NCLEX-RN
NCLEX RN Exam Questions
1. What should the nurse in the emergency department do first for a new patient who is vomiting blood?
- A. Insert a large-gauge IV catheter.
- B. Draw blood for coagulation studies.
- C. Check blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and respirations.
- D. Place the patient in the supine position.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The nurse's initial action should focus on assessing the patient's hemodynamic status by checking vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate, and respirations. This assessment will help determine the patient's immediate needs and guide further interventions. Drawing blood for coagulation studies and inserting an IV catheter are important steps, but they can follow the initial assessment of vital signs. Placing the patient in the supine position can be risky without first assessing the patient's vital signs, as aspiration is a concern. Therefore, assessing vital signs is the priority to ensure appropriate and timely care for the patient.
2. Which finding is most important for the nurse to communicate to the health care provider about a patient who received a liver transplant 1 week ago?
- A. Dry palpebral and oral mucosa
- B. Crackles at bilateral lung bases
- C. Temperature 100.8?F (38.2?C)
- D. No bowel movement for 4 days
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is the patient's temperature of 100.8°F (38.2°C). In a patient who received a liver transplant 1 week ago, a fever is a significant finding that should be promptly communicated to the health care provider. Post-transplant patients are at high risk of infections, and fever can often be the initial indicator of an underlying infectious process. The other findings listed in choices A, B, and D are important and should be addressed, but they do not take precedence over a potential infection post-liver transplant. Dry palpebral and oral mucosa may indicate dehydration, crackles at bilateral lung bases may suggest fluid overload or infection, and no bowel movement for 4 days could indicate a bowel obstruction or ileus. However, in the context of a recent liver transplant, an elevated temperature is the most concerning and requires immediate attention to rule out infection.
3. A client is in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) shivering despite being covered with several layers of blankets. What is the nurse's next action?
- A. Turn the client to the prone position
- B. Assist the client in breathing deeply
- C. Administer meperidine as ordered
- D. None of the above
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In the post-anesthesia care unit, clients may experience shivering or chills due to a drop in body temperature after surgery. Meperidine (Demerol) can be prescribed to alleviate shivering in cold clients. The prone position (lying face down) and deep breathing exercises are not interventions specifically indicated for addressing shivering due to low body temperature. Therefore, administering meperidine as ordered is the most appropriate action to manage the client's shivering in this scenario.
4. To palpate the liver during a head-to-toe physical assessment, the nurse should
- A. put pressure on the biopsy site using a sandbag
- B. elevate the head of the bed to facilitate breathing
- C. place the patient on the right side with the bed flat
- D. check the patient's post-biopsy coagulation studies
Correct answer: C
Rationale: To palpate the liver effectively during a head-to-toe physical assessment, the patient should be positioned on the right side with the bed flat. This position helps to splint the biopsy site and allows for proper palpation of the liver. Elevating the head of the bed has no direct relevance to palpating the liver. Checking coagulation studies is done before the biopsy and is unrelated to palpation. Putting pressure on the biopsy site using a sandbag is not an appropriate way to facilitate liver palpation as it does not provide the necessary support and stabilization needed for the procedure.
5. The nurse is caring for a 36-year-old patient with pancreatic cancer. Which nursing action is the highest priority?
- A. Offer psychological support for depression.
- B. Offer high-calorie, high-protein dietary choices.
- C. Administer prescribed opioids to relieve pain as needed.
- D. Teach about the need to avoid scratching any pruritic areas.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is to administer prescribed opioids to relieve pain as needed. Pain management is the highest priority in this scenario as effective pain control is essential for the patient's overall well-being. Pain relief will not only improve the patient's comfort but also enhance their ability to eat, follow dietary recommendations, and be open to psychological support. Offering psychological support for depression (Choice A) is important but addressing pain takes precedence. While providing high-calorie, high-protein dietary choices (Choice B) is crucial, it is secondary to managing pain. Teaching about the need to avoid scratching pruritic areas (Choice D) is relevant but not the highest priority in this situation where pain management is critical for the patient's quality of life.
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