Nursing Elites

1. What disease should be suspected in a 3-day-old infant presenting with abdominal distention, vomiting, and failure to pass meconium?

• A. Pyloric stenosis
• B. Intussusception
• C. Hirschsprung disease
• D. Celiac disease

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Hirschsprung disease should be suspected in a newborn with abdominal distention, vomiting, and failure to pass meconium. This condition arises from a congenital absence of nerve cells in a portion of the colon, leading to severe constipation and intestinal obstruction. Pyloric stenosis typically presents with non-bilious projectile vomiting in the first few weeks of life. Intussusception classically manifests with sudden onset of colicky abdominal pain and currant jelly stools. Celiac disease may present with chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive, and abdominal distention but is less likely in this scenario.

2. What is the most effective way to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?

• A. Use a firm mattress
• B. Place the baby on their back to sleep
• C. Keep the room warm
• D. Breastfeed exclusively

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to place the baby on their back to sleep. This position is the most effective way to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) according to research and recommendations from healthcare providers. Choice A, using a firm mattress, is important for infant safety but not as directly related to preventing SIDS. Keeping the room warm, as mentioned in choice C, is not recommended as it may increase the risk of SIDS. While breastfeeding has many benefits, choice D, breastfeeding exclusively is not the most effective method for preventing SIDS.

3. The nurse is caring for an infant who was born 24 hr ago to a mother who received no prenatal care. The infant is a poor feeder but sucks avidly on his hands. Clinical manifestations also include hyperactive reflexes, tremors, sneezing, and a high-pitched shrill cry. What does the nurse consider as a possible diagnosis for this infant?

• A. Seizure disorder
• B. Narcotic withdrawal
• C. Placental insufficiency
• D. Meconium aspiration syndrome

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In this case, the infant's symptoms are consistent with narcotic withdrawal. Infants exposed to drugs in utero may display withdrawal symptoms starting around 12 to 24 hours post-birth. The presentation often includes hyperactive reflexes, tremors, sneezing, high-pitched shrill cry, poor feeding, and sucking avidly on hands. Signs such as loose stools, tachycardia, fever, projectile vomiting, sneezing, and generalized sweating are common. These symptoms are not indicative of a seizure disorder. Placental insufficiency typically leads to a small-for-gestational-age child, which is not mentioned in the scenario. Meconium aspiration syndrome primarily presents with respiratory distress, not the symptoms described in this case.

4. Melena, the passage of black, tarry stools, suggests bleeding from which source?

• A. The perianal or rectal area
• B. The upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract
• C. The lower GI tract
• D. Hemorrhoids or anal fissures

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Melena indicates bleeding from the upper GI tract. The black, tarry appearance of the stool results from the partial digestion of blood as it passes through the intestines, typically originating from sources like the stomach or duodenum. Lower GI bleeding usually presents as bright red blood in the stool, originating from sources like the colon or rectum. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because melena specifically points to upper GI bleeding rather than issues in the perianal/rectal area, lower GI tract, or hemorrhoids/anal fissures.

5. What is an advantage of the ventrogluteal muscle as an injection site in young children?

• A. Easily accessible from many directions
• B. Free of significant nerves and vascular structures
• C. Can be used until the child reaches a weight of 9 kg (20 lb)
• D. Increased subcutaneous fat, which provides sustained drug absorption

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The ventrogluteal site is free of significant nerves and vascular structures, making it a safer choice for intramuscular injections in young children compared to other sites that may be more prone to complications.

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