Nokea
While providing care to a client with a head injury, the nurse notes that a client exhibits this posture (refer to figure). What should the nurse document that the client is exhibiting?
- A. Flaccidity
- B. Decorticate posturing
- C. Decerebrate posturing
- D. Rigidity in the upper extremities
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Decortication is abnormal posturing seen in the client with lesions that interrupt the corticospinal pathways. In this posturing, the client's arms, wrists, and fingers are flexed with internal rotation and plantar flexion of the feet and legs extended. Flaccidity indicates weak, soft, and flabby muscles that lack normal muscle tone. Decerebration is abnormal posturing and rigidity characterized by extension of the arms and legs, pronation of the arms, plantar flexion, and opisthotonos. Decerebration is usually associated with dysfunction in the brainstem area. Rigidity indicates hardness, stiffness, or inflexibility. Decerebrate posturing is associated with rigidity.
You may also like to solve these questions
A client seeks medical attention for intermittent signs and symptoms that suggest a diagnosis of Raynaud's disease. The nurse should assess the trigger of these signs/symptoms by asking which question?
- A. Does being exposed to heat seem to cause the episodes?
- B. Do the signs and symptoms occur while you are asleep?
- C. Does drinking coffee or ingesting chocolate seem related to the episodes?
- D. Have you experienced any injuries that have limited your activity levels lately?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Raynaud's disease is vasospasm of the arterioles and arteries of the upper and lower extremities. It produces closure of the small arteries in the distal extremities in response to cold, vibration, or external stimuli. Episodes are characterized by pallor, cold, numbness, and possible cyanosis of the fingers, followed by erythema, tingling, and aching pain. Attacks are triggered by exposure to cold, nicotine, caffeine, trauma to the fingertips, and stress. Prolonged episodes of inactivity are unrelated to these episodes.
A client with significant flail chest has arterial blood gases (ABGs) that reveal a PaO2 of 68 and a PaCO2 of 51. Two hours ago the PaO2 was 82 and the PaCO2 was 44. Based on these changes, which item should the nurse assure easy access to in order to help ensure client safety?
- A. Intubation tray
- B. Injectable lidocaine
- C. Chest tube insertion set
- D. Portable chest x-ray machine
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Flail chest occurs from a blunt trauma to the chest. The loose segment from the chest wall becomes paradoxical to the expansion and contraction of the rest of the chest wall. The client with flail chest has painful, rapid, shallow respirations while experiencing severe dyspnea. The laboratory results indicate worsening respiratory acidosis. The effort of breathing and the paradoxical chest movement have the net effect of producing hypoxia and hypercapnia. The client develops respiratory failure and requires intubation and mechanical ventilation, usually with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP); therefore, an intubation tray is necessary. None of the other options have a direct purpose with the client's current respiratory status.
A client begins to experience a tonic-clonic seizure. Which actions should the nurse take to assure client safety? Select all that apply.
- A. Restrict the client's movements.
- B. Turn the supine client to the side.
- C. Open the unconscious client's airway.
- D. Gently guide the standing client to the floor.
- E. Place a padded tongue blade into the client's mouth.
- F. Loosen any restrictive clothing that the client is wearing.
Correct Answer: B,C,D,F
Rationale: Precautions are taken to prevent a client from sustaining injury during a seizure. The nurse would maintain the client's airway and turn the client to the side. The nurse would also protect the client from injury, guide the client's movements, and loosen any restrictive clothing. Restraints are never used because they could injure the client during the seizure. A padded tongue blade or any other object is never placed into the client's mouth after a seizure begins because the jaw may clench down.
A client states, 'I'm sure I have restless leg syndrome.' The nurse determines that the client is in need of further teaching on the condition when the client identifies the presence of which characteristics? Select all that apply.
- A. A heavy feeling in the legs
- B. Burning sensations in the limbs
- C. Symptom relief when lying down
- D. Decreased ability to move the legs
- E. Symptoms that are worse in the morning
- F. Feeling the need to move the limbs repeatedly
Correct Answer: A,C,D,E
Rationale: Restless leg syndrome is characterized by leg paresthesia associated with an irresistible urge to move. The client complains of intense burning or 'crawling-type' sensations in the limbs and subsequently feels the need to move the limbs repeatedly to relieve the symptoms. The symptoms are worse in the evening and night when the client is still.
The nurse is caring for a client in active labor. Which intervention should the nurse implement to prevent fetal heart rate decelerations?
- A. Discourage the client from walking.
- B. Increase the rate of the oxytocin infusion.
- C. Monitor the fetal heart rate every 30 minutes.
- D. Encourage upright or side-lying maternal positions.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Side-lying and upright positions such as walking, standing, and squatting can improve venous return and encourage effective uterine activity. There are many nursing actions to prevent fetal heart rate decelerations without necessitating surgical intervention.