Nokea
A study is designed to investigate the rates of central line–associated blood stream infections among pediatric hematology/oncology patients. Three common central line types (totally implanted catheter [port], peripherally inserted central catheter [PICC], and tunneled externalized catheter [TEC]) were included in the study. What data structure is central line type?
- A. Continuous
- B. Dichotomous
- C. Nominal
- D. Ordinal
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Nominal. The central line types in this study (port, PICC, TEC) are categorical and do not have a natural order or ranking. They are simply names or labels representing different types of central lines. This makes them fall under the nominal data structure category. Continuous data (choice A) would involve measurements with infinite possible values. Dichotomous data (choice B) would have only two categories. Ordinal data (choice D) would imply a natural ranking or order among the categories, which is not applicable in this context.
You may also like to solve these questions
A nurse is caring for a client who recently started alteplase therapy. The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects?
- A. Bronchodilation
- B. Headache
- C. Edema
- D. Hypertension
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Headache. Alteplase is a thrombolytic medication that can cause cerebral bleeding, leading to headaches. Monitoring for headaches is crucial as it can indicate a serious adverse effect. Bronchodilation (A) is not associated with alteplase therapy. Edema (C) is not a common adverse effect of alteplase. Hypertension (D) is a potential adverse effect, but it is not as specific or common as headaches in this context.
You receive a phone call that a 3-year-old patient on long-term warfarin therapy for congenital heart disease has an international normalized ratio (INR) of 5.8. On further history, you learn the patient and several family members have had recent gastrointestinal illnesses, but the patient is recovering. His mother reports he is not experiencing bleeding symptoms. Which of the following interventions would be most reasonable in this clinical scenario?
- A. Hold 1 to 2 doses of warfarin and recheck INR
- B. Administer oral vitamin K therapy
- C. Administer fresh frozen plasma (FFP)
- D. Administer recombinant factor VIIa
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Hold 1 to 2 doses of warfarin and recheck INR. In this scenario, the patient's elevated INR of 5.8 indicates an increased risk of bleeding due to excessive anticoagulation. Since the patient is not experiencing bleeding symptoms and is recovering from gastrointestinal illness, temporarily holding 1 to 2 doses of warfarin is the most reasonable intervention to prevent bleeding complications while allowing the INR to normalize. Rechecking the INR after holding the doses will help assess the patient's response to the intervention. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because administering oral vitamin K therapy, FFP, or recombinant factor VIIa are more aggressive interventions that are not warranted in this case where the patient is asymptomatic and recovering from a transient illness.
A nurse is caring for four clients. After reviewing today's laboratory results, which client would the nurse assess first?
- A. Client with an international normalized ratio of 2.8
- B. Client with a platelet count of 128,000/mm3 (128 x 109/L).
- C. Client with a prothrombin time (PT) of 28 seconds
- D. Client with a red blood cell count of 5.1 million/mcl. (5.1 x 1012/L)
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because a prothrombin time (PT) of 28 seconds indicates potential issues with blood clotting and can be a sign of bleeding disorders or liver dysfunction, requiring immediate assessment and intervention to prevent complications.
Choice A (INR of 2.8) is within the therapeutic range for clients on anticoagulant therapy, so it's not an immediate concern. Choice B (platelet count of 128,000/mm3) is low but not critically low, so it doesn't require immediate assessment. Choice D (red blood cell count of 5.1 million/mcl) is within the normal range and doesn't indicate urgent issues.
In summary, the nurse should assess the client with a PT of 28 seconds first due to the potential risk of bleeding or clotting disorders, while the other choices are not as urgent.
After seven days of treatment with sulfonamides, a patient's hemoglobin had decreased from 14.7 gm/100ml to 10gm/100ml. The most likely cause of hemolysis in this patient is
- A. Sickle cell disease
- B. Thalassemia minor
- C. Hereditary spherocytosis
- D. Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD)
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD). Sulfonamides can trigger hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency due to oxidative stress on red blood cells. G6PD enzyme deficiency impairs the ability of red blood cells to combat oxidative damage, leading to hemolysis. In this case, the patient's hemoglobin decreased significantly after sulfonamide treatment, indicating red blood cell destruction. The other choices (A: Sickle cell disease, B: Thalassemia minor, C: Hereditary spherocytosis) are not directly associated with sulfonamide-induced hemolysis and would not explain the observed decrease in hemoglobin levels after treatment.
A nurse is caring for a client who is about to begin taking folic acid to treat megaloblastic anemia. The nurse should monitor which of the following laboratory values to determine therapeutic effectiveness?
- A. Amylase level
- B. Reticulocyte count
- C. C-reactive protein
- D. Creatinine clearance
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Reticulocyte count. Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells. In megaloblastic anemia, there is a decrease in red blood cell production due to a deficiency in folic acid. Monitoring reticulocyte count helps determine if the folic acid treatment is increasing red blood cell production.
A: Amylase level is not relevant to monitoring the effectiveness of folic acid in treating megaloblastic anemia.
C: C-reactive protein is a marker for inflammation and not specific to monitoring anemia treatment.
D: Creatinine clearance is used to assess kidney function, not the effectiveness of folic acid in treating anemia.