Nursing Elites

1. A client is having a catheter placed to deliver chemotherapy beads into a liver tumor via the femoral artery. What action by the nurse is most important?

• A. Assessing the client’s abdomen beforehand.
• B. Ensuring that informed consent is on the chart.
• C. Marking the client’s bilateral pedal pulses.
• D. Reviewing client teaching done previously.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Before any invasive procedure, such as placing a catheter to deliver chemotherapy beads into a liver tumor, it is essential to ensure that informed consent has been obtained from the client. This is a legal and ethical requirement that ensures the client understands the procedure, its risks, benefits, and alternatives. Ensuring that the signed consent is on the chart is the most important action the nurse can take before the procedure, as the procedure cannot legally proceed without it.

2. The nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following a pelvic exenteration, and the health care provider changes the client's diet from NPO status to clear liquids. The nurse should check which priority item before administering the diet?

• A. Bowel sounds
• B. Ability to ambulate
• C. Incision appearance
• D. Urine specific gravity

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Bowel sounds. Checking for bowel sounds is crucial before administering any diet to ensure the gastrointestinal tract is functioning properly following surgery. This assessment helps prevent complications such as paralytic ileus. Choices B, C, and D are not the priority in this situation. While the ability to ambulate, incision appearance, and urine specific gravity are important assessments, ensuring bowel function takes precedence in this postoperative scenario.

3. A nurse knows that the patient with stage 3 based on Ann-arber staging has:

• A. 2 or more lymph node involvement and outside the lymph nodes
• B. 2 or more lymph node involvement on one side of the body
• C. 2 or more lymph nodes on the breasts
• D. 2 or more lymph node involvement on both sides of the body

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In the Ann Arbor staging system for lymphomas, Stage 3 indicates that the disease has spread beyond the initial lymph node region to involve lymph nodes on both sides of the diaphragm (i.e., the areas above and below the diaphragm). This includes lymphatic involvement in both the thoracic and abdominal regions, signifying a more advanced disease state.

4. The nurse is monitoring a client for signs and symptoms related to superior vena cava syndrome. Which is an early sign of this oncological emergency?

• A. Cyanosis
• B. Arm edema
• C. Periorbital edema
• D. Mental status changes

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) occurs when the superior vena cava, the large vein that carries blood from the upper body to the heart, becomes compressed or obstructed, often by a tumor or enlarged lymph nodes, typically in cancers like lung cancer or lymphoma. The obstruction leads to increased venous pressure and reduced blood flow, resulting in swelling and edema in areas drained by the superior vena cava. Periorbital edema (swelling around the eyes) is one of the earliest signs of SVCS. This occurs because the impaired venous return causes fluid to accumulate in the soft tissues of the face, especially around the eyes. As the condition progresses, facial swelling can worsen, and other symptoms develop.

5. An oncology patient has just returned from the post-anesthesia care unit after an open hemicolectomy. This patient’s plan of nursing care should prioritize which of the following?

• A. Assess the patient hourly for signs of compartment syndrome.
• B. Assess the patient’s fine motor skills once per shift.
• C. Assess the patient’s wound for dehiscence every 4 hours.
• D. Maintain the patient’s head of bed at 45 degrees or more at all times.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: After an open hemicolectomy (surgical removal of part of the colon), monitoring the surgical wound for signs of dehiscence (wound reopening) is a critical nursing priority. Dehiscence is a serious postoperative complication that can occur if the surgical site does not heal properly. Regular wound assessments every 4 hours allow the nurse to identify early signs of complications, such as redness, swelling, increased drainage, or separation of the wound edges. Early detection is key to preventing further complications, such as infection or evisceration (protrusion of abdominal organs through the wound).

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