NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Exam Preview Answers
1. Which action is appropriate for the nurse to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
- A. Listen to a patient's lung sounds for wheezes or rhonchi.
- B. Label specimens obtained during percutaneous lung biopsy.
- C. Instruct a patient about how to use home spirometry testing.
- D. Measure induration at the site of a patient's intradermal skin test.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Labeling specimens obtained during a percutaneous lung biopsy is a task that can be appropriately delegated to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) as it does not require nursing judgment. UAP can perform this task safely under the supervision of a nurse. Listening to a patient's lung sounds for wheezes or rhonchi, instructing a patient about how to use home spirometry testing, and measuring induration at the site of a patient's intradermal skin test all require nursing judgment and interpretation of findings. These tasks should be performed by licensed nursing personnel to ensure accurate assessment and appropriate intervention.
2. An Asian-American woman is experiencing diarrhea, which is believed to be "cold"? or "yin."? What should the nurse recognize that the woman may likely try to treat it?
- A. Foods that are "hot"? or "yang"?
- B. Readings and Eastern medicine meditations
- C. High doses of medicines believed to be "cold"?
- D. No treatment because diarrhea is an expected part of life.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: In this scenario, the Asian-American woman is believed to be experiencing diarrhea due to a "cold"? or "yin"? imbalance. According to the yin/yang theory, yang represents heat and yin represents cold. Therefore, to balance the cold nature of the diarrhea, the woman may try to treat it by consuming foods that are considered "hot"? or "yang"?. This aligns with the concept that cold foods are eaten with a hot illness, and hot foods are eaten with a cold illness. Choices B, C, and D do not align with the yin/yang theory and are not relevant to addressing the imbalance associated with the cold nature of the diarrhea.
3. A 30-year-old woman has recently moved to the United States with her husband. They are living with the woman's sister until they can get a home of their own. When company arrives to visit the woman's sister, the woman feels suddenly shy and retreats to the back bedroom to hide until the company leaves. She explains that her reaction to guests is simply because she does not know how to speak "perfect English."? What is this woman likely experiencing?
- A. Culture shock
- B. Cultural taboos
- C. Cultural unfamiliarity
- D. Culture disorientation
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The woman in the scenario is likely experiencing culture shock. Culture shock is a term used to describe the state of disorientation or inability to respond to the behavior of a different cultural group due to sudden strangeness, unfamiliarity, and incompatibility with the individual's perceptions and expectations. In this case, the woman's feelings of shyness and retreating due to not feeling confident in speaking 'perfect English' align with symptoms of culture shock. The other choices are incorrect: Cultural taboos refer to behaviors or actions that are prohibited within a particular culture; cultural unfamiliarity suggests a lack of knowledge about a specific culture, which is not the case here; and culture disorientation is not a commonly used term in cultural psychology, making it an incorrect option.
4. After receiving change-of-shift report, which patient should the nurse assess first?
- A. A patient with pneumonia who has crackles in the right lung base
- B. A patient with possible lung cancer who has just returned after bronchoscopy
- C. A patient with hemoptysis and a 16-mm induration with tuberculin skin testing
- D. A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary function testing (PFT) that indicates low forced vital capacity
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is the patient with possible lung cancer who has just returned after bronchoscopy. After bronchoscopy, the patient may have decreased cough and gag reflexes, necessitating immediate assessment for airway patency to prevent potential complications. The other patients do not exhibit urgent clinical manifestations or have undergone recent procedures that require immediate attention. Therefore, they can be assessed after ensuring the safety and stability of the patient who has just returned after bronchoscopy.
5. The nurse is preparing to assess a patient’s abdomen by palpation. How should the nurse proceed?
- A. Avoid palpating reportedly “tender” areas as this may cause pain.
- B. Palpate tender areas quickly to minimize patient discomfort.
- C. Initiate the assessment with deep palpation while encouraging the patient to relax and take deep breaths.
- D. Begin the assessment with light palpation to detect surface characteristics and to acclimate the patient to touch.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct approach is to begin the assessment with light palpation to detect surface characteristics and to acclimate the patient to touch. This allows the nurse to first assess surface features before proceeding to deeper palpation. Starting with light palpation also helps the patient become more comfortable with being touched, creating a smoother examination experience. Palpating tender areas quickly, as suggested in choice B, can increase patient discomfort. Deep palpation, as in choice C, is typically performed after light palpation to avoid discomfort and ensure proper assessment. Avoiding palpation of tender areas first, as in choice A, helps prevent causing unnecessary pain and should be done towards the end of the assessment.
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