Nursing Elites

1. A nurse is assisting with data collection regarding skin and peripheral vascular findings on a client in later adulthood. Which observation would the nurse expect to note as an age-related finding?

• A. Thin, ridged toenails
• B. Thick skin on the lower legs
• C. Loss of hair on the lower legs
• D. Bounding dorsalis pedis pulse

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In later adulthood, age-related findings include trophic changes associated with arterial insufficiency, such as thin, shiny skin; thin, ridged toenails; and loss of hair on the lower legs. These changes occur normally with aging. Thick skin on the lower legs would not be an expected age-related finding as it typically indicates chronic venous insufficiency. A bounding dorsalis pedis pulse is not typical in later adulthood and may indicate arterial insufficiency, which is not an age-related finding.

2. A woman who delivered a healthy newborn 6 hours earlier complains of discomfort at the episiotomy site. Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?

• A. Administering an intravenous (IV) opioid analgesic
• B. Assisting the woman in taking a warm sitz bath
• C. Applying an ice pack to the perineum
• D. Contacting the registered nurse

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Applying an ice pack to the perineum is the most appropriate action in this scenario. Ice causes vasoconstriction, providing relief by numbing the area and preventing edema. It is typically used within the first 12 to 24 hours after birth. Assisting the woman in taking a warm sitz bath is more suitable after 24 hours as warm water can be soothing. Administering an IV opioid analgesic is excessive; an anesthetic spray is more appropriate for surface discomfort. Contacting the registered nurse is unnecessary as applying an ice pack is within the nurse's scope and can effectively address the discomfort without escalation.

3. During data collection of a client with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome, a nurse plans to perform the Phalen test. The nurse should ask the client to perform which activity?

• A. Dorsiflex the foot
• B. Plantarflex the foot
• C. Hold the hands back to back while flexing the wrists 90 degrees for 60 seconds
• D. Hyperextend the fingers with the palmar surfaces of the hands touching, holding the position for 60 seconds

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In the Phalen test, the nurse asks the client to hold the hands back to back while flexing the wrists 90 degrees. This position puts pressure on the median nerve, eliciting symptoms in carpal tunnel syndrome. Dorsiflexing or plantarflexing the foot and hyperextending the fingers are not associated with testing for carpal tunnel syndrome. Acute flexion of the wrist for 60 seconds produces no symptoms in the normal hand.

4. A wrong committed by one person against another (or against the property of another) that might result in a civil trial is:

• A. a tort
• B. a crime
• C. a misdemeanor
• D. a felony

Correct answer: B

Rationale: A tort is a civil wrong committed by one person against another person (or against the property of another) that might result in civil trials. Unlike crimes, which are considered wrongs against the public, torts are personal wrongs. Misdemeanors are crimes punishable with fines or imprisonment for less than one year, whereas felonies are serious crimes punishable by imprisonment for more than one year in a State or Federal penitentiary. Therefore, the correct answer is a tort as it aligns with the definition of a civil wrong that leads to potential civil trials, distinguishing it from crimes, misdemeanors, and felonies.

5. A nurse preparing to assist with data collection of the abdomen asks the client to void and then assists the client into a supine position. Which primary finding does the nurse expect to note on percussing all four quadrants of the abdominal cavity?

• A. Dullness
• B. Tympany
• C. Borborygmus
• D. Hyperresonance

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The nurse expects to primarily note tympany when percussing the abdomen. Tympany should predominate because air in the intestines rises to the surface when the client is in a supine position. Dullness is usually heard over a distended bladder, adipose tissue, fluid, or a mass. Borborygmus, which refers to hyperperistalsis, is typically heard on auscultation, not percussion. Hyperresonance is present with gaseous distention, not the typical finding when percussing all four quadrants of the abdomen.

Similar Questions