Nursing Elites

1. A 35-year-old male is admitted to the hospital complaining of severe headaches, vomiting, and testicular pain. His blood work shows reduced numbers of platelets, leukocytes, and erythrocytes, with a high proportion of immature cells. The nurse caring for this patient suspects a diagnosis of what?

• A. AML
• B. CML
• C. MDS
• D. ALL

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) is a type of cancer where immature lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) proliferate uncontrollably in the bone marrow. This leads to a reduction in the production of platelets, leukocytes, and erythrocytes, causing symptoms such as fatigue, anemia, bleeding tendencies, and increased susceptibility to infection. In ALL, leukemic cell infiltration into other organs is common, which can manifest as severe headaches (due to central nervous system involvement), vomiting, and testicular pain (due to infiltration of leukemic cells into the testes). These are hallmark signs of ALL, especially in younger patients.

2. A client is receiving rituximab. What assessment by the nurse takes priority?

• A. Blood pressure.
• B. Temperature.
• C. Oral mucous membranes.
• D. Pain.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When a client is receiving rituximab, the nurse's priority assessment should be monitoring the blood pressure. Rituximab can lead to infusion-related reactions, such as hypotension. Therefore, assessing the client's blood pressure is crucial to detect and manage any potential adverse reactions promptly. While monitoring temperature, oral mucous membranes, and pain are essential aspects of care, they are not the priority when a client is receiving rituximab.

3. A patient has been found to have an indolent neoplasm. The nurse should recognize what implication of this condition?

• A. The patient faces a significant risk of malignancy.
• B. The patient has a myeloid form of leukemia.
• C. The patient has a lymphocytic form of leukemia.
• D. The patient has a major risk factor for hemophilia.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'The patient faces a significant risk of malignancy.' Indolent neoplasms are characterized by their slow growth and relatively low malignancy potential; however, they do have the capability to progress to malignancy over time. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they make assumptions about specific types of leukemia and hemophilia, which are not necessarily related to the presence of an indolent neoplasm.

4. A client with neutropenia is admitted to the hospital. What precaution is most important for the nurse to implement?

• A. Strict hand hygiene.
• B. Limit visitor contact with the client.
• C. Administer prophylactic antibiotics as ordered.
• D. Administer blood products as ordered.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Strict hand hygiene. Neutropenic clients have a low level of neutrophils, which are important in fighting infections. Therefore, maintaining strict hand hygiene is crucial in preventing the introduction of pathogens that could lead to infections. Limiting visitor contact (choice B) is important but not as critical as preventing the introduction of pathogens through proper hand hygiene. Administering prophylactic antibiotics (choice C) and blood products (choice D) are treatment measures and do not address the preventive aspect that hand hygiene provides.

5. The patient is anxious about subjection to radiation therapy. Which of the following statements of the student nurse requires additional teaching?

• A. Teletherapy is radiation from an external source.
• B. Brachytherapy can be administered via oral or IV.
• C. Brachytherapy is a radiation from inside the patient's body.
• D. Chemotherapy is effective in killing all cancer cells.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the statement 'Chemotherapy is effective in killing all cancer cells' is incorrect. Chemotherapy does not kill all cancer cells and is not the same as radiation therapy. Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells, but it may not kill every single cancer cell. It is important for the student nurse to understand and communicate this distinction to the patient. Choices A, B, and C provide accurate information about teletherapy, brachytherapy, and chemotherapy, respectively, and do not require additional teaching.

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