Nursing Elites

1. An infant with hydrocephalus is hospitalized for surgical placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Postoperative nursing care would include what?

• A. Monitor closely for signs of infection.
• B. Place the child with the operative side of the head up.
• C. Avoid pumping the shunt reservoir to maintain patency.
• D. Avoid maintaining a Trendelenburg position to decrease pressure on the shunt.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Postoperative nursing care for an infant with hydrocephalus who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement includes monitoring closely for signs of infection, as infection is the greatest hazard in the postoperative period. Signs of cerebrospinal fluid infection to watch for include elevated temperature, poor feeding, vomiting, decreased responsiveness, and seizure activity. The child should be placed with the operative side of the head up to reduce pressure on the valve. The shunt reservoir should not be pumped to maintain patency, as this can disrupt its function. Maintaining a Trendelenburg position to decrease pressure on the shunt is contraindicated as it can lead to increased intracranial pressure and compromise the shunt's effectiveness.

2. The mother of a 6-year-old boy who has recently had surgery for the removal of his tonsils and adenoids complains that he has begun sucking his thumb again. Which defense mechanism should the nurse include when responding to the mother?

• A. Repression
• B. Regression
• C. Rationalization
• D. Fantasy

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Regression. Regression is a common defense mechanism where a child reverts to an earlier stage of development, such as thumb-sucking, to cope with stress. In this scenario, the 6-year-old boy is using thumb-sucking (a behavior typical of earlier developmental stages) as a way to deal with the stress of surgery. Repression (choice A) involves unconsciously blocking out thoughts or feelings, which is not applicable in this case. Rationalization (choice C) is a defense mechanism where illogical or unreasonable explanations are provided to justify behavior, which is not relevant here. Fantasy (choice D) refers to the use of imagination to escape from reality, which is also not the appropriate defense mechanism for the situation described.

3. According to Piaget, a 6-month-old infant should be in which developmental stage?

• A. Use of reflexes
• B. Primary circular reactions
• C. Secondary circular reactions
• D. Coordination of secondary schemata

Correct answer: C

Rationale: By 6 months, infants are usually in the stage of secondary circular reactions, where they start to intentionally repeat actions that bring pleasure or interesting results.

4. A 12-year-old child had an appendectomy 18 hours ago. The nurse is monitoring the child for pain control. Which of the following tools is most appropriate for assessing the child’s pain?

• A. FLACC scale
• B. Numeric scale
• C. NIPS scale
• D. FACES scale

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The Numeric scale is the most appropriate tool for assessing pain in older children, like a 12-year-old, as they can comprehend and use numbers to indicate their pain levels accurately. The FLACC scale is typically used for nonverbal or preverbal children. The NIPS scale is designed for neonates and infants. The FACES scale is more commonly used in younger children who may have difficulty expressing their pain in other ways.

5. Which explains the importance of detecting strabismus in young children?

• A. Color vision deficit may result.
• B. Amblyopia, a type of blindness, may result.
• C. Epicanthal folds may develop in the affected eye
• D. Corneal light reflexes may fall symmetrically within each pupil

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Undetected strabismus can lead to amblyopia, where the brain favors one eye over the other, potentially resulting in permanent vision loss in the affected eye.

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