Nursing Elites

1. Which pain assessment tool is most appropriate for a 3-month-old hospitalized with a fractured femur?

• A. FLACC scale
• B. Poker chip tool
• C. Number scale
• D. Visual analog scale

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The FLACC scale, which stands for Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability, is specifically designed for nonverbal patients like infants and young children. It assesses pain based on observable behaviors such as facial expressions, leg movement, activity level, cry, and the ability to be consoled. In this case, a 3-month-old infant who is unable to communicate verbally would best be assessed using the FLACC scale to determine the level of pain experienced due to a fractured femur. The Poker chip tool, Number scale, and Visual analog scale are not suitable for nonverbal infants and young children as they rely on self-reporting or cognitive abilities that are not yet developed at this age.

2. Nana Esi is an 11-year-old girl diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). She asks her attending nurse why she can't take a pill rather than shots like her grandmother does. Which of the following would be the nurse's best reply?

• A. If your blood glucose levels are controlled, you can switch to using pills.
• B. The pills correct fat and protein metabolism, not carbohydrate metabolism.
• C. Your body does not make insulin, so the insulin injections help to replace it.
• D. The pills work on the adult pancreas; you can switch when you are 18.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The nurse's best reply to Nana Esi is option C: 'Your body does not make insulin, so the insulin injections help to replace it.' In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, individuals with type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin, necessitating insulin injections for survival. Option A is incorrect as type 1 diabetes always requires insulin therapy. Option B is inaccurate as pills do not replace the function of insulin. Option D is also incorrect as there is no age restriction on using insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes.

3. When educating the mother of a child with respiratory disease who needs a lot of fluids, the mother tells the nurse that when she offers her 24-month-old son juice, he always shakes his head and says, 'No'. The nurse suggests that the mother:

• A. Be firm and hand him the glass
• B. Distract him with some food
• C. Let him see that he is making her angry
• D. Offer him a choice of two things to drink

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Offering a choice can help the child feel more in control and willing to drink. By providing the child with options, the mother empowers him to make a decision, which can increase his willingness to drink fluids. This approach promotes a sense of autonomy and may lead to a more positive response from the child, ultimately contributing to better fluid intake, especially important for a child with a respiratory disease.

4. You are assessing a 26-year-old woman who is 38 weeks pregnant and is in labor. She tells you that she was pregnant once before but had a miscarriage at 19 weeks. You should document her obstetric history as:

• A. gravida 2, para 1.
• B. gravida 2, para 0.
• C. gravida 1, para 1.
• D. gravida 0, para 2.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In obstetrics, gravida indicates the number of pregnancies, including the current one. Para indicates the number of pregnancies carried to viability (20 weeks or more). Since the patient has been pregnant twice but only carried one pregnancy past 20 weeks, her obstetric history should be documented as gravida 2, para 0. The miscarriage at 19 weeks does not contribute to the para count. Choice A (gravida 2, para 1) would indicate that she has had two pregnancies with one resulting in a live birth, which is incorrect. Choice C (gravida 1, para 1) would indicate that she has had one pregnancy with one live birth, which does not reflect her obstetric history. Choice D (gravida 0, para 2) would indicate that she has never been pregnant past 20 weeks, which is also inaccurate.

5. Upon assessing a newborn immediately after delivery, you note that the infant is breathing spontaneously and has a heart rate of 80 beats/min. What is the MOST appropriate initial management for this newborn?

• A. Assess the newborn's skin condition and color.
• B. Initiate positive-pressure ventilations.
• C. Start chest compressions and contact medical control.
• D. Provide blow-by oxygen with oxygen tubing.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In a newborn with a heart rate below 100 beats/min, the most appropriate initial management is to initiate positive-pressure ventilations. This helps support the newborn's respiratory effort and oxygenation in the setting of a low heart rate, ensuring adequate oxygen supply to vital organs. Assessing the skin condition and color, starting chest compressions, or providing blow-by oxygen are not the priority in this scenario where respiratory support is crucial.

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