HESI LPN
CAT Exam Practice
1. After undergoing an uncomplicated gastric bypass surgery, a client is experiencing difficulty managing their diet. What dietary instruction is most important for the nurse to explain to the client?
- A. Chew food slowly and thoroughly before attempting to swallow
- B. Plan volume-controlled evenly spaced meals throughout the day
- C. Sip fluid slowly with each meal and between meals
- D. Eliminate or reduce intake of fatty and gas-forming foods
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Thoroughly chewing food is crucial for clients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery to aid in digestion and prevent complications. Proper chewing helps break down food into smaller particles, making it easier for the digestive system to process. This instruction is essential to prevent issues such as food blockages or inadequate nutrient absorption. Choices B and C are also important for post-gastric bypass clients to maintain proper nutrition and hydration, but they are not as critical as ensuring thorough chewing. Choice D addresses dietary concerns but is not as immediately crucial as ensuring the client chews food properly to support digestion and prevent complications.
2. What is the most important intervention for a nurse to implement for a child with sickle cell anemia admitted to the hospital during a vaso-occlusive crisis?
- A. Administering oxygen
- B. Ensuring adequate hydration
- C. Monitoring vital signs
- D. Administering pain medication
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Ensuring adequate hydration is crucial during a vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell anemia as it helps to reduce the viscosity of the blood and prevent further sickling of the cells. While administering oxygen may be necessary in some cases, ensuring hydration takes precedence as it directly impacts the underlying pathophysiology of the crisis. Monitoring vital signs is important for ongoing assessment but does not directly address the crisis as hydration does. Administering pain medication is important for pain relief but does not address the primary issue of vaso-occlusion and is not the most crucial intervention in this scenario.
3. Which bioterrorism agent poses a high risk for use as a potential biological weapon due to its ability to be readily transmitted through several portals of entry?
- A. Anthrax.
- B. Smallpox.
- C. Botulism.
- D. Tularemia.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is Anthrax. Anthrax is a high-risk bioterrorism agent because it can be readily transmitted through multiple portals of entry such as inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. This makes it a significant concern for use as a biological weapon. Smallpox, though highly contagious, is not known for multiple portals of entry like Anthrax. Botulism is a potent toxin but is not as easily transmissible through various routes as Anthrax. Tularemia, while a serious bacterial infection, does not have the same ease of transmission through multiple portals of entry as Anthrax.
4. How is the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease confirmed in a 1-month-old infant admitted to the pediatric unit?
- A. Colonoscopy
- B. Rectal biopsy
- C. Multiple saline enemas
- D. Fiberoptic nasoenteric tube
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Rectal biopsy is the definitive diagnostic procedure for Hirschsprung disease in infants. It confirms the absence of ganglion cells in the affected bowel segment, which is characteristic of Hirschsprung disease. Colonoscopy (Choice A) is not typically used for confirmation as it may not provide a definitive result. Multiple saline enemas (Choice C) are utilized in the treatment of meconium ileus, a complication of cystic fibrosis, and not in the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease. Fiberoptic nasoenteric tube (Choice D) is not a diagnostic tool for Hirschsprung disease; it is commonly used for gastrointestinal decompression or feeding purposes but does not confirm the diagnosis.
5. During an assessment, a nurse is evaluating the breath sounds of an adult client diagnosed with pneumonia. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- A. Follow a systematic pattern from side-to-side moving down the client’s chest.
- B. Ask the client to breathe in deeply through their nose.
- C. Instruct the client to sit upright with their head slightly tilted backward.
- D. Place the diaphragm of the stethoscope on the client’s chest.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: When assessing breath sounds in a client with pneumonia, the nurse should follow a systematic pattern from side-to-side moving down the client’s chest. This approach ensures a comprehensive evaluation of breath sounds across different lung fields. Asking the client to breathe in deeply through their nose (Choice B) is not necessary for assessing breath sounds. Instructing the client to sit upright with their head slightly tilted backward (Choice C) is not directly related to assessing breath sounds and may not be required. Placing the diaphragm of the stethoscope on the client’s chest (Choice D) is not the correct technique for auscultating breath sounds, as the diaphragm should be used for this purpose.