HESI LPN
Adult Health 1 Exam 1
1. When providing care for a client receiving palliative care for terminal cancer, what should the nurse prioritize?
- A. Pain management
- B. Arranging family visits
- C. Discussing advance directives
- D. Providing nutritional support
Correct answer: A
Rationale: When caring for a client receiving palliative care for terminal cancer, the nurse should prioritize pain management. Effective pain management is crucial in enhancing the quality of life for terminally ill patients. While arranging family visits and discussing advance directives are important aspects of care, pain management takes precedence in providing comfort and alleviating suffering. Nutritional support is essential but may be of lesser priority compared to pain management in this context.
2. A nurse is discussing the care of a group of clients with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following clients should the newly licensed nurse identify as experiencing chronic pain?
- A. A client who has a broken femur and reports hip pain.
- B. A client who has incisional pain 72 hours following pacemaker insertion.
- C. A client who has food poisoning and reports abdominal cramping.
- D. A client who has episodic back pain following a fall 2 years ago.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Chronic pain is typically defined as pain lasting longer than 3-6 months or persisting after the expected time for tissue healing. Episodic back pain following a fall 2 years ago fits the criteria for chronic pain. Option A describes acute pain related to a recent fracture. Option B describes acute postoperative pain. Option C describes acute pain associated with an acute condition (food poisoning). Therefore, the correct identification of a client experiencing chronic pain is the one with episodic back pain from a past injury, as it has lasted beyond the normal healing time.
3. The UAP is caring for a male resident of a long-term care facility who has an external urinary catheter. Which finding should the PN instruct the UAP to report immediately?
- A. Swollen and discolored penile shaft
- B. Prepuce extends over the head of the penis
- C. Leaking urine around the top of the catheter
- D. Moist and excoriated perineal skin folds
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Swollen and discolored penile shaft. Swelling and discoloration of the penile shaft may indicate an infection or other complications requiring immediate attention. Prompt reporting allows for timely intervention to prevent further harm to the client. Choice B is incorrect because the prepuce extending over the head of the penis is not an urgent issue. Choice C, leaking urine around the catheter, may require intervention but is not as urgent as the swelling and discoloration described in choice A. Choice D, moist and excoriated perineal skin folds, also needs attention but is not as concerning as the potential complications indicated by the findings in choice A.
4. A male client is returned to the surgical unit following a left nephrectomy and is medicated with morphine. His dressing has a small amount of bloody drainage, and a Jackson-Pratt bulb surgical drainage device is in place. Which intervention is most important for the nurse to include in this client's plan of care?
- A. Monitor urine output hourly
- B. Assess for back muscle aches
- C. Record drainage from the drain
- D. Obtain body weight daily
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The most important intervention for the nurse to include in the client's plan of care following a left nephrectomy with a Jackson-Pratt bulb in place is to record drainage from the drain. Monitoring the drainage is crucial as it helps assess for potential complications such as hemorrhage, infection, or other issues related to the surgical site. Assessing urine output is important post-nephrectomy but not as critical as directly monitoring the drainage. Assessing for back muscle aches may be relevant for pain management but not as crucial as monitoring the drainage. Obtaining body weight daily is not directly related to assessing the surgical drain output and is less critical in this scenario.
5. When caring for a 7-week-old infant with hypothyroidism, the nurse explains that the prevention of what complication is dependent on the administration of oral thyroid replacement therapy and is critical for the child?
- A. Excessive growth
- B. Cognitive impairment
- C. Damage to the nervous system
- D. Damage to the urinary system
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Cognitive impairment. The treatment of choice for congenital and acquired hypothyroidism is oral thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Prompt treatment is especially critical in the infant with congenital hypothyroidism to avoid permanent cognitive impairment. Excessive growth (Choice A) is not a common complication of hypothyroidism in infants. Damage to the nervous system (Choice C) and damage to the urinary system (Choice D) are not typically associated with untreated hypothyroidism in infants.