A 16-year-old adolescent is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of meningitis. The nurse notes that the client has a severe headache and photophobia. What is the nurse’s priority action?

A. Administer prescribed pain medication

B. Place the client in a dark, quiet room

C. Notify the healthcare provider

D. Encourage the client to rest

Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The priority action for the nurse when a client with meningitis presents with a severe headache and photophobia is to place the client in a dark, quiet room. This intervention helps reduce stimuli that can exacerbate symptoms such as headache and photophobia. Creating a calm environment can provide relief and promote comfort for the client while also supporting their recovery. Administering pain medication may be necessary but ensuring a suitable environment takes precedence. Notifying the healthcare provider is important but is not the immediate priority. Encouraging rest is beneficial, but creating an appropriate environment to alleviate symptoms is the initial essential step.

A 16-year-old female student with a history of asthma controlled with both an oral antihistamine and an albuterol (Proventil) metered-dose inhaler (MDI) comes to the school nurse. The student complains that she cannot sleep at night, feels shaky, and her heart feels like it is 'beating a mile a minute.' Which information is most important for the nurse to obtain?

• A. When she last took the antihistamine.
• B. When her last asthma attack occurred.
• C. Duration of most asthma attacks.
• D. How often the MDI is used daily.

Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The most important information for the nurse to obtain is how often the MDI is used daily. This is crucial to assess if the symptoms of insomnia, shakiness, and rapid heart rate are related to overuse of the inhaler, leading to potential side effects such as systemic effects of beta-2 agonists.

A mother brings her 8-month-old baby boy to the clinic because he has been vomiting and having diarrhea for the last 3 days. Which assessment is most important for the nurse to make?

• A. Assess the infant's abdomen for tenderness
• B. Determine if the infant has been exposed to a virus
• C. Measure the infant’s pulse
• D. Evaluate the infant’s cry

Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The most crucial assessment in this scenario is to measure the infant's pulse. Pulse measurement is essential to evaluate the severity of dehydration, which can be a significant concern in a baby experiencing vomiting and diarrhea for several days. Assessing the abdomen for tenderness may provide information on potential causes of symptoms but is not as urgent as monitoring hydration status. Determining exposure to a virus is important for infection control but does not directly address the immediate issue of dehydration. Evaluating the infant's cry, although a form of communication, does not provide critical information regarding the baby's physiological status in this situation.

The parents of a 3-year-old boy who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) ask, 'how can our son have this disease? We are wondering if we should have any more children.' What information should the nurse provide these parents?

• A. This is an inherited X-linked recessive disorder, which primarily affects male children in the family.
• B. The male infant had a viral infection that went unnoticed and untreated, leading to muscle damage.
• C. The lack of the protein dystrophin in the mother can impact the muscle groups of males.
• D. Damage to the spinal cord due to birth trauma from a breech vaginal birth weakens the muscles.

Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse should inform the parents that Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked recessive disorder, which primarily affects male children in the family. This genetic condition is caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene located on the X chromosome. Females are usually carriers of the gene mutation and may pass it on to their sons. Daughters of carrier mothers have a 50% chance of being carriers themselves. Understanding the genetics of DMD can help the parents make informed decisions about family planning and genetic counseling.

What information should the nurse provide to parents of a 3-year-old boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who inquire about the disease and future children?

• A. This is an inherited X-linked recessive disorder, which primarily affects male children in the family
• B. The striated muscle groups of males can be impacted by a lack of the protein dystrophin in their mothers
• C. The male infant had a viral infection that went unnoticed and untreated so muscle damage was incurred
• D. Birth trauma with a breech vaginal birth causes damage to the spinal cord, thus weakening the muscles

Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by mutations in the DMD gene on the X chromosome. This disorder primarily affects males because they have one X chromosome, inherited from their mothers, who may be carriers of the mutated gene. Females have two X chromosomes, providing a protective effect as the normal gene on one X chromosome can compensate for the mutated gene on the other. Therefore, the nurse should explain to the parents that Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an inherited X-linked recessive disorder, which is why their son has the disease and why there is a risk of passing it on to future sons. Choice B is incorrect as it inaccurately implies that the lack of dystrophin in mothers impacts their sons' muscle groups. Choice C is incorrect as it suggests a viral infection caused the muscle damage, which is not the case with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Choice D is incorrect as it attributes the muscle weakness to birth trauma instead of the genetic nature of the disorder.