HESI LPN
Medical Surgical Assignment Exam HESI
1. A client who is experiencing respiratory distress is admitted with respiratory acidosis. Which pathophysiological process supports the client’s respiratory acidosis?
- A. Low oxygen levels are present in the blood.
- B. High levels of carbon dioxide have accumulated in the blood.
- C. Increased bicarbonate levels are causing alkalosis.
- D. Respiratory rate is increased, causing hyperventilation.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: High levels of carbon dioxide in the blood lead to respiratory acidosis due to inadequate ventilation. The correct answer is B. In respiratory acidosis, the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood occurs due to inadequate exhalation, leading to acidosis. Choice A is incorrect as low oxygen levels are related to hypoxemia, not respiratory acidosis. Choice C is incorrect as increased bicarbonate levels would lead to alkalosis, not acidosis. Choice D is incorrect as an increased respiratory rate causing hyperventilation would actually help decrease carbon dioxide levels, not lead to respiratory acidosis.
2. During a nap, a 3-year-old hospitalized child wets the bed. How should the nurse respond?
- A. Ask the child to help with remaking the bed.
- B. Put clean sheets on the bed over a rubber sheet.
- C. Change the child’s clothes without discussing the incident.
- D. Explain that children should call the nurse when they need to go to the bathroom.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: When a 3-year-old hospitalized child wets the bed during a nap, the nurse should respond by changing the child’s clothes without discussing the incident. This approach helps to maintain the child's dignity, avoid embarrassment, and reduce anxiety related to bedwetting. Asking the child to help with remaking the bed (Choice A) may not be appropriate as it could cause unnecessary distress. Putting clean sheets on the bed over a rubber sheet (Choice B) addresses the aftermath but does not directly address the child's needs. Explaining that children should call the nurse when they need to go to the bathroom (Choice D) may not be effective in this immediate situation of bedwetting during a nap.
3. What does the mnemonic device ABCDE stand for?
- A. Allergy, bleeding, chemicals, dietary, environment
- B. Allergy, bleeding, cardio, diabetes, endocrine
- C. Allergy, bleeding, cardio, digestive, endocrine
- D. Allergy, bleeding, cortisone, diabetes, emboli
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: 'Allergy, bleeding, cortisone, diabetes, emboli.' The ABCDE mnemonic is used in healthcare to help remember key assessment points. Choice A is incorrect as 'chemicals' and 'dietary' are not part of the ABCDE assessment. Choice B is incorrect as 'cardio' is not part of the ABCDE mnemonic. Choice C is incorrect as 'cardio' and 'digestive' are not part of the ABCDE mnemonic.
4. When attempting to establish risk reduction strategies in a community, the nurse notes that regional studies indicate a high number of persons with growth stunting and irreversible mental deficiencies caused by hypothyroidism (cretinism). The nurse should seek funding to implement which screening measure?
- A. T3 levels in school-aged children
- B. T4 levels in newborns
- C. TSH levels in women over 45
- D. Iodine levels in all persons over 60
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Screening T4 levels in newborns is crucial as it helps in the early detection of hypothyroidism, which can prevent conditions like cretinism. Checking T3 levels in school-aged children (Choice A) is not the most appropriate measure for early detection of hypothyroidism in newborns. Monitoring TSH levels in women over 45 (Choice C) is not directly related to detecting hypothyroidism in newborns. Additionally, monitoring iodine levels in all persons over 60 (Choice D) is not specifically aimed at early detection of hypothyroidism in newborns, which is crucial to prevent cretinism.
5. The mother of a child who has been diagnosed with varicella asks the nurse when the child can return to school. When is the child no longer contagious?
- A. When the fever dissipates
- B. After the incubation period
- C. When the lesions have healed
- D. When the lesions are crusted over
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: 'When the lesions are crusted over.' Varicella is no longer contagious once the lesions are dry and crusted. This stage indicates that the active viral shedding has significantly decreased, reducing the risk of transmission. Choice A, 'When the fever dissipates,' is incorrect because the presence of fever does not necessarily correlate with the contagiousness of varicella. Choice B, 'After the incubation period,' is incorrect as the incubation period occurs before the onset of symptoms and is not relevant to determining contagiousness. Choice C, 'When the lesions have healed,' is incorrect as healed lesions can still be contagious if they are not crusted over.