What is the most important intervention for a nurse to implement for a child with sickle cell anemia admitted to the hospital during a vaso-occlusive crisis?
- A. Administering oxygen
- B. Ensuring adequate hydration
- C. Monitoring vital signs
- D. Administering pain medication
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Ensuring adequate hydration is crucial during a vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell anemia as it helps to reduce the viscosity of the blood and prevent further sickling of the cells. While administering oxygen may be necessary in some cases, ensuring hydration takes precedence as it directly impacts the underlying pathophysiology of the crisis. Monitoring vital signs is important for ongoing assessment but does not directly address the crisis as hydration does. Administering pain medication is important for pain relief but does not address the primary issue of vaso-occlusion and is not the most crucial intervention in this scenario.
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Congenital heart defects have traditionally been divided into acyanotic or cyanotic defects. Based on the nurse's knowledge of congenital heart defects, this system in clinical practice is
- A. helpful because it explains the hemodynamics involved
- B. helpful because children with cyanotic defects are easily identified
- C. problematic because cyanosis is rarely present in children
- D. problematic because children with acyanotic heart defects may develop cyanosis
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The classification system of congenital heart defects into acyanotic or cyanotic defects is problematic because children with acyanotic heart defects may develop cyanosis, complicating the differentiation. Cyanosis can occur in some acyanotic defects due to various reasons such as right-to-left shunting or decreased pulmonary blood flow, making the classification based solely on cyanosis misleading. Choice A is incorrect because while the classification may involve hemodynamics, the main issue lies in the potential for acyanotic defects to develop cyanosis. Choice B is incorrect as the ease of identifying children with cyanotic defects does not address the main problem with the classification system. Choice C is also incorrect as the presence of cyanosis is not the only factor determining the classification's validity.
A healthcare professional is teaching parents about why most children should be immunized against varicella (chickenpox) and why some receiving specific medications should not. Which medication should be included in the discussion?
- A. Insulin
- B. Steroids
- C. Antibiotics
- D. Anticonvulsants
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Steroids. Children receiving steroids should not receive the varicella vaccine as it can increase the risk of severe infection due to the immunosuppressive effects of steroids. Insulin (Choice A), antibiotics (Choice C), and anticonvulsants (Choice D) do not interact with the varicella vaccine in the same way as steroids, and therefore, they are not contraindicated.
The nurse is assessing a 9-year-old girl with a history of tuberculosis at age 6 years. She has been losing weight and has no appetite. The nurse suspects Addison disease based on which assessment findings?
- A. Arrested height and increased weight
- B. Thin, fragile skin and multiple bruises
- C. Hyperpigmentation and hypotension
- D. Blurred vision and enuresis
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Hyperpigmentation and hypotension. These findings are classic signs of Addison disease, caused by adrenal insufficiency. Hyperpigmentation results from increased ACTH stimulating melanin production, and hypotension occurs due to mineralocorticoid deficiency. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Arrested height and increased weight are not typical of Addison disease. Thin, fragile skin and multiple bruises are seen in conditions like Cushing's syndrome, not Addison disease. Blurred vision and enuresis are not characteristic symptoms of Addison disease.
An infant with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) is admitted to the pediatric unit. What does the nurse expect to find when palpating the infant's abdomen?
- A. A distended colon
- B. Marked tenderness around the umbilicus
- C. An olive-sized mass in the right upper quadrant
- D. Rhythmic peristaltic waves in the lower abdomen
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When palpating the abdomen of an infant with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS), the nurse would expect to feel an olive-sized mass in the right upper quadrant. This finding is characteristic of HPS, where the hypertrophied pyloric muscle forms a palpable mass in the abdomen. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. A distended colon is not a typical finding in HPS, marked tenderness around the umbilicus is not specific to this condition, and rhythmic peristaltic waves in the lower abdomen are not associated with HPS.
A parent tells the nurse, "My 9-month-old baby no longer has the same strong grasp that was present at birth and no longer acts startled by loud noises." How should the nurse explain these changes in behavior?
- A. "I will check these responses before deciding how to proceed."
- B. "Failure of these responses may be related to a developmental delay."
- C. "Additional sensory stimulation is needed to aid in the return of these responses."
- D. "These responses are replaced by voluntary activity at about five months of age."
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: "These responses are replaced by voluntary activity at about five months of age." The grasp reflex and startle reflex (Moro reflex) are normal in newborns but typically disappear as the infant's nervous system matures and voluntary control develops. Choice A is incorrect because checking the responses before deciding a course of action does not address the developmental milestone related to the reflexes. Choice B is incorrect as it jumps to a conclusion of developmental delay without considering the normal developmental process. Choice C is incorrect as additional sensory stimulation is not necessary for the return of these reflexes, as they are expected to naturally diminish as part of normal development.