous for patients with HIV infection. By increasing oral fluid intake, the patient can stay hydrated and prevent further complications. Administering antidiarrheal medications on a scheduled basis (Choice A) may provide temporary relief but does not address the underlying issue of dehydration. Encouraging the patient to eat balanced meals (Choice B) and increase activity level (Choice D) may be important for overall health but do not directly address the immediate concern of dehydration caused by severe diarrhea.
A 6-month-old infant is brought to the ED by his parents for inconsolable crying and pulling at his right ear. When assessing this infant, the advanced practice nurse is aware that the tympanic membrane should be what color in a healthy ear?
- A. Yellowish-white
- B. Pink
- C. Gray
- D. Bluish-white
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Pink. In a healthy ear, the tympanic membrane should appear pink due to the rich blood supply. This color indicates good vascularization and normal functioning of the ear. Yellowish-white (choice A), gray (choice C), and bluish-white (choice D) are incorrect because they do not reflect the normal color of a healthy tympanic membrane. Yellowish-white may indicate fluid behind the eardrum, gray may suggest infection or inflammation, and bluish-white could indicate poor blood flow or trauma. Therefore, the pink color of the tympanic membrane is the most appropriate and indicative of a healthy ear in this case.
A nurse is preparing a patient for allergy skin testing. Which of the following precautionary steps is most important for the nurse to follow?
- A. The patient must not have received an immunization within 7 days.
- B. The nurse should administer albuterol 30 to 45 minutes prior to the test.
- C. Prophylactic epinephrine should be administered before the test.
- D. Emergency equipment should be readily available.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Having emergency equipment readily available is crucial during allergy skin testing as it can lead to severe allergic reactions. This precaution ensures prompt intervention in case of anaphylaxis. Other choices are incorrect because: A) Recent immunizations do not directly impact the skin testing process. B) Administering albuterol is not a standard pre-test requirement. C) Prophylactic epinephrine is not routinely given before allergy skin testing.
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