Nursing Elites

1. A nurse assisting with data collection is preparing to auscultate the client's bowel sounds. The client tells the nurse that he ate lunch just 45 minutes ago. On the basis of this information, which finding does the nurse expect to note?

• A. Gurgling sounds
• B. Hypoactive sounds
• C. Low-pitched sounds
• D. An absence of sounds

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Bowel sounds are high-pitched, gurgling, cascading sounds that occur irregularly between five and 30 times a minute. In this scenario, since the client ate lunch just 45 minutes ago, the nurse would expect to note gurgling sounds as normal bowel activity. Hypoactive sounds (low-pitched) or an absence of sounds are usually associated with conditions such as abdominal surgery or inflammation of the peritoneum, not with recent food intake. Therefore, the correct answer is gurgling sounds, indicating normal bowel activity following a recent meal.

2. An assessment of the skull of a normal 10-month-old baby should identify which of the following?

• A. closure of the posterior fontanel.
• B. closure of the anterior fontanel.
• C. overlap of cranial bones.
• D. ossification of the sutures

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is the closure of the posterior fontanel. By 10 months of age, the posterior fontanel should be closed. The anterior fontanel typically closes around 12-18 months of age. Overlapping of cranial bones is not a normal finding and may indicate craniosynostosis, a condition where the sutures close too early. Ossification of the sutures is also not a normal finding in a 10-month-old baby as the sutures should remain open to allow for the growth of the skull.

3. After delivering a healthy newborn 1 hour ago, a nurse notes a woman's radial pulse rate is 55 beats/min. What action should the nurse take based on this finding?

• A. Reporting the finding to the healthcare provider immediately
• B. Helping the woman stay in bed and rest
• C. Documenting the finding
• D. Performing active and passive range-of-motion exercises

Correct answer: C

Rationale: After delivery, bradycardia (pulse rate 50-70 beats/min) may occur, reflecting the large amount of blood returning to the central circulation after delivery of the placenta. The increase in central circulation results in increased stroke volume, allowing a slower heart rate to provide adequate maternal circulation. A pulse rate of 55 beats/min falls within the normal range post-delivery, so there is no need to notify the healthcare provider immediately. It is important for the client to remain on bed rest in the immediate postpartum period to prevent complications. While range-of-motion exercises are beneficial for a client on bed rest, it is not the priority based on the data provided. Therefore, the most appropriate nursing action is to document the finding for accurate record-keeping and monitoring of the client's condition.

4. A nurse is preparing to auscultate a client's breath sounds. To assess vesicular breath sounds, the nurse places the stethoscope over which area?

• A. Major bronchi
• B. The xiphoid process
• C. The trachea and larynx
• D. The peripheral lung fields

Correct answer: D

Rationale: To assess vesicular breath sounds, the nurse should place the stethoscope over the peripheral lung fields. Vesicular breath sounds are heard in these areas where air flows through the smaller bronchioles and alveoli. Bronchovesicular breath sounds, not vesicular, are heard over the major bronchi. Bronchial (tracheal) breath sounds are heard over the trachea and larynx, not vesicular sounds. Breath sounds are not heard over the xiphoid process, making it an incorrect choice.

5. During a voice test, how should the nurse provide words for the client to repeat?

• A. Spoken in a soft tone of voice by the nurse about 5 feet in front of the client
• B. Whispered by the nurse from the client's side at a distance of 1 to 2 feet from the ear being tested
• C. Spoken by the nurse from the client's side in a normal tone of voice about 10 feet from the ear being tested
• D. Whispered at a distance of 20 feet by the nurse while he or she is standing in front of the client

Correct answer: B

Rationale: During a voice test, the nurse should whisper words from the client's side at a distance of 1 to 2 feet from the ear being tested. This distance helps prevent transmission around the head and ensures accurate testing of one ear at a time. By standing close to the client and whispering, the nurse prevents lip-reading and compensatory actions by the client. The client with normal hearing should be able to repeat each word correctly. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. Choice A is wrong as the voice should be whispered, not spoken in a soft tone. Choice C is inaccurate because a distance of 10 feet is too far for precise testing. Choice D is incorrect as whispering from a distance of 20 feet would not effectively test the client's hearing.

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