Nursing Elites

1. A 7-year-old child has an altered mental status, high fever, and a generalized rash. You perform your assessment and initiate oxygen therapy. En route to the hospital, you should be most alert for

• A. vomiting
• B. seizures
• C. combativeness
• D. respiratory distress

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Seizures are a common complication in children with high fever and altered mental status, indicating a risk of febrile seizures. While vomiting can occur with altered mental status, seizures are of higher concern due to the association with febrile illnesses in children. Combativeness may be a concern in some altered mental status cases but is not as common as seizures. Respiratory distress, although important, is not the primary concern in this scenario given the symptoms presented.

2. A premature infant with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) receives artificial surfactant. How does the nurse explain surfactant therapy to the parents?

• A. Surfactant improves the ability of your baby’s lungs to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.
• B. The drug prevents your baby from requiring excessive sedation.
• C. Surfactant is used to reduce episodes of periodic apnea.
• D. Your baby needs this medication to combat a potential respiratory tract infection.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. Surfactant therapy is explained to parents as a treatment that enhances the lungs' ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. This is essential for premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) as it helps improve their respiratory function. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because surfactant therapy primarily focuses on addressing lung function and is not related to sedation, apnea reduction, or fighting respiratory tract infections.

3. A parent of an 11-month-old infant who has a cleft palate asks the nurse why it was recommended that closure of the palate should be done before the age of 2. How should the nurse respond?

• A. “After age 2, surgery is frightening and should be avoided if possible.”
• B. “Eruption of the 2-year molars often complicates the surgical procedure.”
• C. “As your child gets older, the palate gets wider and more difficult to repair.”
• D. “Surgery should be performed before your child starts to use faulty speech patterns.”

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Closure of the cleft palate is recommended before the age of 2 to prevent the development of faulty speech patterns. Performing surgery at a younger age helps avoid speech difficulties that may arise if the repair is delayed. Choice A is incorrect as it focuses on fear, not the developmental aspect. Choice B is incorrect as the eruption of molars is not the primary reason for early surgery. Choice C is incorrect because the difficulty of repair is not solely related to the width of the palate but also to speech development.

4. Why does a cleft lip predispose an infant to infection, concerning a nurse caring for the infant?

• A. Waste products accumulate along the defect.
• B. There is inadequate circulation in the defective area.
• C. Nutrition is inadequate due to ineffective feeding.
• D. Mouth breathing dries the oropharyngeal mucous membranes.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Mouth breathing due to a cleft lip can dry the mucous membranes, increasing their susceptibility to infection. While waste product accumulation (Choice A) and inadequate circulation (Choice B) may contribute to complications, they are not directly related to infection in this context. Inadequate nutrition (Choice C) may affect overall health but is not the primary reason for infection predisposition in this case.

5. A parent calls the clinic because their child has ingested a small amount of household bleach. What should the nurse advise?

• A. Administer activated charcoal
• B. Induce vomiting immediately
• C. Call the poison control center
• D. Take the child to the emergency department

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In the case of a child ingesting household bleach, the primary advice should be to call the poison control center (Choice C). The poison control center can provide specific guidance on how to manage the ingestion, including whether any immediate interventions are necessary. Administering activated charcoal (Choice A) or inducing vomiting immediately (Choice B) can worsen the situation as they are not recommended treatments for bleach ingestion. Taking the child to the emergency department (Choice D) may be necessary depending on the advice given by the poison control center, but the initial step should be to seek guidance from the experts at the poison control center.

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