HESI LPN
Adult Health 1 Final Exam
1. A client is receiving dexamethasone (Decadron). What symptoms should the nurse recognize as Cushingoid side effects?
- A. Moon face, slow wound healing, muscle wasting, sodium and water retention
- B. Tachycardia, hypertension, weight loss, heat intolerance, nervousness, restlessness, tremor
- C. Bradycardia, weight gain, cold intolerance, myxedema facies and periorbital edema
- D. Hyperpigmentation, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, dehydration, hypotension
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Cushingoid side effects are characteristic of excess corticosteroid use, such as dexamethasone. These include moon face (rounding of the face), slow wound healing, muscle wasting, and sodium and water retention. Options B, C, and D describe symptoms that are not typically associated with Cushingoid side effects. Tachycardia, hypertension, weight loss, heat intolerance, nervousness, restlessness, tremor (Option B) are not typical of Cushingoid effects, while bradycardia, weight gain, cold intolerance, myxedema facies, and periorbital edema (Option C) are more indicative of hypothyroidism. Hyperpigmentation, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, dehydration, and hypotension (Option D) are not classical features of Cushingoid side effects.
2. Which electrolyte imbalance is most commonly associated with seizures?
- A. Hyponatremia
- B. Hypercalcemia
- C. Hyperkalemia
- D. Hypokalemia
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Hyponatremia. Hyponatremia, characterized by low sodium levels in the blood, can lead to cerebral edema and seizures due to water shifting into brain cells. Hypercalcemia (choice B) does not commonly cause seizures but can result in muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias. Hyperkalemia (choice C) may lead to muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias, but it is less frequently associated with seizures. Hypokalemia (choice D) is linked to muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias but is not typically related to seizures.
3. As a client who is terminally ill has been receiving high doses of an opioid analgesic for the past month and becomes unresponsive to verbal stimuli as death approaches, what orders would the nurse expect from the healthcare provider?
- A. Decrease the analgesic dosage by half
- B. Discontinue the analgesic
- C. Continue the same analgesic dosage
- D. Prescribe a less potent drug
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Continuing the same dosage of analgesic is appropriate to manage pain effectively as death nears and the client becomes unresponsive. The primary goal of palliative care in end-of-life situations is to ensure comfort, regardless of the client's level of consciousness. Decreasing the analgesic dosage or discontinuing it could lead to inadequate pain relief, which goes against the principles of palliative care. Prescribing a less potent drug may also compromise pain management in this critical stage. Therefore, maintaining the same analgesic dosage is the most appropriate action to provide comfort and alleviate suffering.
4. To evaluate a client's understanding of self-administering insulin within the psychomotor domain of learning, what action should the instructor take?
- A. Have the client demonstrate the procedure.
- B. Explain the procedure again.
- C. Ask the client to describe the procedure.
- D. Observe the client watching a video on the procedure.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Having the client demonstrate the procedure is the most appropriate action to evaluate understanding within the psychomotor domain of learning. This allows the instructor to assess the client's ability to perform the skill, which is a key aspect of this domain. Choice B, explaining the procedure again, focuses on the cognitive domain rather than the psychomotor domain. Choice C, asking the client to describe the procedure, pertains more to the verbal or cognitive domain of learning. Choice D, observing the client watching a video on the procedure, does not directly assess the client's ability to perform the skill in the psychomotor domain.
5. A client with a prescription for “do not resuscitate” (DNR) begins to manifest signs of impending death. After notifying the family of the client’s status, what priority action should the nurse implement?
- A. Assess the client’s need for pain medication
- B. Document the impending signs of death
- C. Inform the nurse manager of the client’s status
- D. Communicate the client’s status to the chaplain
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Assessing the client’s need for pain medication is the priority action as it ensures comfort at the end of life. Pain management is crucial in providing comfort and dignity to clients during their final moments. Documenting impending signs of death (choice B) is important but not the immediate priority over addressing the client's comfort. Updating the nurse manager (choice C) and informing the chaplain (choice D) can follow once the client's immediate needs are met.