Nokea
A young adult is admitted with a possible head injury. The car in which he was riding hit a utility pole, and the client's head hit the windshield. Baseline vital signs are BP=112/74, P=80, and R=12. The nurse checks the client an hour after admission. Which finding(s) are significant and should be reported to the charge nurse or physician immediately? Select all that apply.
- A. BP=126/68
- B. Pulse=62
- C. Respirations=8
- D. Projectile vomiting
- E. Client's skin is cool to the touch.
- F. Both pupils respond to exposure to flashlight by constricting.
Correct Answer: C,D
Rationale: Slow respirations (8) and projectile vomiting suggest increased intracranial pressure, critical in head injury, requiring immediate reporting. BP, pulse, skin, and pupil response changes are less urgent.
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After a recent outbreak of varicella in an elementary school, the practical nurse is assisting with the development of an informative letter to parents. Which of the following instructions are appropriate to include? Select all that apply.
- A. Apply calamine lotion to soothe lesions
- B. Clip your child’s fingernails short
- C. Ensure that your child’s vaccinations are up to date
- D. Keep your child home until lesions have crusted
- E. Place mittens on your child’s hands when sleeping
Correct Answer: A,B,C,D,E
Rationale: Calamine lotion (A) relieves itching, short nails (B) and mittens (E) prevent scratching, vaccinations (C) protect against future infection, and isolation until crusted (D) prevents transmission. All are appropriate.
Laboratory reference ranges
Glucose (random)
71-200 mg/dL
(3.9-11.1 mmol/L)
A category 4 hurricane has affected a rural, local health care system, creating a significant increase in emergency department admissions. Which of the following clients should the nurse anticipate as the priority for intervention?
- A. Client with status asthmaticus and a pulse oximetry reading of 89%
- B. Client with diabetes mellitus reporting a headache after being involved in a minor motor vehicle collision
- C. Client who is 11 weeks pregnant, has gestational diabetes, and nausea and vomiting over the past 2 days
- D. Client with diabites mellitus with a serum glucose level of 690 mg/dl (38.3 mmol/L ,abdominal pain, and fatigue)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Status asthmaticus with 80% pulse oximetry (A) indicates severe hypoxia, requiring immediate intervention to prevent respiratory failure. Headache post-collision (B) and nausea in pregnancy (C) are less acute, as they do not indicate immediate life-threatening conditions.
The nurse is planning care for all of the following clients. Which client should be cared for first?
- A. A 60-year-old who is three days postop and needs a dressing change and ambulation
- B. A 75-year-old who had a suprapubic prostatectomy yesterday and says, 'Take that tube out of me, I have to pee.'
- C. A 90-year-old who had a total hip replacement two days ago and is to get out of bed today
- D. A 50-year-old who had an abdominal cholecystectomy yesterday and is asking for pain medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The 75-year-old post-prostatectomy client's request to remove the catheter and urgency to urinate suggest potential catheter obstruction or bladder irritation, which could lead to complications like infection or bladder damage. This requires immediate assessment and intervention, taking priority over routine dressing changes, scheduled mobility, or pain management.
An adult who has cholecystitis reports clay-colored stools and moderate jaundice. The nurse knows that which is the best explanation for the presence of clay-colored stools and jaundice?
- A. There is an obstruction in the pancreatic duct.
- B. There are gallstones in the gallbladder.
- C. Bile is no longer produced by the gallbladder.
- D. There is an obstruction in the common bile duct.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Clay-colored stools and jaundice result from a common bile duct obstruction, preventing bile flow to the intestines and causing bilirubin buildup in the blood. The gallbladder stores, not produces, bile, and pancreatic or gallbladder issues are less directly related.
Spinal headaches are a common occurrence following spinal anesthesia. Which of the following nursing interventions can help prevent a spinal headache?
- A. Placing the client in a quiet room.
- B. Significantly increasing the client's fluid intake.
- C. Administering PRN pain medication.
- D. Raising the head of the bed to $45^{\circ}$.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Increasing fluid intake helps maintain cerebrospinal fluid pressure, reducing the risk of spinal headaches post-spinal anesthesia.