The nurse assesses a patient who has numerous petechiae on both arms. Which question should the nurse ask the patient?
- A. Are you taking any oral contraceptives?
- B. Have you been prescribed antiseizure drugs?
- C. Do you take medication containing salicylates?
- D. How long have you been taking antihypertensive drugs?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: 'Do you take medication containing salicylates?' Petechiae are tiny, pinpoint, red or purple spots on the skin due to bleeding under the skin. Salicylates, which are found in medications like aspirin, interfere with platelet function and can lead to petechiae and ecchymoses. Asking about salicylate-containing medications is crucial in this situation. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they are not directly related to the development of petechiae.
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Which patient statement to the nurse indicates a need for additional instruction about taking oral ferrous sulfate?
- A. I will call my health care provider if my stools turn black.
- B. I will take a stool softener if I feel constipated occasionally.
- C. I should take the iron with orange juice about an hour before eating.
- D. I should increase my fluid and fiber intake while I am taking iron tablets.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
The nurse is planning to administer a transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) to a patient with blood loss from gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Which action can the nurse delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
- A. Verify the patient identification (ID) according to hospital policy
- B. Obtain the temperature, blood pressure, and pulse before the transfusion
- C. Double-check the product numbers on the PRBCs with the patient ID band
- D. Monitor the patient for shortness of breath or chest pain during the transfusion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) can obtain the temperature, blood pressure, and pulse before a transfusion as their education includes measurement of vital signs. UAP would then report the vital signs to the registered nurse (RN). Option A is typically a nursing responsibility to ensure patient safety and avoid errors in patient identification. Option C involves cross-checking important details and ensuring accuracy, which is usually performed by nursing staff to prevent errors. Option D requires monitoring for potential adverse reactions during the transfusion, which is a nursing responsibility due to the need for assessment and intervention in case of complications.
A 62-year-old man with chronic anemia is experiencing increased fatigue and occasional palpitations at rest. The nurse would expect the patient's laboratory test findings to include
- A. an RBC count of 4,500,000/μL.
- B. a hematocrit (Hct) value of 38%.
- C. normal red blood cell (RBC) indices.
- D. a hemoglobin (Hgb) of 8.6 g/dL.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. In chronic anemia, the hematocrit (Hct) value is a crucial indicator of the proportion of red blood cells in the blood. A hematocrit value of 38% indicates a lower than normal level of red blood cells, which aligns with the patient's symptoms of fatigue and palpitations. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because a low RBC count, normal RBC indices, and a hemoglobin level of 8.6 g/dL do not specifically address the decreased red blood cell mass associated with chronic anemia.
The complete blood count (CBC) indicates that a patient is thrombocytopenic. Which action should the nurse include in the plan of care?
- A. Avoid intramuscular injections.
- B. Encourage increased oral fluids.
- C. Check temperature every 4 hours.
- D. Increase intake of iron-rich foods.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct action to include in the plan of care for a thrombocytopenic patient is to avoid intramuscular injections. Thrombocytopenia is a condition characterized by a decreased number of platelets, which are essential for blood clotting. Intramuscular injections can pose a risk of bleeding in patients with low platelet counts. Encouraging increased oral fluids (choice B) is beneficial for hydration but does not directly address the risk of bleeding associated with thrombocytopenia. Checking temperature every 4 hours (choice C) is important for monitoring infection but does not specifically address the risk of bleeding. Increasing intake of iron-rich foods (choice D) is more related to addressing anemia, not the primary concern of bleeding in thrombocytopenia.
The nurse notes scleral jaundice in a patient being admitted with hemolytic anemia. The nurse will plan to check the laboratory results for the
- A. Schilling test
- B. bilirubin level
- C. gastric analysis
- D. stool occult blood
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: bilirubin level. Jaundice, characterized by scleral jaundice, is caused by the elevation of bilirubin levels associated with red blood cell hemolysis. Checking the bilirubin level in the laboratory results will help assess the severity of jaundice in the patient. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the Schilling test is used to assess vitamin B12 absorption, gastric analysis is used to evaluate gastric function, and stool occult blood is used to detect hidden blood in the stool, which are not directly related to evaluating jaundice in a patient with hemolytic anemia.