Nursing Elites

1. The nurse is preparing to examine a 6-year-old child. Which action is most appropriate?

• A. The child is asked to undress from the waist up.
• B. The head is examined before the thorax, abdomen, and genitalia.
• C. The nurse should keep in mind that a child at this age will have a sense of modesty.
• D. Talking about the equipment being used is avoided to prevent increasing the child's anxiety.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When examining a 6-year-old child, it is important to consider their sense of modesty. The child should undress themselves, leaving underpants on and using a gown or drape to maintain privacy. Additionally, a school-age child like a 6-year-old is curious about how equipment works, so it is beneficial to explain the purpose and function of the tools being used. The examination sequence should typically progress from the child's head to the toes to ensure a thorough assessment. Therefore, choices A, B, and D are incorrect as they do not align with the appropriate approach to examining a 6-year-old child.

2. In a patient with acromegaly, which assessment finding will the nurse expect to find?

• A. Sternal deformity and hyperextensible joints
• B. Growth retardation and a delayed onset of puberty
• C. Overgrowth of bone in the face, head, hands, and feet
• D. Increased height and weight and delayed sexual development

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Acromegaly is a condition characterized by excessive secretion of growth hormone in adulthood after normal body growth completion. This hormonal excess leads to overgrowth of bones in the face, head, hands, and feet; however, there is no significant change in height. Stating sternal deformity and hyperextensible joints is incorrect as they are characteristic findings of Marfan syndrome. Growth retardation and delayed onset of puberty are not typical of acromegaly but are seen in hypopituitary dwarfism. Increased height, weight, and delayed sexual development are features of gigantism, not acromegaly. Therefore, the correct assessment finding in a patient with acromegaly would be overgrowth of bone in the face, head, hands, and feet.

3. What is the MOST ACCURATE statement regarding the ESR test?

• A. The results are diagnostic for certain conditions.
• B. Abnormal results are indicative of a potentially fatal illness.
• C. Abnormal results should be followed by additional testing.
• D. Results are reported in millimeters per hour.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a non-specific screening test for inflammation in the body. It is not used as a definitive diagnostic tool for specific conditions. When ESR results are abnormal, they indicate the presence of inflammation, which can be caused by various reasons. Therefore, abnormal results should be followed by additional testing to determine the underlying cause. The ESR test measures the rate at which red blood cells settle in a vertical tube over the span of one hour, and results are reported in millimeters per hour. Choice A is incorrect because ESR results are not solely diagnostic for any specific condition. Choice B is incorrect as abnormal ESR results do not directly indicate a potentially fatal illness without further investigation. Choice D is incorrect as the results are reported in millimeters per hour, not per minute.

4. You are taking care of 7 patients today. One of your residents wants water; another needs help walking to the bathroom; another just stated that they have chest pain; and another is crying because his daughter did not visit him today. Which patient care task is the lowest in terms of priority?

• A. The water
• B. Help to the bathroom
• C. The chest pain
• D. The crying person

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The lowest priority patient care task in this scenario is addressing the emotional need of the patient who is crying because his daughter did not visit him today. While emotional support is important, the other needs - providing water, assisting to the bathroom, and addressing chest pain - are physical needs that must take priority as they directly impact the patient's well-being and health. It is crucial to acknowledge and address emotional needs but in this situation, the physical needs of the patients should be addressed first.

5. A new staff nurse completes orientation to the psychiatric unit. This nurse will expect to ask an advanced practice nurse to perform which action for patients?

• A. Perform mental health assessment interviews
• B. Establish therapeutic relationships
• C. Prescribe psychotropic medications
• D. Individualize nursing care plans

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Prescriptive privileges are granted to Master's-prepared nurse practitioners who have taken special courses on prescribing medications. The nurse prepared at the basic level performs mental health assessments, establishes relationships, and provides individualized care planning. In this scenario, the new staff nurse would ask the advanced practice nurse to prescribe psychotropic medications, as this is within their scope of practice and expertise. Establishing therapeutic relationships, performing mental health assessments, and individualizing care plans are typically responsibilities of staff nurses at the basic level, not advanced practice nurses.

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