An occupational health nurse works at a manufacturing plant where there is potential exposure to inhaled dust. Which action, if recommended by the nurse, will be most helpful in reducing the incidence of lung disease?
- A. Treat workers with pulmonary fibrosis.
- B. Teach about symptoms of lung disease.
- C. Require the use of protective equipment.
- D. Monitor workers for coughing and wheezing.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Prevention of lung disease requires the use of appropriate protective equipment such as masks to reduce exposure to inhaled dust, which is a significant risk factor for lung disease. Teaching about symptoms of lung disease, treating workers with pulmonary fibrosis, and monitoring for coughing and wheezing are important actions for early recognition and treatment of lung disease. However, the most effective strategy to prevent lung damage in this scenario is to require the use of protective equipment to minimize exposure to harmful substances.
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Which of these devices is considered a protective device, rather than a restraint?
- A. A mitten on the hands to prevent scratching
- B. A mitten on the hands to prevent the person from pulling their IV out
- C. A side rail to prevent the patient from falling
- D. A soft wrist restraint to prevent the patient from pulling their IV tubing
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A mitten on the hands to prevent scratching is considered a protective device because its primary purpose is to protect the patient from harming themselves by scratching. It does not restrict the patient's movement. Choice B, a mitten on the hands to prevent the person from pulling their IV out, is considered a restraint as it limits the patient's movement. Choice C, a side rail to prevent the patient from falling, is also a protective device as it aims to keep the patient safe by providing support and preventing falls. Choice D, a soft wrist restraint to prevent the patient from pulling their IV tubing, is a type of restraint as it restricts the patient's movement to prevent them from interfering with medical equipment.
A systemic sign of infection is ______________.
- A. swelling
- B. redness
- C. heat
- D. a lack of appetite
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is 'a lack of appetite.' When a person experiences a systemic infection, they may exhibit signs that affect the entire body. A lack of appetite is a common systemic sign of infection, along with other symptoms like rapid pulse, fever, and an elevated white blood cell count. Swelling, redness, and heat are more indicative of localized inflammation or infection, rather than systemic involvement.
Employee health test results reveal a tuberculosis (TB) skin test of 16-mm induration and a
negative chest x-ray for a staff nurse working on the pulmonary unit. The nurse has no symptoms
of TB. Which information should the occupational health nurse plan to teach the staff nurse?
- A. Standard four-drug therapy for TB
- B. Need for annual repeat TB skin testing
- C. Use and side effects of isoniazid (INH)
- D. Bacille Calmette-Gurin (BCG) vaccine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse is considered to have a latent TB infection and should be treated with INH daily for 6
to 9 months. The four-drug therapy would be appropriate if the nurse had active TB. TB skin
testing is not done for individuals who have already had a positive skin test. BCG vaccine is not
used in the United States for TB and would not be helpful for this individual, who already has a
TB infection.
Which information given by a 70-year-old patient during a health history indicates to the nurse that the patient should be screened for hepatitis C?
- A. The patient had a blood transfusion in 2005
- B. The patient used IV drugs about 20 years ago
- C. The patient frequently eats in fast-food restaurants
- D. The patient traveled to a country with poor sanitation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is 'The patient used IV drugs about 20 years ago.' Any patient with a history of IV drug use should be tested for hepatitis C due to the increased risk of transmission through sharing needles. Blood transfusions given after 1992, when an antibody test for hepatitis C became available, do not pose a risk for hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is not spread by the oral-fecal route, so contaminated food or traveling to countries with poor sanitation are not direct risk factors for hepatitis C.
The nurse teaches a patient about the transmission of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Which statement, if made by the patient, indicates that teaching was effective?
- A. I will avoid being outdoors whenever possible.
- B. My husband will be sleeping in the guest bedroom.
- C. I will take the bus instead of driving to visit my friends.
- D. I will keep the windows closed at home to contain the germs.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: To prevent the transmission of pulmonary tuberculosis, it is important for the infected individual to minimize exposure to close contacts and household members. Sleeping alone in a separate room, like the guest bedroom, is an effective measure. The other choices are not ideal: Choice A is incorrect because spending time outdoors is encouraged for ventilation; Choice C is incorrect as using public transportation increases the risk of transmission; Choice D is incorrect because keeping windows closed limits ventilation, which is necessary to reduce the concentration of infectious particles in the air.