HESI LPN
HESI PN Exit Exam
1. What is the primary function of surfactant in the lungs?
- A. Reduce surface tension
- B. Enhance oxygen absorption
- C. Facilitate carbon dioxide release
- D. Increase lung volume
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The primary function of surfactant in the lungs is to reduce surface tension in the alveoli. This reduction in surface tension prevents lung collapse and allows for easier breathing. It is particularly crucial in premature infants to help with lung expansion. Choice B is incorrect because surfactant primarily affects surface tension, not oxygen absorption. Choice C is incorrect because surfactant's main role is not in facilitating carbon dioxide release. Choice D is incorrect because surfactant does not directly increase lung volume; its main role is in reducing surface tension.
2. Which intervention is most appropriate when caring for a patient experiencing a tonic-clonic seizure?
- A. Restrain the patient to prevent injury
- B. Place a tongue depressor in the patient's mouth
- C. Turn the patient to the side to maintain an open airway
- D. Attempt to stop the seizure by holding the patient’s arms
Correct answer: C
Rationale: During a tonic-clonic seizure, the priority is to ensure patient safety by maintaining an open airway to prevent aspiration. Turning the patient to the side helps achieve this goal by allowing any fluids to drain out of the mouth, reducing the risk of choking or aspiration. Restraint can lead to injury, placing a tongue depressor can cause harm or obstruct the airway further, and attempting to stop the seizure by holding the patient's arms is ineffective and can also result in injury. Therefore, the most appropriate intervention is to turn the patient to the side.
3. Based on the principle of asepsis, which situation should the nurse consider to be sterile?
- A. A one-inch border around the edges of a sterile field set up in the operating room
- B. A sterile glove that the nurse thinks might have touched her hair
- C. A wrapped, unopened sterile 4x4 gauze pad placed on a damp tabletop
- D. An open sterile Foley catheter kit set up on a table at the nurse's waist level
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because an open sterile Foley catheter kit set up at waist level is considered sterile if it has not been contaminated. Choice A is incorrect because the one-inch border around a sterile field is considered non-sterile. Choice B is incorrect because a sterile glove that might have touched the nurse's hair is likely contaminated. Choice C is incorrect because a wrapped, unopened sterile gauze pad placed on a damp tabletop may have become contaminated.
4. When preparing a sterile field for a procedure, which action should the nurse take to maintain sterility?
- A. Place sterile items around the sterile field
- B. Keep hands below waist level to avoid contamination
- C. Open the sterile package away from the body
- D. Avoid reaching over the sterile field
Correct answer: D
Rationale: To maintain sterility when preparing a sterile field, it is essential to avoid reaching over the sterile field. This action can introduce contaminants from the nurse's clothing or unsterile areas, compromising the sterility of the field. Placing sterile items around the sterile field (choice A) is incorrect as it may increase the risk of contamination by extending the area where non-sterile items may come in contact. Keeping hands below waist level (choice B) is also incorrect as it does not prevent contamination effectively. Opening the sterile package away from the body (choice C) is incorrect since it exposes the contents to the nurse's body, which is not sterile.
5. There has been a serious explosion at a local factory, and many of the injured are arriving at the hospital. Which of the following patients should a nurse attend to first?
- A. A 30-year-old male who is able to walk into the hospital on his own but has numerous lacerations on the chest and face
- B. A 45-year-old male who was brought in on a stretcher, has been assessed as having respiration and circulation within normal limits, and can follow simple commands
- C. A 50-year-old woman who can walk but has a broken arm and numerous lacerations
- D. A 19-year-old man who has numerous lacerations all over the body and whose respiration exceeds 30 breaths per minute
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. The 19-year-old man with a respiration rate exceeding 30 breaths per minute is showing signs of respiratory distress, indicating a potentially life-threatening condition that requires immediate attention. Patients with respiratory distress should be prioritized as it is a critical condition. Choices A, B, and C describe patients with injuries that are less immediately life-threatening or who are more stable based on the provided information, so they can be attended to after the patient with respiratory distress. Therefore, the nurse should attend to the 19-year-old man first to address his respiratory distress and ensure his condition does not deteriorate further.
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