ATI RN
Pathophysiology Practice Questions
1. A 30-year-old man has a history of heart transplant and is receiving long-term steroids to prevent rejection. The patient is due for routine vaccines. Attenuated vaccines are contraindicated in this patient because the antigen is:
- A. live and can cause infection.
- B. mutated and infectious.
- C. inactive but still infectious.
- D. pathogenic.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: live and can cause infection. In patients like the one described with a history of heart transplant and receiving long-term steroids, who are immunocompromised, live attenuated vaccines are contraindicated. Live vaccines contain weakened (attenuated) forms of the virus or bacteria, which can replicate and cause mild infections in healthy individuals but can lead to serious infections in immunocompromised individuals. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because attenuated vaccines are not mutated, not inactive, and not pathogenic in healthy individuals, respectively.
2. During a well-child checkup, a mother tells Nurse Rio about a recent situation in which her child needed to be disciplined by her husband. The child was slapped in the face for not getting her husband breakfast on Saturday, despite being told on Thursday never to prepare food for him. Nurse Rio analyzes the family system and concludes it is dysfunctional. All of the following factors contribute to this dysfunction except:
- A. Conflictual relationships between parents.
- B. Inconsistent communication patterns.
- C. Rigid, authoritarian roles.
- D. Use of violence to establish control.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In a dysfunctional family system, conflictual relationships, inconsistent communication patterns, and the use of violence to establish control are factors contributing to dysfunction. However, rigid, authoritarian roles, though also dysfunctional, are not directly linked to the use of violence for control.
3. What is a potential implication of multiple dark bands on the nails?
- A. They are considered a normal variant.
- B. They can be associated with malignant melanoma.
- C. They are indicative of a nail fungus.
- D. They are associated with aging.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Multiple dark bands on the nails can be a concerning sign of malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can affect the nails. While some nail changes are considered normal variants, dark bands should not be dismissed lightly as they can indicate a serious condition like melanoma. Nail fungus typically presents differently, causing discoloration, thickening, or distortion of the nail without distinct dark bands. Additionally, aging can lead to various nail changes, but dark bands alone are not a common feature of normal aging.
4. In which of the following cases is dehydration more likely to occur?
- A. A 50-year-old woman who is a bodybuilder
- B. A 50-year-old man who is morbidly obese
- C. A 10-year-old child who is thin
- D. A 30-year-old with multiple sclerosis
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Morbid obesity increases the risk of dehydration due to the larger body surface area and potential for greater insensible losses. Choices A, C, and D are less likely to experience dehydration compared to a morbidly obese individual.
5. Which of the following women are at highest risk for the development of endometrial cancer?
- A. A 50-year-old postmenopausal woman with a history of high-risk human papillomavirus
- B. A 45-year-old woman who is obese and has menstrual irregularities with periods of amenorrhea and infrequent periods.
- C. A 40-year-old woman who is overweight and has hypertension.
- D. A 55-year-old woman who smokes.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Obesity and irregular menstrual cycles, including periods of amenorrhea and infrequent periods, are significant risk factors for the development of endometrial cancer. Choice A is less likely as postmenopausal status reduces the risk. Choice C is not directly associated with a high risk of endometrial cancer. Choice D, smoking, is more strongly linked to other types of cancers like lung cancer rather than endometrial cancer.
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