ATI RN
Pathophysiology Practice Questions
1. During a home visit to a family of three: a mother, father, and their child, the mother tells the community nurse that the father (who is not present) had hit the child on several occasions when he was drinking. The mother further explains that she has talked her husband into going to Alcoholics Anonymous and asks the nurse not to interfere so her husband won’t get angry and refuse treatment. Which of the following is the best response of the nurse?
- A. The nurse agrees not to interfere if the husband attends an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that evening.
- B. The nurse commends the mother’s efforts and agrees to let her handle things.
- C. The nurse commends the mother’s efforts and also contacts protective services.
- D. The nurse confronts the mother’s failure to protect the child.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In this situation, the best response for the nurse is to commend the mother's efforts in seeking help for her husband by encouraging him to attend Alcoholics Anonymous. However, it is crucial for the nurse to also contact protective services to ensure the safety and well-being of the child. Option A is incorrect as it is not appropriate to condition non-interference on the husband attending a meeting that evening. Option B is incorrect because solely letting the mother handle things might put the child at risk. Option D is incorrect as it does not address the immediate need to ensure the child's safety through involving protective services.
2. How should the nurse prepare a patient who is to receive a Schilling test for pernicious anemia?
- A. Administer radioactive cobalamin and measure its excretion time
- B. Measure antigen-antibody immune complexes
- C. Measure serum ferritin and total iron-binding capacity
- D. Administer folate and evaluate folate content in a blood serum sample
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. To prepare a patient for a Schilling test for pernicious anemia, the nurse should administer radioactive cobalamin and measure its excretion time. This test is specifically designed to assess the absorption of vitamin B12. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they do not align with the preparation and procedure of a Schilling test. Measuring antigen-antibody immune complexes, serum ferritin, or total iron-binding capacity, as well as administering folate and evaluating folate content, are not part of the Schilling test protocol.
3. A 51-year-old woman has the following clinical findings: thin hair, exophthalmos, hyperreflexia, and pretibial edema. These findings are consistent with:
- A. Subacute thyroiditis.
- B. Autoimmune thyroiditis.
- C. Graves disease.
- D. Hashimoto’s disease.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The clinical findings of thin hair, exophthalmos, hyperreflexia, and pretibial edema are classic features of Graves disease, an autoimmune disorder that results in hyperthyroidism. Exophthalmos (bulging eyes) and pretibial edema (swelling in the lower legs) are particularly associated with Graves disease due to the autoimmune stimulation of the thyroid gland, leading to increased thyroid hormone production. Subacute thyroiditis (Choice A) typically presents with neck pain and tenderness, while autoimmune thyroiditis (Choice B) is commonly known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which presents with hypothyroidism symptoms. Hashimoto's disease (Choice D) is characterized by goiter and hypothyroidism, which contrasts with the hyperthyroidism seen in this patient.
4. A hospital client is at a high risk of developing bacterial endocarditis. Which of the following prophylactic measures is likely to be most effective?
- A. Avoiding exposure to individuals known to carry the streptococcus bacterium
- B. Daily administration of low-dose corticosteroids
- C. Prophylactic antimicrobial therapy before any invasive procedure
- D. Routine vaccinations against meningococcal and pneumococcal infections
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Prophylactic antimicrobial therapy before any invasive procedure is the most effective measure in preventing bacterial endocarditis in at-risk individuals. This measure helps to reduce the risk of bacterial infection during invasive procedures, which can lead to endocarditis. Choice A is incorrect as avoiding exposure to individuals with streptococcus does not address the primary preventive measure needed. Choice B is incorrect as corticosteroids do not prevent bacterial endocarditis, and daily administration is not the recommended prophylactic measure. Choice D is incorrect as routine vaccinations against meningococcal and pneumococcal infections are important for other conditions but not specifically for preventing bacterial endocarditis.
5. Nurse Isabelle enters the room of a client with a cognitive impairment disorder and asks what day of the week it is, what the date, month, and year are, and where the client is. The nurse is attempting to assess:
- A. confabulation.
- B. delirium.
- C. orientation.
- D. perseveration.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: "orientation." Nurse Isabelle is assessing the client's orientation by asking questions about time (day, date, month, year), place, and person. This assessment helps determine the client's awareness of their surroundings and situation. Confabulation (choice A) is the unintentional fabrication of details or events to fill in memory gaps and is not being assessed in this scenario. Delirium (choice B) is a state of acute confusion and disorientation, usually with a rapid onset, which is different from assessing orientation. Perseveration (choice D) refers to the persistent repetition of a response, statement, or behavior and is not the focus of the assessment being conducted by Nurse Isabelle in this situation.
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