Nursing Elites

1. What intervention is most important to teach the client about identifying the onset of dehydration?

• A. Measuring abdominal girth
• B. Converting ounces to milliliters
• C. Obtaining and charting daily weight
• D. Selecting food items with high water content

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Obtaining and charting daily weight. Monitoring daily weight is crucial in identifying the onset of dehydration as weight loss can be an early sign. Measuring abdominal girth (choice A) is not the most reliable method for detecting dehydration. Converting ounces to milliliters (choice B) and selecting food items with high water content (choice D) may be important for overall hydration but are not the most critical interventions for identifying the onset of dehydration.

2. A client is hospitalized with a urinary tract infection (UTI). Which clinical manifestation alerts the nurse to the possibility of a complication from the UTI?

• A. Burning on urination
• B. Cloudy, dark urine
• C. Fever and chills
• D. Hematuria

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Fever and chills are systemic symptoms that may indicate a more severe infection or a complication of a urinary tract infection (UTI). While burning on urination and cloudy, dark urine are common symptoms of UTI, fever and chills suggest a more serious condition requiring immediate attention. Hematuria, which is blood in the urine, is also a concerning symptom but is more indicative of inflammation or infection rather than a complication.

3. How does the nurse interpret the client's actions of combing her hair only on the right side of her head and washing only the right side of her face after a stroke?

• A. Poor left-sided motor control
• B. Paralysis or contractures on the right side
• C. Limited visual perception of the left fields
• D. Unawareness of the existence of her left side

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The client's selective grooming and washing habits indicate a condition known as 'unawareness of the existence of her left side,' also called hemispatial neglect. This condition is characterized by a lack of awareness or attention to one side of the body or space, typically the left side in stroke patients. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because the client's actions are not due to poor motor control, paralysis, contractures, or limited visual perception. Instead, they are indicative of a specific cognitive deficit related to neglecting one side of the body.

4. The nurse assesses distended neck veins in a client sitting in a chair to eat. What intervention is the nurse's priority?

• A. Document the observation in the chart.
• B. Measure urine specific gravity and volume.
• C. Assess the pulse and blood pressure.
• D. Assess the client's deep tendon reflexes.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to assess the pulse and blood pressure. Distended neck veins can indicate fluid volume overload or heart failure, which can lead to hemodynamic instability. Assessing the pulse and blood pressure will provide immediate information on the client's cardiovascular status. Documenting the observation in the chart (choice A) is important but not the priority when immediate assessment is needed. Measuring urine specific gravity and volume (choice B) is important for assessing renal function but is not the priority in this situation. Assessing the client's deep tendon reflexes (choice D) is not relevant to addressing distended neck veins in a client sitting to eat.

5. When obtaining a client’s vital signs, the nurse assesses a blood pressure of 134/88 mm Hg. What is the nurse’s best intervention?

• A. Call the healthcare provider and report the finding.
• B. Reassess the client’s blood pressure at the next follow-up appointment.
• C. Administer an additional antihypertensive medication to the client.
• D. Teach the client lifestyle modifications to decrease blood pressure.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is to teach the client lifestyle modifications to decrease blood pressure. A blood pressure reading of 134/88 mm Hg falls within the prehypertension range. The initial approach to managing prehypertension involves lifestyle modifications such as dietary changes, exercise, and stress reduction techniques. Calling the healthcare provider without attempting non-pharmacological interventions first is premature. Reassessing blood pressure at the next follow-up appointment may delay necessary interventions. Administering additional antihypertensive medication is not indicated at this stage as lifestyle modifications are the first line of treatment for prehypertension.

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