Nursing Elites

1. The mother of a child with hepatitis A tells the home care nurse that she is concerned because the child's jaundice seems worse. What is the nurse's best response?

• A. You need to change the child's diet.
• B. The child probably is infectious again.
• C. The jaundice may worsen before it resolves.
• D. You need to call the primary health care provider.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The best response for the nurse in this situation is to explain to the mother that jaundice may seem to worsen before it eventually gets better. This is a common occurrence in hepatitis A. Option A about changing the child's diet is irrelevant to the concern raised by the mother and not supported by evidence. Option B suggesting the child is infectious again is incorrect and may cause unnecessary alarm as jaundice does not indicate reinfection. Option D, advising the mother to call the primary health care provider, is premature as the nurse can first provide education and reassurance regarding the expected course of jaundice in hepatitis A.

2. A patient is being treated in the Neurology Unit for Meningitis. Which of these is a priority assessment for the nurse to make?

• A. Assess the patient for nuchal rigidity
• B. Determine the patient's past exposure to infectious organisms
• C. Check the patient's WBC lab values
• D. Monitor for increased lethargy and drowsiness

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Monitoring for increased lethargy and drowsiness is crucial as these symptoms indicate a decreased level of consciousness, which is the cardinal sign of increased Intracranial Pressure (ICP). Elevated ICP can lead to serious complications and requires immediate intervention. Assessing for nuchal rigidity is important in suspected cases of meningitis but monitoring lethargy and drowsiness takes precedence due to its direct correlation with ICP. Determining past exposure to infectious organisms and checking WBC lab values are important for diagnosing and treating meningitis but do not directly address the immediate concern of increased ICP.

3. The nurse is collecting data on a child recently diagnosed with glomerulonephritis. Which question to the mother should elicit data associated with the cause of this disease?

• A. ''Has your child had any nausea or diarrhea?''
• B. ''Have you noticed any rashes on your child?''
• C. ''Did your child recently complain of a sore throat?''
• D. ''Did your child sustain any injuries to the kidney area?''

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Did your child recently complain of a sore throat?' Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection is a known cause of glomerulonephritis. In this condition, the child typically becomes ill with streptococcal infection of the upper respiratory tract, and then after 1 to 2 weeks, symptoms of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis can develop. This question aims to gather crucial information related to a potential trigger for glomerulonephritis. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not pertain to a common cause or associated symptom of glomerulonephritis.

4. While auscultating a patient's lungs, the nurse hears low-pitched, bubbling sounds during inhalation in the lower third of both lungs. How should the nurse document this finding?

• A. Inspiratory crackles at the bases
• B. Expiratory wheezes in both lungs
• C. Abnormal lung sounds in the apices of both lungs
• D. Pleural friction rub in the right and left lower lobes

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Inspiratory crackles at the bases.' Crackles are low-pitched, bubbling sounds typically heard during inspiration, which aligns with the nurse's finding. Expiratory wheezes are high-pitched sounds and are not consistent with the described auscultation findings. The lower third of both lungs refers to the bases, not the apices, so option C is incorrect. Pleural friction rubs are grating sounds heard during both inspiration and expiration, unlike the described finding of only hearing the sounds during inhalation in the lower third of both lungs.

5. A patient comes to the emergency department with abdominal pain. Work-up reveals the presence of a rapidly enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm. Which of the following actions should the nurse expect?

• A. The patient will be admitted to the medicine unit for observation and medication.
• B. The patient will be admitted to the day surgery unit for sclerotherapy.
• C. The patient will be admitted to the surgical unit and resection will be scheduled.
• D. The patient will be discharged home to follow-up with his cardiologist in 24 hours.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A rapidly enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm is at significant risk of rupture, which can be life-threatening. The standard treatment for a rapidly enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm is surgical intervention to prevent rupture. Therefore, the appropriate action for the nurse to expect is that the patient will be admitted to the surgical unit, and resection will be scheduled. Observation and medication (Choice A) are not sufficient for a rapidly enlarging aneurysm, and sclerotherapy (Choice B) is not typically used for aortic aneurysms. Discharging the patient home (Choice D) would be inappropriate and dangerous given the risk of rupture.

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