NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Exam Questions
1. Which assessment finding would the nurse need to report most quickly to the health care provider regarding a patient with acute pancreatitis?
- A. Nausea and vomiting
- B. Hypotonic bowel sounds
- C. Abdominal tenderness and guarding
- D. Muscle twitching and finger numbness
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is muscle twitching and finger numbness. These symptoms indicate hypocalcemia, which can lead to tetany if not promptly addressed with calcium gluconate administration. Nausea and vomiting, hypotonic bowel sounds, and abdominal tenderness and guarding are important findings in acute pancreatitis but do not require the same urgent intervention as hypocalcemia to prevent potential severe complications.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient with peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The patient complains of burning and tingling of the hands and feet and cannot tolerate touch of any kind. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for these symptoms?
- A. Inadequate tissue perfusion leading to nerve damage.
- B. Fluid overload leading to compression of nerve tissue.
- C. Sensation distortion due to psychiatric disturbance.
- D. Inflammation of the skin on the hands and feet.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Patients with the peripheral vascular disease often sustain nerve damage as a result of inadequate tissue perfusion. Ischemic rest pain is more worrisome; it refers to pain in the extremity that is due to a combination of PVD and inadequate perfusion. Ischemic rest pain often is exacerbated by poor cardiac output. The condition is often partially or fully relieved by placing the extremity in a dependent position, so that perfusion is enhanced by the effects of gravity.
3. A mother brings her child to the well-child clinic and expresses concern to the nurse because the child has been playing with another child diagnosed with hepatitis. The nurse prepares to perform an assessment on the child, knowing that which finding would be of least concern for hepatitis?
- A. Jaundice
- B. Hepatomegaly
- C. Dark-colored, frothy urine
- D. Left upper abdominal quadrant pain
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Assessment findings in a child with hepatitis typically include right upper quadrant tenderness and hepatomegaly. The child may also present with pale, clay-colored stools and dark, frothy urine. Jaundice, which can be observed in the sclerae, nail beds, and mucous membranes, is a common sign of hepatitis. Left upper abdominal quadrant pain is not a typical finding associated with hepatitis; therefore, it would be of least concern in this scenario. The other options are more commonly associated with hepatitis and are important signs to monitor for in a child with possible exposure to the virus.
4. A healthcare provider is assessing vital signs in pediatric patients. Which of the following vital signs is abnormal?
- A. 11-year-old male: 90 BPM, 22 RPM, 100/70 mmHg
- B. 13-year-old female: 105 BPM, 22 RPM, 105/50 mmHg
- C. 5-year-old male: 102 BPM, 24 RPM, 90/65 mmHg
- D. 6-year-old female: 100 BPM, 26 RPM, 90/70 mmHg
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The normal range of vital signs for pediatric patients varies with age. For 11 to 14-year-olds, the normal vital sign ranges are: Heart rate: 60-105 BPM; Respiratory rate: 12-20 RPM; Blood pressure: Systolic 85-120 mmHg, Diastolic 55-80 mmHg. The 13-year-old female in choice B has a diastolic blood pressure below the normal range, indicating hypotension. Additionally, her heart rate is at the upper limit of normal, and her respiratory rate is within normal limits. Choices A, C, and D all fall within the normal ranges for vital signs in pediatric patients.
5. The nurse assesses a patient suspected of having meningitis. Which of the following is a common clinical manifestation of this condition?
- A. A high WBC count and decreased level of consciousness
- B. A high WBC count and manic activity
- C. A low WBC count and manic activity
- D. A low WBC count and decreased level of consciousness
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is 'A high WBC count and decreased level of consciousness.' Meningitis is often caused by an infectious organism, leading to an increase in Intracranial Pressure (ICP), which can result in decreased level of consciousness. While meningitis can trigger an inflammatory response, it typically presents with an elevated white blood cell (WBC) count rather than a low WBC count. Manic activity is not a common clinical manifestation of meningitis; instead, patients may exhibit altered mental status, confusion, or lethargy.
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