ATI RN
ATI Oncology Quiz
1. A patient on the oncology unit is receiving carmustine, a chemotherapy agent, and the nurse is aware that a significant side effect of this medication is thrombocytopenia. Which symptom should the nurse assess for in patients at risk for thrombocytopenia?
- A. Interrupted sleep pattern
- B. Hot flashes
- C. Epistaxis (nose bleed)
- D. Increased weight
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Thrombocytopenia is a condition characterized by a low platelet count, which increases the risk of bleeding and hemorrhage. Patients receiving chemotherapy agents like carmustine may experience thrombocytopenia as a significant side effect. Epistaxis (nosebleeds) is a common symptom associated with thrombocytopenia, as the blood vessels can become more fragile, and even minor trauma or spontaneous bleeding can occur. Therefore, assessing for signs of bleeding, including epistaxis, is crucial in patients at risk for thrombocytopenia.
2. A client undergoing chemotherapy is at risk for developing mucositis. What nursing intervention is most appropriate to help manage this condition?
- A. Encourage the client to drink plenty of fluids.
- B. Administer antifungal mouthwash.
- C. Teach the client to avoid spicy or acidic foods.
- D. Apply a topical anesthetic to the oral mucosa before meals.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Avoiding spicy or acidic foods can help prevent irritation of the mucosa, which is already sensitive during mucositis.
3. A nurse enters the room of a patient with bladder cancer. The patient asks the nurse about the actions of chemotherapeutic drugs. Which of the following statements by the nurse is correct?
- A. Chemotherapeutic drugs will kill all of your cancer cells
- B. Chemotherapeutic medications are attracted mostly to slowly dividing cells
- C. Chemotherapy can cure cancer
- D. Chemotherapy is specifically destroying cancer cells
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Chemotherapy drugs are designed to target and destroy rapidly dividing cells, which include cancer cells. Cancer cells often divide more quickly than normal cells, and chemotherapeutic agents exploit this characteristic to inhibit their growth and promote cell death. While chemotherapy can also affect other rapidly dividing normal cells (such as those in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, and hair follicles), the primary goal is to target cancerous cells.
4. A patient with leukemia has developed stomatitis and is experiencing a nutritional deficit. An oral anesthetic has consequently been prescribed. What health education should the nurse provide to the patient?
- A. Chew with care to avoid inadvertently biting the tongue.
- B. Use the oral anesthetic 1 hour prior to meal time.
- C. Brush teeth before and after eating.
- D. Swallow slowly and deliberately.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: If oral anesthetics are used, the patient must be warned to chew with extreme care to avoid inadvertently biting the tongue or buccal mucosa.
5. The nurse is caring for a client with multiple myeloma and is monitoring the client for signs of hypercalcemia. Which symptom would be an early indication?
- A. Polyuria
- B. Polyphagia
- C. Polydipsia
- D. Weight loss
Correct answer: A
Rationale: In patients with multiple myeloma, hypercalcemia is a common complication due to the release of calcium from the bones as a result of osteolytic lesions. One of the early symptoms of hypercalcemia is polyuria, or increased urine output. This occurs because elevated calcium levels can lead to impaired renal function and increased renal excretion of calcium, which results in increased urine production. Early recognition of polyuria can help prompt further evaluation and management of hypercalcemia, as untreated hypercalcemia can lead to more severe complications.
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