Nursing Elites

1. What is important to include in discharge instructions for parents of a child who has had a tonsillectomy?

• A. Encourage the child to gargle with salt water
• B. Encourage fluid intake
• C. Provide the child with hard candy
• D. Apply heat to the neck

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Encouraging fluid intake is essential in the discharge instructions for a child who has had a tonsillectomy. It helps keep the throat moist, aids in preventing dehydration, and promotes healing. Gargling with salt water is not typically recommended after a tonsillectomy as it may irritate the surgical site. Providing the child with hard candy is not advisable as it can irritate the throat and potentially cause harm. Applying heat to the neck is also not recommended post-tonsillectomy as it can increase swelling and discomfort in the surgical area.

2. A child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy is to receive prednisone as part of his treatment plan. After teaching the child's parents about this drug, which statement by the parents indicates the need for additional teaching?

• A. We should give this drug after he eats something.
• B. We need to watch carefully for possible infections.
• C. The drug should not be stopped abruptly.
• D. He might experience weight gain with this drug.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Giving prednisone with food helps prevent gastrointestinal upset. Therefore, the correct statement is that the drug should be given after the child eats something, not before. Watching for infections is important due to prednisone's immunosuppressive effects, making choice B correct. Choice C is accurate because prednisone should be tapered off gradually to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Weight gain is a common side effect of prednisone, so choice D is also correct. The incorrect statement is choice A, as prednisone should be administered after a meal.

3. A 7-year-old child has an altered mental status, high fever, and a generalized rash. You perform your assessment and initiate oxygen therapy. En route to the hospital, you should be most alert for

• A. vomiting
• B. seizures
• C. combativeness
• D. respiratory distress

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Seizures are a common complication in children with high fever and altered mental status, indicating a risk of febrile seizures. While vomiting can occur with altered mental status, seizures are of higher concern due to the association with febrile illnesses in children. Combativeness may be a concern in some altered mental status cases but is not as common as seizures. Respiratory distress, although important, is not the primary concern in this scenario given the symptoms presented.

4. A child with a cardiac malformation associated with left-to-right shunting. What does this type of congenital disorder lead to primarily?

• A. Elevated hematocrit
• B. Severe growth retardation
• C. Clubbing of the fingers and toes
• D. Increased blood flow to the lungs

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Left-to-right shunting in a cardiac malformation results in increased blood flow to the lungs. This increased blood flow can lead to pulmonary hypertension and heart failure if left untreated. Elevated hematocrit (Choice A) is not a characteristic directly associated with left-to-right shunting. Severe growth retardation (Choice B) is not a typical manifestation of this type of congenital disorder. Clubbing of the fingers and toes (Choice C) is more commonly seen in conditions like chronic respiratory or cardiac diseases, not specifically with left-to-right shunting and associated cardiac malformations.

5. During a physical examination of a 9-month-old baby, the nurse observes a flat, discolored area on the skin. The nurse documents this as a:

• A. Papule.
• B. Macule.
• C. Vesicle.
• D. Scale.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Macule. A macule is a flat, discolored area on the skin that is smaller than 1 cm in diameter. This term is used to describe conditions like freckles or petechiae. Choice A, Papule, refers to a small, solid, raised skin lesion (<0.5 cm) like a pimple. Choice C, Vesicle, describes a small blister filled with clear fluid. Choice D, Scale, refers to flakes or plates of dead skin that may be dry or greasy.

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