Nursing Elites

1. A client has experienced a pontine stroke which has resulted in severe hemiparesis. What priority assessment should the nurse perform prior to allowing the client to eat or drink from the food tray?

• A. Evaluate the client's gag reflex.
• B. Assess the client's bowel sounds.
• C. Check the client's pupil reaction.
• D. Monitor the client's heart rate.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is to evaluate the client's gag reflex. When a client has experienced a stroke resulting in severe hemiparesis, assessing the gag reflex is crucial before allowing them to eat or drink. This assessment helps prevent aspiration, a serious complication that can occur due to impaired swallowing ability. Assessing bowel sounds (Choice B), pupil reaction (Choice C), or heart rate (Choice D) are important assessments but are not the priority in this situation where the risk of aspiration is higher.

2. Which ability should Nurse Rebecca expect from a client in the mild stage of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type?

• A. Remembering the daily schedule
• B. Recalling past events
• C. Coping with anxiety
• D. Solving problems of daily living

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In the mild stage of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type, clients can often recall past events but may have difficulty with new information. Therefore, Nurse Rebecca should expect the client to have the ability to recall past events. Choice A is incorrect because remembering the daily schedule may become challenging as the disease progresses. Choice C is incorrect as clients in the mild stage may experience anxiety, but coping with anxiety is not a specific ability associated with this stage of dementia. Choice D is incorrect as solving problems of daily living becomes more challenging as the disease advances, not in the mild stage.

3. In a postmenopausal woman, what condition can be prevented by administering estradiol (Estraderm)?

• A. Endometriosis
• B. Amenorrhea
• C. Osteoporosis
• D. Uterine cancer

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Osteoporosis. Estradiol, a form of estrogen, is used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women by maintaining bone density. Choice A, Endometriosis, is incorrect as estradiol is not used to prevent or treat this condition. Choice B, Amenorrhea, is not prevented by estradiol but rather may result from hormonal changes. Choice D, Uterine cancer, is not directly prevented by estradiol; in fact, long-term unopposed estrogen use can increase the risk of uterine cancer.

4. What causes hepatic encephalopathy?

• A. A brain infection
• B. Increased ammonia levels in the bloodstream
• C. Decreased albumin blood levels
• D. Untreated chronic bronchitis

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Hepatic encephalopathy is caused by increased ammonia levels in the bloodstream. Ammonia, a byproduct of protein metabolism normally processed by the liver, accumulates in the bloodstream when the liver is unable to function properly. This excess ammonia affects brain function, leading to symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not directly relate to the pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy.

5. A healthcare professional is documenting the recent vital signs for several clients on an acute medical ward of a hospital. Which hospital client with a noninfectious diagnosis would be most likely to have a fever?

• A. A 71-year-old female with limited mobility, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and vascular dementia
• B. A 33-year-old female with a postoperative deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
• C. A 51-year-old obese male with hepatic encephalopathy secondary to alcohol abuse
• D. A 71-year-old male with congestive heart failure and peripheral edema

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. Pulmonary emboli can produce fever even without infection. This is known as a noninfectious cause of fever. Choices A, C, and D do not typically present with fever as a prominent symptom. Limited mobility, COPD, vascular dementia, hepatic encephalopathy, alcohol abuse, congestive heart failure, and peripheral edema are not directly associated with causing fever in the absence of infection, unlike pulmonary embolism.

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