The nurse caring for a client after right radical mastectomy includes which intervention in the nursing plan of care for this client?
- A. Takes blood pressures in the right arm only
- B. Draws serum laboratory samples from the right arm only
- C. Positions the client supine and flat with the right arm elevated on a pillow
- D. Checks the right posterior axilla area when assessing the surgical dressing
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: If there is drainage or bleeding from the surgical site after mastectomy, gravity will cause the drainage to seep down and soak the posterior axillary portion of the dressing first. The nurse checks this area to detect early bleeding. Blood pressure measurement, venipuncture, and intravenous sites should not involve use of the operative arm. The client should be positioned with the head in semi-Fowler's position and the arm on the operative side elevated on pillows to decrease edema.
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A preschooler with a history of cleft palate repair comes to the clinic for a routine well-child checkup. To determine whether this child is experiencing a long-term effect of cleft palate, which question should the nurse ask the parent?
- A. Does the child play with an imaginary friend?
- B. Was the child recently treated for pneumonia?
- C. Does the child respond when called by name?
- D. Has the child had any difficulty swallowing food?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A child with cleft palate is at risk for developing frequent otitis media, which can result in hearing loss. Unresponsiveness may be an indication that the child is experiencing hearing loss. Option 1 is normal behavior for a preschool child. Many preschoolers with vivid imaginations have imaginary friends. Options 2 and 4 are unrelated to cleft palate after repair.
The nurse provides discharge instructions to a client who is recovering from testicular cancer surgery. Which instruction should the nurse include?
- A. To avoid driving a car for at least 2 weeks
- B. Not to be fitted for a prosthesis for at least 3 months
- C. To avoid sitting for long periods for at least 2 weeks
- D. To report any elevation in temperature to the primary health care provider
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: For the client who has had testicular surgery, the nurse should emphasize the importance of notifying the primary health care provider if chills, fever, drainage, redness, or discharge occurs. These symptoms may indicate the presence of an infection. One week after testicular surgery, the client may drive. Often, a prosthesis is inserted during surgery. Sitting needs to be avoided with prostate surgery because of the risk of hemorrhage, but this risk is not as high with testicular surgery.
A client who survived a house fire is experiencing respiratory distress, and an inhalation injury is suspected. What should the nurse monitor to determine the presence of carbon monoxide poisoning?
- A. Pulse oximetry
- B. Urine myoglobin
- C. Sputum carbon levels
- D. Serum carboxyhemoglobin levels
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Serum carboxyhemoglobin levels are the most direct measure of carbon monoxide poisoning, provide the level of poisoning, and thus determine the appropriate treatment measures. The carbon monoxide molecule has a 200 times greater affinity for binding with hemoglobin than an oxygen molecule, causing decreased availability of oxygen to the cells. Clients are treated with 100% oxygen under pressure (hyperbaric oxygen therapy). Options 1, 2, and 3 would not identify carbon monoxide poisoning.
The nurse suspects that an air embolism has occurred when the client's central venous catheter disconnects from the intravenous (IV) tubing. The nurse immediately places the client on her or his left side in which position?
- A. High Fowler's
- B. Trendelenburg's
- C. Lateral recumbent
- D. Reverse Trendelenburg's
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: If the client develops an air embolism, the immediate action is to place the client in Trendelenburg's position on the left side. This position raises the client's feet higher than the head and traps any air in the right atrium. If necessary, the air can then be directly removed by intracardiac aspiration.
A client has a prescription to receive an enema before bowel surgery. The nurse assists the client into which position to administer the enema?
- A. enema_1.PNG
- B. enema_2.PNG
- C. enema_3.PNG
- D. enema_4.PNG
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When administering an enema, the nurse places the client in a Sims' position (option 3) exposing the rectal area and allowing the enema solution to flow by gravity in the natural direction of the colon. In the prone position (option 1), the client is lying on the stomach. In the supine position (option 2), the client is lying on the back. The dorsal recumbent position (option 4) is used for abdominal assessment because it promotes relaxation of abdominal muscles.