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After receiving a report on an inpatient acute care unit, which client should the nurse assess first?
- A. The client with bowel obstruction due to a volvulus who is experiencing abdominal rigidity
- B. The client who had surgery yesterday and is experiencing a paralytic ileus with absent bowel sounds
- C. The client with an obstruction of the large intestine who is experiencing abdominal distention
- D. The client with a small bowel obstruction who has a nasogastric tube that is draining greenish fluid
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Abdominal rigidity in a client with bowel obstruction due to a volvulus indicates possible complications and requires immediate assessment. Choice B is incorrect because although a paralytic ileus with absent bowel sounds is concerning, abdominal rigidity in a client with a volvulus takes priority. Choice C is incorrect as abdominal distention, though indicative of an obstruction, is not as urgent as the sign of abdominal rigidity. Choice D is incorrect as the drainage of greenish fluid from a nasogastric tube in a client with a small bowel obstruction, while concerning, does not present as immediate a threat as the abdominal rigidity in a client with a volvulus.
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The mother of a teenager is told that her son has recently been found stealing from other students at school. The mother's response is, 'I cannot think about that today.' The nurse determines that this mother is using which defense mechanism?
- A. Suppression
- B. Repression
- C. Sublimation
- D. Undoing
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A, Suppression. Suppression involves a conscious effort to avoid dealing with distressing thoughts or feelings. In this case, the mother is consciously choosing not to think about her son's behavior. Choice B, Repression, involves unconsciously blocking out distressing thoughts or feelings. Choice C, Sublimation, is the channeling of unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable behaviors, which is not demonstrated in this scenario. Choice D, Undoing, is a defense mechanism where a person tries to undo or reverse a negative thought or action by performing a contrary behavior, which is not applicable here.
A client presents to the healthcare provider with fatigue, poor appetite, general malaise, and vague joint pain that improves mid-morning. The client has been using over-the-counter ibuprofen for several months. The healthcare provider makes an initial diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Which laboratory test should the nurse report to the healthcare provider?
- A. Sedimentation rate
- B. White blood cell count
- C. Anti-CCP antibodies
- D. Activated Clotting Time
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Sedimentation rate. Sedimentation rate, Anti-CCP antibodies, and C-reactive protein are commonly used laboratory tests to indicate inflammation and help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. An elevated sedimentation rate is a nonspecific indicator of inflammation in the body, which is often seen in RA. White blood cell count is not specific for RA and is not typically significant in the diagnosis. Anti-CCP antibodies are specific to RA and are useful in confirming the diagnosis. Activated Clotting Time is not relevant to the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis as it is not specific to this condition.
A client who is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is having difficulty swallowing and articulating words. Which intervention is most important to include in this client's plan of care?
- A. Encourage speaking slowly and articulating words
- B. Sit upright and flex chin forward while swallowing
- C. Position a communication board at the bedside
- D. Provide feeding utensils with large grip handles
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct intervention for a client with ALS experiencing difficulty swallowing and articulating words is to sit upright and flex the chin forward while swallowing. This position helps manage dysphagia associated with ALS by facilitating the swallowing process. Encouraging speaking slowly and articulating words (Choice A) may be helpful for speech clarity but does not address the swallowing issue. Positioning a communication board (Choice C) would not directly address the swallowing difficulty. Providing feeding utensils with large grip handles (Choice D) is not the priority intervention for managing dysphagia in ALS.
A client with chronic kidney disease has an arteriovenous (AV) fistula in the left forearm. Which observation by the nurse indicates that the fistula is patent?
- A. Distended, tortuous veins in the left hand
- B. The left radial pulse is 2+ bounding
- C. Auscultation of a thrill on the left forearm
- D. Assessment of a bruit on the left forearm
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Auscultation of a thrill on the left forearm is the correct observation indicating that the AV fistula is patent. A thrill is a palpable vibration or buzzing sensation felt over the fistula, indicating the presence of blood flow. Choices A, B, and D do not directly assess the patency of the fistula. Distended, tortuous veins in the left hand may indicate venous hypertension; a bounding radial pulse could suggest increased blood flow through an artery, but it does not confirm fistula patency; assessment of a bruit indicates turbulent blood flow, but it does not confirm patency.
While assessing a client four hours post-thoracentesis, the nurse is unable to auscultate breath sounds on the right side of the chest. What action should the nurse take first?
- A. Instruct the client to perform cough and deep breathing exercises
- B. Assess the client's vital signs and respiratory effort
- C. Administer oxygen via nasal cannula according to the PNR protocol
- D. Document assessment findings in the client's medical record
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct first action for the nurse to take in this situation is to assess the client's vital signs and respiratory effort. It is crucial to promptly detect any immediate complications or changes in the client's condition. Instructing cough and deep breathing exercises (choice A) can be considered after further assessment. Administering oxygen (choice C) should be based on assessment findings and healthcare provider's orders. While documenting the findings (choice D) is essential, it should not be the first action when a potential issue with breath sounds is detected.