HESI LPN
HESI PN Exit Exam 2024
1. A client who is post-operative from a bowel resection is experiencing abdominal distention and pain. The nurse notices the client has not passed gas or had a bowel movement. What should the nurse assess first?
- A. The client's bowel sounds.
- B. The client's fluid intake.
- C. The client's pain level.
- D. The client's surgical incision.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Assessing bowel sounds is crucial in this situation as it helps determine if the client's gastrointestinal tract is functioning properly. Absent or hypoactive bowel sounds can indicate an ileus, a common post-operative complication. Assessing fluid intake (Choice B) is important but should come after assessing bowel sounds. Pain assessment (Choice C) is essential but addressing the physiological issue should take precedence. Checking the surgical incision (Choice D) is relevant but not the priority when the client is experiencing abdominal distention and potential gastrointestinal complications.
2. In obtaining an orthostatic vital sign measurement, what action should the nurse take first?
- A. Count the client's radial pulse
- B. Apply a blood pressure cuff
- C. Instruct the client to lie supine
- D. Assist the client to stand upright
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct first action when obtaining an orthostatic vital sign measurement is to instruct the client to lie supine. This allows for establishing a baseline measurement of vital signs before any positional changes. Counting the client's radial pulse (Choice A) is a step that follows after the initial supine position to assess changes in pulse rate. Applying a blood pressure cuff (Choice B) and assisting the client to stand upright (Choice D) are actions that come later in the process after the baseline measurements are obtained in the supine position.
3. What dietary considerations must the nurse keep in mind for a patient who is an Orthodox Jew?
- A. They can eat any food unless it is Yom Kippur
- B. They cannot mix meat and dairy
- C. They cannot eat meat on Ash Wednesday
- D. They are vegetarian
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Orthodox Jews follow dietary laws (Kashrut) that prohibit mixing meat and dairy products in the same meal. This restriction is known as 'not mixing milk and meat.' Therefore, choice B is the correct answer. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because being an Orthodox Jew does not mean they can eat any food unless it is Yom Kippur, avoid meat on Ash Wednesday, or are necessarily vegetarian.
4. A female client who has been taking oral contraceptives for the past year comes to the clinic for an annual exam. Which finding is most important for the PN to report to the HCP?
- A. Breast tenderness
- B. Change in menstrual flow
- C. Left calf pain
- D. Weight gain of 5 pounds
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Left calf pain could indicate deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a serious side effect of oral contraceptives. Reporting this finding to the healthcare provider is critical for further evaluation and treatment. Breast tenderness and change in menstrual flow are common side effects of oral contraceptives and may not be as urgent as left calf pain. Weight gain of 5 pounds, while noteworthy, is not as concerning as a possible indication of DVT.
5. In which type of cardiomyopathy does septal involvement occur?
- A. Congestive
- B. Dilated
- C. Hypertrophic
- D. Restrictive
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Septal involvement is a characteristic feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, where the septal wall of the heart thickens. This thickening can obstruct blood flow out of the heart, leading to complications such as arrhythmias and heart failure. This differentiates it from other types of cardiomyopathy. In congestive cardiomyopathy (choice A), the heart's chambers become enlarged and weakened, but there is no specific mention of septal involvement. Dilated cardiomyopathy (choice B) involves dilation and impaired contraction of the heart chambers, not specifically septal thickening. Restrictive cardiomyopathy (choice D) is characterized by stiffening of the heart muscle, affecting its ability to fill properly, without direct involvement of the septum.
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