Nursing Elites

1. A nurse provides care on a bone marrow transplant unit and is preparing a female patient for a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) the following day. What information should the nurse emphasize to the patient’s family and friends?

• A. Your family should gather at the bedside in case there is a negative outcome.
• B. Ensure she abstains from eating any food 24 hours before the procedure.
• C. Wear a hospital gown when entering the patient's room.
• D. Avoid visiting if you've had a recent infection.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: 'Avoid visiting if you've had a recent infection.' Before a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, it is essential for visitors to refrain from visiting if they have had a recent illness or vaccination to minimize the risk of infection to the patient. Choice A is incorrect because emphasizing a negative outcome is not beneficial to the patient or their family. Choice B is incorrect as it is not necessary to abstain from food for a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Choice C is irrelevant to the situation as wearing a hospital gown is not the key information for family and friends to be aware of.

2. A client with cancer is admitted to a short-term rehabilitation facility. The nurse prepares to administer the client’s oral chemotherapy medications. What action by the nurse is most appropriate?

• A. Crush the medications if the client cannot swallow them.
• B. Give one medication at a time with a full glass of water.
• C. No special precautions are needed for these medications.
• D. Wear personal protective equipment when handling the medications.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Oral chemotherapy requires the same precautions as IV chemotherapy; personal protective equipment is necessary.

3. A nurse is caring for a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who is receiving erythropoietin therapy. What should the nurse monitor to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment?

• A. Platelet count
• B. Hemoglobin level
• C. White blood cell count
• D. Oxygen saturation

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Erythropoietin therapy is used to stimulate the production of red blood cells in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a disorder characterized by ineffective blood cell production, including red blood cells. The primary goal of erythropoietin therapy is to increase red blood cell count, improving the patient's oxygen-carrying capacity and reducing symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue and weakness. Monitoring hemoglobin levels is the best way to evaluate the effectiveness of this therapy because it directly reflects the patient's red blood cell count and the success of erythropoiesis (red blood cell production).

4. A patient admitted with cancer asks the nurse about the difference between chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Which of the following responses by the nurse indicates a need for further teaching?

• A. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells
• B. Radiation therapy can be internal or external
• C. Radiation therapy is often external
• D. Chemotherapy is more likely to kill normal cells

Correct answer: D

Rationale: While chemotherapy does affect normal, healthy cells—particularly those that divide rapidly—it is not "more likely" to kill normal cells compared to cancer cells. Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells, which includes both cancer cells and some normal cells (like those in hair follicles, the gastrointestinal tract, and bone marrow). However, its primary goal is to kill cancer cells, and its effects on normal cells are a side effect, not the main function. Therefore, the statement that chemotherapy is "more likely" to kill normal cells is inaccurate and indicates a need for further teaching.

5. A client hospitalized for chemotherapy has a hemoglobin of 6.1 mg/dL (61 mmol/L). The client is symptomatic but refuses blood transfusions. What medication does the nurse prepare to administer?

• A. Epoetin alfa.
• B. Filgrastim.
• C. Mesna.
• D. Dexrazoxane.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Epoetin alfa stimulates the production of red blood cells, which is important for a client who refuses blood transfusions.

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