Nokea
The campus nurse at a university is assessing a 21-year-old student who presents with a severe nosebleed. The site of bleeding appears to be the anterior portion of the nasal septum. The nurse instructs the student to tilt her head forward and the nurse applies pressure to the nose, but the students nose continues to bleed. Which intervention should the nurse next implement?
- A. Apply ice to the bridge of her nose
- B. Lay the patient down on a cot
- C. Arrange for transfer to the local ED
- D. Insert a tampon in the affected nare
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A cotton tampon may be used to try to stop the bleeding. The use of ice on the bridge of the nose has no scientific rationale for care. Laying the client down on the cot could block the clients airway. Hospital admission is necessary only if the bleeding becomes serious.
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The nurse is caring for a patient who is postoperative day 2 following a total laryngectomy for supraglottic cancer. The nurse should prioritize what assessment?
- A. Assessment of body image
- B. Assessment of jugular venous pressure
- C. Assessment of carotid pulse
- D. Assessment of swallowing ability
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A common postoperative complication from this type of surgery is difficulty in swallowing, which creates a potential for aspiration. Cardiovascular complications are less likely at this stage of recovery. The patients body image should be assessed, but dysphagia has the potential to affect the patients airway, and is a consequent priority.
A 45-year-old obese man arrives in a clinic with complaints of daytime sleepiness, difficulty going to sleep at night, and snoring. The nurse should recognize the manifestations of what health problem?
- A. Adenoiditis
- B. Chronic tonsillitis
- C. Obstructive sleep apnea
- D. Laryngeal cancer
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Obstructive sleep apnea occurs in men, especially those who are older and overweight. Symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and snoring. Daytime sleepiness and difficulty going to sleep at night are not indications of tonsillitis or adenoiditis. This patients symptoms are not suggestive of laryngeal cancer.
A 42-year-old patient is admitted to the ED after an assault. The patient received blunt trauma to the face and has a suspected nasal fracture. Which of the following interventions should the nurse perform?
- A. Administer nasal spray and apply an occlusive dressing to the patients face.
- B. Position the patients head in a dependent position.
- C. Irrigate the patients nose with warm tap water.
- D. Apply ice and keep the patients head elevated.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Immediately after the fracture, the nurse applies ice and encourages the patient to keep the head elevated. The nurse instructs the patient to apply ice packs to the nose to decrease swelling. Dependent positioning would exacerbate bleeding and the nose is not irrigated. Occlusive dressings are not used.
A patient has just been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the neck. While the nurse is doing health education, the patient asks, Does this kind of cancer tend to spread to other parts of the body? What is the nurses best response?
- A. In many cases, this type of cancer spreads to other parts of the body.
- B. This cancer usually does not spread to distant sites in the body.
- C. You will have to speak to your oncologist about that.
- D. Squamous cell carcinoma is nothing to be concerned about, so try to focus on your health.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The incidence of distant metastasis with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (including larynx cancer) is relatively low. The patients prognosis is determined by the oncologist, but the patient has asked a general question and it would be inappropriate to refuse a response. The nurse must not downplay the patients concerns.
The nurse is teaching a patient with allergic rhinitis about the safe and effective use of his medications. What would be the most essential information to give this patient about preventing possible drug interactions?
- A. Prescription medications can be safely supplemented with OTC medications.
- B. Use only one pharmacy so the pharmacist can check drug interactions.
- C. Read drug labels carefully before taking OTC medications.
- D. Consult the Internet before selecting an OTC medication.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Patient education is essential when assisting the patient in the use of all medications. To prevent possible drug interactions, the patient is cautioned to read drug labels before taking any OTC medications. Some Web sites are reliable and valid information sources, but this is not always the case. Patients do not necessarily need to limit themselves to one pharmacy, though checking for potential interactions is important. Not all OTC medications are safe additions to prescription medication regimens.