NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Exam Review Answers
1. A client on lithium has diarrhea and vomiting. What should the nurse do first?
- A. Recognize this as a drug interaction
- B. Give the client Cogentin
- C. Reassure the client that these are common side effects of lithium therapy
- D. Hold the next dose and obtain an order for a stat serum lithium level
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Diarrhea and vomiting are manifestations of lithium toxicity. The priority action for the nurse is to hold the next dose of lithium and obtain an order for a stat serum lithium level to confirm toxicity. This ensures patient safety and prevents further harm. Recognizing it as a drug interaction is not the first step in this scenario. Cogentin is used to manage extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) associated with antipsychotics, not lithium toxicity. Reassuring the client about these symptoms as common side effects of lithium therapy is inappropriate as they indicate a more serious issue than typical side effects like hand tremors, nausea, polyuria, and polydipsia.
2. A client with schizophrenia seems to stop focusing during a conversation with a nurse and begins looking at the ceiling and talking to themselves. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- A. Stop the interview at this point and resume later when the client is better able to concentrate
- B. Ask the client, 'Are you seeing something on the ceiling?'
- C. Tell the client, 'You seem to be looking at something on the ceiling. I see something there, too.'
- D. Continue the interview without commenting on the client's behavior
Correct answer: B
Rationale: When a client with schizophrenia experiences a break in reality like staring at the ceiling and talking to themselves, the nurse should ask directly about the hallucination, as stated in choice B. By doing so, the nurse can assess the situation, identify the client's needs, and evaluate any potential risk for injury. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Stopping the interview (choice A) may not address the immediate concern of the hallucination. Providing false reassurance (choice C) or ignoring the behavior (choice D) does not actively address the client's altered perception of reality.
3. Which of the following is an example of intrapersonal conflict?
- A. A nurse feels guilty when she administers essential medication that causes a client to have nausea and vomiting
- B. A nurse is called to testify in court about a client she cared for three years ago
- C. A nurse feels guilty for working overtime
- D. A nurse faces a conflict with a colleague over patient care decisions
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Intrapersonal conflict involves negative feelings or frustrations within oneself. It may be related to decisions or actions that clash with personal morals or beliefs. Choice A is the correct answer because the nurse is experiencing guilt due to administering medication that causes a client to have negative side effects, which reflects an internal struggle. Choices B, C, and D do not represent intrapersonal conflict. Choice B involves a legal obligation, Choice C is related to external factors like working overtime, and Choice D pertains to a conflict with a colleague.
4. The healthcare professional needs to validate which of the following statements pertaining to an assigned client?
- A. The client has a hard, raised, red lesion on his right hand.
- B. A weight of 185 lbs. is recorded in the chart.
- C. The client reported an infected toe.
- D. The client's blood pressure is 124/70.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Validation is the process of confirming that data are actual and factual. Data that can be measured can be accepted as factual, as in options 1, 3, and 4. The weight, blood pressure, and physical appearance of a lesion can be objectively verified. However, option C, the client reporting an infected toe, requires the nurse to directly assess the client's toe to confirm the statement. This choice involves subjective data that needs to be validated through direct observation, making it the correct answer. Options A, B, and D provide data that can be measured objectively and verified without the need for further assessment.
5. What is the highest priority for post ECT care?
- A. Observe for confusion
- B. Monitor respiratory status
- C. Reorient to time, place, and person
- D. Document the client's response to the treatment
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The highest priority for post ECT care is to monitor respiratory status. This is crucial because a life-threatening side effect of ECT is respiratory arrest. While observing for confusion and reorienting the client are important aspects of post ECT care, they are not as critical as ensuring the client's respiratory status is stable. Documenting the client's response to treatment is also important for maintaining accurate medical records, but it is not the highest priority immediately post ECT.
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