The nurse is assessing a patient's skin during an office visit. What is the best technique to use to best assess skin temperature?
- A. Palpation
- B. Auscultation
- C. Inspection
- D. Use of a thermometer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Palpation. Palpation involves using the hands to touch and feel the skin to assess its temperature accurately. This technique allows the nurse to detect variations in temperature more effectively compared to visual inspection (Choice C) or listening with a stethoscope (Choice B). Using a thermometer (Choice D) may also provide a precise measurement, but palpation allows for a more comprehensive assessment of skin temperature by considering factors such as localized warmth or coolness.
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A nurse is caring for a patient with hypertension. The nurse should educate the patient to monitor for which of the following complications?
- A. Severe headaches and blurred vision.
- B. Weight loss and fatigue.
- C. Increased appetite and tremors.
- D. Nausea and vomiting.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Severe headaches and blurred vision. These symptoms can indicate a hypertensive crisis, a severe complication of hypertension. Headaches and blurred vision are signs of potentially dangerous high blood pressure levels. Weight loss and fatigue (B), increased appetite and tremors (C), and nausea and vomiting (D) are not typical complications of hypertension and do not directly relate to the cardiovascular effects of high blood pressure. Monitoring for severe headaches and blurred vision is crucial for early detection and management of hypertensive crises.
The nurse is obtaining a history from a 30-year-old male patient and is concerned about the adequacy of his health promotion activities. Which one of the following questions would be appropriate in this situation?
- A. "Do you perform testicular self-examinations?"
- B. "Have you ever noticed any pain in your testicles?"
- C. "Have you had any problems with passing urine?"
- D. "Do you have any history of sexually transmitted infection?"
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: "Do you perform testicular self-examinations?" This question is appropriate as it addresses health promotion activities specific to the patient's age and gender, promoting early detection of testicular cancer.
Explanation:
1. Testicular self-examination is a key health promotion activity for men in their 20s and 30s.
2. It encourages self-awareness and early detection of abnormalities in the testicles.
3. Testicular cancer is most common in younger men, making this question relevant.
4. Options B, C, and D are not directly related to health promotion activities for a 30-year-old male.
A 16-year-old boy has just been admitted for overnight observation after being in an automobile accident. What is the nurse's best approach to communicating with him?
- A. Use periods of silence to communicate respect for him.
- B. Be totally honest with him, even if the information is unpleasant.
- C. Tell him that everything that is discussed will be kept totally confidential.
- D. Use slang language when possible to help him open up.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Be totally honest with him, even if the information is unpleasant. This is the best approach because honesty builds trust and credibility, crucial in a healthcare setting. It allows the teenager to make informed decisions about his care and fosters a therapeutic relationship.
Explanation for why the other choices are incorrect:
A: Using periods of silence may be misinterpreted as indifference or lack of engagement.
C: Promising total confidentiality may not be feasible in healthcare settings and could lead to potential harm if critical information needs to be shared with others for the patient's safety.
D: Using slang language may come across as unprofessional and may hinder effective communication and understanding between the nurse and the patient.
A patient describes an unreasonable, irrational fear of snakes. The feeling is so persistent that he can no longer even look at pictures of snakes without feeling uncomfortable. He has tried to identify all the places where he might encounter snakes and avoids them. The nurse recognizes that:
- A. He has a snake phobia.
- B. He is a hypochondriac. Snakes are usually harmless.
- C. He has an obsession. In this case, it is about snakes.
- D. He has a delusion that snakes are harmful. It must stem from an early traumatic incident involving snakes.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: He has a snake phobia. Phobias are irrational and persistent fears of specific objects or situations. In this case, the patient's fear of snakes is unreasonable and causes discomfort even when encountering pictures of snakes. This aligns with the characteristics of a phobia.
Choice B is incorrect as hypochondriasis involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite medical reassurance. Choice C is incorrect as obsessions are intrusive thoughts that cause anxiety, while the patient's fear of snakes is more of a specific fear rather than an obsession. Choice D is incorrect as delusions are fixed false beliefs, and the patient's fear of snakes is not based on a false belief but rather an irrational fear.
The nurse is assessing mental health in children. Which of the following statements is true?
- A. All aspects of mental health in children are interrelated.
- B. Children are highly labile and unstable until the age of 2 years.
- C. Until the age of 7 years, children's mental health is largely a function of their parents' mental health.
- D. Children's mental health is impossible to assess until they develop the ability to concentrate.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because all aspects of mental health in children are indeed interrelated. Mental health encompasses various components such as emotional, social, and psychological well-being, which are interconnected and influence each other. Understanding and assessing mental health in children require considering the holistic picture.
Choice B is incorrect because children are not inherently labile and unstable until the age of 2 years. Choice C is incorrect as children's mental health is influenced by various factors beyond just their parents' mental health. Choice D is incorrect because mental health assessment in children can be done using age-appropriate methods even before they develop the ability to concentrate.