Nursing Elites

1. 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.

2. When performing the confrontation test to assess peripheral vision, what action should the nurse take?

• A. Asks the client to identify a small object brought into the visual field
• B. Has the client cover one eye while the nurse covers one eye and slowly advances a target midline between them
• C. Covers one eye, while the client covers the opposite eye, and brings a small object into the visual field
• D. Positions at eye level with the client, covers one eye, and has the client cover the opposite eye, then brings a small object into the visual field

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When performing the confrontation test to assess peripheral vision, the nurse should position at eye level with the client, cover one eye, and have the client cover the opposite eye. This approach allows the examiner to bring a small object into the visual field to evaluate the client's peripheral vision. The test aims to compare the client's peripheral vision with the examiner's vision to identify any visual field deficits. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. Choice A pertains to testing color vision, which is not part of the confrontation test. Choice B describes a different procedure that involves advancing a target midline between the client and examiner, not the correct approach for the confrontation test. Choice C is inaccurate as it fails to include the essential step of positioning at eye level with the client, making it an incorrect representation of the confrontation test.

3. A nurse is preparing to assess the function of a client's spinal accessory nerve. Which action does the nurse ask the client to take to aid assessment of this nerve?

• A. Smiling
• B. Clenching the teeth
• C. Shrugging the shoulders against the nurse's resistance
• D. Identifying by taste a substance placed on the back of the tongue

Correct answer: C

Rationale: To assess cranial nerve XI (spinal accessory nerve), the examiner checks the sternomastoid and trapezius muscles for equal size. Equal strength is assessed by asking the client to rotate the head forcibly against resistance applied to the side of the chin and by asking the client to shrug the shoulders against resistance. These movements should feel equally strong on the two sides. The client is asked to smile as a test of the function of cranial nerve VII (facial nerve). The client's ability to clench the teeth is used to assess the motor function of cranial nerve V (trigeminal nerve). The client's taste perception is used to assess the sensory function of cranial nerve IX (glossopharyngeal nerve). Therefore, the correct action to assess the spinal accessory nerve is to ask the client to shrug the shoulders against resistance. The other options are used to assess different cranial nerves, making them incorrect choices.

4. A female client asks a nurse about the advantages of using a female condom. The nurse discusses which advantage with the client?

• A. That it offers protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• B. That it cannot be used along with a male condom
• C. That it does not have to be discarded after use and can be used several times before a new one must be obtained
• D. That it is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is that the female condom offers protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Unlike the male condom, the female condom is a loose-fitting tubular polyurethane pouch that is anchored over the labia and cervix. It is used once and then discarded, making choice C incorrect. Female and male condoms should not be used together, so choice B is incorrect. Additionally, no contraceptive method is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy, making choice D incorrect.

5. A nurse notes the presence of variable decelerations on the fetal heart rate monitor strip and suspects cord compression. The nurse should immediately perform which action?

• A. Insert a gloved finger into the mother's vagina to feel for cord compression
• B. Position the mother so that her hips are elevated
• C. Notify the registered nurse
• D. Perform a vaginal examination on the mother

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When variable decelerations on the fetal heart rate monitor strip suggest cord compression, the immediate action the nurse should take is to reposition the mother to alleviate the compression. Elevating the mother's hips or changing her position can help shift the fetal presenting part and relieve pressure on the cord. This action aims to improve or resolve the variable decelerations. Contacting the registered nurse may be necessary, but it is not the immediate action required in this situation. Performing a vaginal examination is contraindicated due to the potential risk of further compromising blood flow through the umbilical cord. Inserting a gloved finger into the mother's vagina to feel for the cord is also not recommended as it poses a similar risk of exacerbating the situation.

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