Nursing Elites

1. Which individual has the highest risk of developing community-acquired pneumonia?

• A. A 40-year-old first-grade teacher who works with underprivileged children.
• B. A 75-year-old retired secretary with exercise-induced wheezing.
• C. A 60-year-old homeless person who is an alcoholic and smokes.
• D. A 35-year-old aerobics instructor who skips meals and eats only vegetables.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is the 60-year-old homeless person who is an alcoholic and smokes. This individual has the highest risk of developing community-acquired pneumonia due to factors such as homelessness, alcoholism, and smoking, which weaken the immune system and make them more susceptible to respiratory infections. Choice A is incorrect as working with underprivileged children, while potentially exposing the individual to various illnesses, does not directly increase the risk of pneumonia. Choice B is less likely as exercise-induced wheezing may suggest asthma but does not directly correlate with pneumonia risk. Choice D, an aerobics instructor who eats only vegetables and skips meals, does not have the same level of risk factors for pneumonia as the homeless person in choice C.

2. Which intervention should the public health nurse implement to address one of the leading health indicators of Healthy People 2020?

• A. Lead a weekly water aerobics class for the elderly at a community center.
• B. Teach a class on cultural awareness to nursing students at the university.
• C. Design and implement a no smoking campaign at the local high school.
• D. Write a grant to help provide glucometers to individuals who cannot afford one.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Designing and implementing a no smoking campaign aligns with the objective of reducing tobacco use, which is one of the leading health indicators of Healthy People 2020. This intervention directly targets a significant public health concern. Leading a water aerobics class, teaching cultural awareness, or providing glucometers, while beneficial in other contexts, do not specifically address the leading health indicators outlined by Healthy People 2020.

3. Which of the following patients should the home care nurse assess first?

• A. A 65-year-old male with known COPD and difficulty breathing after climbing a flight of stairs.
• B. A 78-year-old with CHF who has gained 4 lbs according to her tele-monitoring.
• C. A 50-year-old with bilateral leg swelling and difficulty walking.
• D. A 60-year-old with lower back pain.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. A patient with known COPD and difficulty breathing after physical exertion like climbing stairs requires immediate assessment by the nurse. This could indicate a potential exacerbation of COPD, which needs prompt intervention to prevent respiratory distress. Choices B, C, and D describe important patient situations that also require attention, but the urgency is higher with a COPD patient experiencing difficulty breathing.

4. As a client who is terminally ill has been receiving high doses of an opioid analgesic for the past month and becomes unresponsive to verbal stimuli as death approaches, what orders would the nurse expect from the healthcare provider?

• A. Decrease the analgesic dosage by half
• B. Discontinue the analgesic
• C. Continue the same analgesic dosage
• D. Prescribe a less potent drug

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Continuing the same dosage of analgesic is appropriate to manage pain effectively as death nears and the client becomes unresponsive. The primary goal of palliative care in end-of-life situations is to ensure comfort, regardless of the client's level of consciousness. Decreasing the analgesic dosage or discontinuing it could lead to inadequate pain relief, which goes against the principles of palliative care. Prescribing a less potent drug may also compromise pain management in this critical stage. Therefore, maintaining the same analgesic dosage is the most appropriate action to provide comfort and alleviate suffering.

5. Statistics of illnesses are termed as:

• A. Vital statistics
• B. Morbidity
• C. Statistics
• D. Mortality

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Morbidity.' Morbidity specifically refers to the statistics of illnesses, encompassing the incidence, prevalence, and duration of disease within a population. Choice A, 'Vital statistics,' typically refers to data on births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Choice C, 'Statistics,' is a broad term encompassing the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of numerical data. Choice D, 'Mortality,' specifically refers to the state of being subject to death or the number of deaths in a given population.

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