Nokea
A patients recent diagnostic testing included a total lymphocyte count. The results of this test will allow the care team to gauge what aspect of the patients immunity?
- A. Humoral immune function
- B. Antigen recognition
- C. Cell-mediated immune function
- D. Antibody production
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A total lymphocyte count is a test used to determine cellular immune function. It is not normally used for testing humoral immune function and the associated antigenantibody.
You may also like to solve these questions
A patient with a history of dermatitis takes corticosteroids on a regular basis. The nurse should assess the patient for which of the following complications of therapy?
- A. Immunosuppression
- B. Agranulocytosis
- C. Anemia
- D. Thrombocytopenia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Corticosteroids such as prednisone can cause immunosuppression. Corticosteroids do not typically cause agranulocytosis, anemia, or low platelet counts.
A man was scratched by an old tool and developed a virulent staphylococcus infection. In the course of the mans immune response, circulating lymphocytes containing the antigenic message returned to the nearest lymph node. During what stage of the immune response did this occur?
- A. Recognition stage
- B. Proliferation stage
- C. Response stage
- D. Effector stage
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The recognition stage of antigens as foreign by the immune system is the initiating event in any immune response. The body must first recognize invaders as foreign before it can react to them. In the proliferation stage, the circulating lymphocyte containing the antigenic message returns to the nearest lymph node. Once in the node, the sensitized lymphocyte stimulates some of the resident dormant T and B lymphocytes to enlarge, divide, and proliferate. In the response stage, the differentiated lymphocytes function either in a humoral or a cellular capacity. In the effector stage, either the antibody of the humoral response or the cytotoxic (killer) T cell of the cellular response reaches and connects with the antigen on the surface of the foreign invader.
A nurse is explaining the process by which the body removes cells from circulation after they have performed their physiologic function. The nurse is describing what process?
- A. The cellular immune response
- B. Apoptosis
- C. Phagocytosis
- D. Opsonization
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is the bodys way of destroying worn out cells such as blood or skin cells or cells that need to be renewed. Opsonization is the coating of antigenantibody molecules with a sticky substance to facilitate phagocytosis. The body does not use phagocytosis or the cellular immune response to remove cells from circulation.
A patient is responding to a microbial invasion and the patients differentiated lymphocytes have begun to function in either a humoral or a cellular capacity. During what stage of the immune response does this occur?
- A. The recognition stage
- B. The effector stage
- C. The response stage
- D. The proliferation stage
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In the response stage, the differentiated lymphocytes function in either a humoral or a cellular capacity. In the effector stage, either the antibody of the humoral response or the cytotoxic (killer) T cell of the cellular response reaches and connects with the antigen on the surface of the foreign invader. In the recognition stage, the recognition of antigens as foreign, or non-self, by the immune system is the initiating event in any immune response. During the proliferation stage the circulating lymphocytes containing the antigenic message return to the nearest lymph node.
A gerontologic nurse is caring for an older adult patient who has a diagnosis of pneumonia. What age-related change increases older adults susceptibility to respiratory infections?
- A. Atrophy of the thymus
- B. Bronchial stenosis
- C. Impaired ciliary action
- D. Decreased diaphragmatic muscle tone
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: As a consequence of impaired ciliary action due to exposure to smoke and environmental toxins, older adults are vulnerable to lung infections. This vulnerability is not the result of thymus atrophy, stenosis of the bronchi, or loss of diaphragmatic muscle tone.