NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Practice Questions With Rationale
1. Family members of a patient ask repeated questions about the monitors and various readings in the patient's room. What is the most supportive response to their questions?
- A. Inform them that you can't take the time to answer all their questions
- B. Provide detailed explanations for each device
- C. Tell them it's too technical to explain
- D. Provide an overview and encourage them to spend their time with the patient
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Addressing the family's questions and providing an overview of information validates their concerns and addresses their requests. Limiting details and encouraging them to focus on the patient helps to avoid anxiety that could be created by focusing on values that should be interpreted in the context of the patient's situation by professionals with experience with such data. It also encourages them to provide what they uniquely have to offer: a comforting presence for their loved one. Choice A is dismissive and does not address the family's needs. Choice B may overwhelm the family with unnecessary technical information. Choice C is unhelpful as it disregards the family's genuine interest and concern. Therefore, choice D is the most appropriate response as it balances providing information while guiding the family to focus on supporting the patient.
2. What would a healthcare professional expect to observe while assessing the growth of children during their school-age years?
- A. Decreasing amounts of body fat and muscle mass
- B. Little change in body appearance from year to year
- C. Progressive height increase of 4 inches each year
- D. Yearly weight gain of about 5.5 pounds per year
Correct answer: D
Rationale: During school-age years, children typically gain about 5.5 pounds per year and increase in height by about 2 inches annually. This steady growth pattern is expected between ages 2 to 10 years. Choice A is incorrect as children at this stage are expected to gain weight and grow in height. Choice B is incorrect as there should be noticeable changes in body appearance due to growth. Choice C is incorrect as a progressive height increase of 4 inches each year is not typical during the school-age years.
3. During a health history assessment of a new patient, which data should be the focus for patient teaching?
- A. Age and gender
- B. Saturated fat intake
- C. Hispanic/Latino ethnicity
- D. Family history of diabetes
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is saturated fat intake. Behaviors play a crucial role in health outcomes, and saturated fat intake is a modifiable behavior that can significantly impact a patient's health. By focusing on educating the patient about reducing saturated fat intake, the healthcare provider can empower the patient to make positive changes. While age, gender, ethnicity, and family history are important factors in understanding a patient's health status, they are not behaviors that can be directly modified through patient teaching. Therefore, these factors are essential for developing an individualized care plan but are not the primary focus of patient teaching. Saturated fat intake directly relates to dietary habits, which can be altered through education and support to promote better health outcomes.
4. A nonimmunized child appears at the clinic with a visible rash. Which of the following observations indicates the child may have rubeola (measles)?
- A. Small blue-white spots are visible on the oral mucosa.
- B. The rash begins on the trunk and spreads outward.
- C. There is low-grade fever.
- D. The lesions have a "teardrop-on-a-rose-petal"? appearance.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The presence of small blue-white spots on the oral mucosa, known as Koplik's spots, is characteristic of measles (rubeola) infection. These spots typically appear on the buccal mucosa opposite the second molars, 1-2 days before the rash onset, and last until 2 days after the rash appears. While Koplik's spots are pathognomonic for measles, their absence does not rule out the diagnosis. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the rash pattern, presence of low-grade fever, and characteristic appearance of lesions are not specific indicators of measles infection.
5. A client is admitted with the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. While taking a history, the client tells the nurse he was admitted for the same thing twice before, the last time just 3 months ago. The nurse would anticipate the healthcare provider ordering:
- A. Pulmonary embolectomy
- B. Vena caval interruption
- C. Increasing the coumadin therapy to achieve an INR of 3-4
- D. Thrombolytic therapy
Correct answer: B
Rationale: In the case of a client with a history of recurrent pulmonary embolism or contraindications to heparin, vena caval interruption may be necessary. Vena caval interruption involves placing a filter device in the inferior vena cava to prevent clots from traveling to the pulmonary circulation. Pulmonary embolectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a clot from the pulmonary artery, which is usually considered in severe or life-threatening cases. Increasing coumadin therapy to achieve a higher INR may be an option but vena caval interruption would be more appropriate in this scenario. Thrombolytic therapy is used in acute cases of pulmonary embolism to dissolve the clot rapidly, but in a recurrent case with contraindications to anticoagulants, vena caval interruption would be a preferred intervention.
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