Nokea
The nurse is planning discharge teaching for a patient who was admitted with neutropenia. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
- A. Limit fluids to 2-3 litres a day.
- B. Include eggs and fish in the diet.
- C. Avoid exposure to crowds as much as possible.
- D. Drink only one or two caffeinated beverages daily.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Exposure to crowds increases the risk of infection in neutropenic patients. Limiting fluids or caffeinated beverages is not necessary, and eggs and fish are acceptable in the diet unless otherwise contraindicated.
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The hemophilia clinic nurse receives a call from a patient with hemophilia to discuss all of these problems. Which of the following problems is most important to communicate to the health care provider?
- A. Joint swelling
- B. Painful hematuria
- C. Multiple bruises
- D. Dark tarry stools
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Melena is a sign of gastrointestinal bleeding and requires collaborative actions such as checking hemoglobin and hematocrit and administration of coagulation factors. The other problems indicate a need for patient teaching about how to avoid injury, but are not indicators of possible serious blood loss.
The nurse is caring for a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome who has 20% blasts in marrow and the health care provider has prescribed high-intensity treatment. Which of the following treatments should the nurse prepare the patient to receive?
- A. Antibiotics
- B. Antifungals
- C. Chemotherapy
- D. A blood transfusion
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Low-risk patients (<5% blasts in marrow) can often be treated with transfusions, antibiotics, antifungals, EPO, and hematopoietic growth factors. High-risk patients (<5% blasts in marrow) may be treated with single-agent chemotherapy (e.g., hydroxyurea) or intensive chemotherapy as in AML.
The nurse is caring for a patient with idiopathic aplastic anemia. Which of the following collaborative problems should the nurse include when developing the care plan?
- A. Potential complication: seizures
- B. Potential complication: infection
- C. Potential complication: neurogenic shock
- D. Potential complication: pulmonary edema
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Because the patient with aplastic anemia has pancytopenia, the patient is at risk for infection and bleeding. There is no increased risk for seizures, neurogenic shock, or pulmonary edema.
The nurse is caring for a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia who is receiving outpatient chemotherapy and develops an absolute neutrophil count of 0.9 x 10^9/L. Which of the following actions by the nurse in the outpatient clinic is best?
- A. Discuss the need for hospital admission to treat the neutropenia.
- B. Plan to discontinue the chemotherapy until the neutropenia resolves.
- C. Teach the patient how to administer filgrastim injections at home.
- D. Obtain a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter for the patient for home use.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The patient may be taught to self-administer filgrastim injections. Although chemotherapy may be stopped with severe neutropenia (neutrophil count less than 0.5 x 10^9/L), administration of filgrastim usually allows the chemotherapy to continue. Patients with neutropenia are at higher risk for infection when exposed to other patients in the hospital. HEPA filters are expensive and are used in the hospital, where the number of pathogens is much higher than in the patient's home environment.
Which of the following actions should the nurse include in the care plan for a hospitalized patient who is neutropenic?
- A. Avoid any IM or subcutaneous injections.
- B. Check the oral temperature every 4 hours.
- C. Omit all fruits or vegetables from the diet.
- D. Place a 'No Visitors' sign on the patient door.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The earliest sign of infection in a neutropenic patient is an elevation in temperature. Although unpeeled fresh fruits and vegetables should be avoided, fruits and vegetables that are peeled or cooked are acceptable. Injections may be required for administration of medications such as filgrastim. The number of visitors may be limited and visitors with communicable diseases should be avoided, but a 'no visitors' policy is not needed.