Nursing Elites

1. A 7-year-old has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Chest physiotherapy has been ordered. What information should the nurse give to the parents regarding when chest physiotherapy is done?

• A. Before aerosol treatment
• B. After suctioning
• C. Before postural drainage
• D. Before meals

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: 'Before meals'. Chest physiotherapy should be performed before meals to reduce the risk of vomiting and to ensure that the airways are clear for effective nutrition. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because chest physiotherapy is ideally done before meals to optimize its benefits and avoid complications associated with timing.

2. One of the major differences in clinical presentation between Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is that UC is more likely to cause which clinical manifestation?

• A. Pain
• B. Rectal bleeding
• C. Perianal lesions
• D. Growth retardation

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Rectal bleeding is more commonly associated with ulcerative colitis (UC) than with Crohn disease (CD). While both conditions can cause abdominal pain and growth issues, bleeding is a hallmark of UC due to its superficial mucosal inflammation. Perianal lesions are more characteristic of CD, and growth retardation is typically not a direct clinical manifestation of either CD or UC.

3. The clinic nurse is teaching parents about physiologic anemia that occurs in infants. What statement should the nurse include about the cause of physiologic anemia?

• A. Maternally derived iron stores are depleted in the first 2 months.
• B. Fetal hemoglobin results in a shortened survival of red blood cells.
• C. The production of adult hemoglobin decreases in the first year of life.
• D. Low levels of fetal hemoglobin depress the production of erythropoietin.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Physiologic anemia is caused by the transition from fetal to adult hemoglobin, with fetal hemoglobin having a shorter lifespan, leading to a temporary decrease in red blood cells.

4. An intravenous line is needed in a school-age child. What medication is an appropriate analgesic for use with this patient?

• A. TAC (tetracaine, epinephrine [Adrenalin], cocaine) 15 minutes before the procedure.
• B. A transdermal fentanyl (Duragesic) patch at the site of venipuncture.
• C. EMLA (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) immediately before the procedure.
• D. LMX (4% liposomal lidocaine cream) 30 minutes before the procedure.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: LMX is an effective analgesic agent when applied to the skin 30 minutes before a procedure. It eliminates or reduces the pain from most procedures involving skin puncture. TAC provides skin anesthesia about 15 minutes after application to nonintact skin, making it more suitable for wound suturing. Transdermal fentanyl patches are designed for continuous pain control, not rapid pain control needed for a procedure like venipuncture. EMLA, for maximum effectiveness, must be applied approximately 60 minutes before the procedure, making it less suitable for immediate pain relief required for intravenous line placement.

5. Following treatment for iron deficiency anemia, the physician orders lab tests. Which lab value would indicate an improvement in the child’s condition?

• A. Low hemoglobin
• B. Normal platelet count
• C. High reticulocyte count
• D. Low hematocrit

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A high reticulocyte count indicates that the bone marrow is producing more red blood cells, which is a sign of recovery from anemia as the body replenishes its iron stores and increases hemoglobin levels. Low hemoglobin (Choice A) would indicate ongoing anemia rather than improvement. A normal platelet count (Choice B) and low hematocrit (Choice D) are not specific indicators of improvement in iron deficiency anemia.

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