NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Exam Preview Answers
1. The nurse supervises unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) who are providing care for a patient with right lower lobe pneumonia. The nurse should intervene if which action by UAP is observed?
- A. UAP splint the patient's chest during coughing.
- B. UAP assist the patient to ambulate to the bathroom.
- C. UAP help the patient to a bedside chair for meals.
- D. UAP lower the head of the patient's bed to 15 degrees.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct action for the nurse to intervene in is when the UAP lowers the head of the patient's bed to 15 degrees. This position can decrease ventilation in a patient with pneumonia, potentially worsening their condition. Choices B and C involve assisting the patient with activities of daily living and promoting mobility, which are appropriate for the patient's care. Choice A, splinting the patient's chest during coughing, can help the patient manage coughing effectively, which is also appropriate for a patient with pneumonia.
2. Which action is appropriate for the nurse to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?
- A. Listen to a patient's lung sounds for wheezes or rhonchi.
- B. Label specimens obtained during percutaneous lung biopsy.
- C. Instruct a patient about how to use home spirometry testing.
- D. Measure induration at the site of a patient's intradermal skin test.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Labeling specimens obtained during a percutaneous lung biopsy is a task that can be appropriately delegated to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) as it does not require nursing judgment. UAP can perform this task safely under the supervision of a nurse. Listening to a patient's lung sounds for wheezes or rhonchi, instructing a patient about how to use home spirometry testing, and measuring induration at the site of a patient's intradermal skin test all require nursing judgment and interpretation of findings. These tasks should be performed by licensed nursing personnel to ensure accurate assessment and appropriate intervention.
3. The healthcare professional is preparing to use a stethoscope for auscultation. Which statement is true regarding the diaphragm of the stethoscope?
- A. Used to listen for high-pitched sounds
- B. Used to listen for low-pitched sounds
- C. Should be firmly held against the person's skin to block out low-pitched sounds
- D. Should be lightly held against the person's skin to listen for extra heart sounds and murmurs
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The diaphragm of the stethoscope is designed for listening to high-pitched sounds like breath, bowel, and normal heart sounds. It should be firmly held against the person's skin to ensure optimal sound transmission, leaving a ring after use. On the other hand, the bell of the stethoscope is ideal for detecting soft, low-pitched sounds such as extra heart sounds or murmurs. Therefore, the diaphragm is not used to block out low-pitched sounds but rather to enhance the detection of high-frequency sounds.
4. Which technique of assessment will the healthcare provider use to determine the presence of crepitus, swelling, and pulsations?
- A. Palpation
- B. Inspection
- C. Percussion
- D. Auscultation
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Palpation involves using the sense of touch to assess various characteristics such as texture, temperature, moisture, organ location and size, as well as detecting swelling, pulsations, vibrations, rigidity, crepitus, lumps, masses, and tenderness or pain. In this scenario, the healthcare provider would utilize palpation to physically feel for crepitus, swelling, and pulsations. Inspection primarily relies on visual assessment, percussion involves assessing through palpable vibrations and audible sounds, and auscultation uses the sense of hearing. Therefore, the correct answer is palpation for assessing the presence of crepitus, swelling, and pulsations.
5. When is the best time for the nurse to attempt to elicit the Moro reflex during an infant examination?
- A. When the infant is sleeping
- B. At the end of the examination
- C. Before auscultation of the thorax
- D. At about the middle of the examination
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The Moro reflex, also known as the startle reflex, is best elicited at the end of the examination because it can cause the infant to cry. This reflex is triggered by a sudden change in position or loud noise, and it involves the infant's arms extending and then coming back together as if embracing. By eliciting this reflex at the end of the examination, the nurse can observe the infant's response and ensure that the examination is completed without unnecessary distress. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the Moro reflex is typically elicited at the end of the examination to avoid disrupting the assessment process and causing unnecessary discomfort to the infant.
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