Nursing Elites

1. A parent receives a note from the school that a student in class has head lice. The parent calls the school nurse to ask how to check for head lice. What instructions should the nurse provide?

• A. Ask the child where it itches.
• B. Check to see if your dog has ear mites.
• C. Look along the scalp line for white dots.
• D. Observe between the fingers for red lines.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is to look along the scalp line for white dots (nits) when checking for head lice. White dots are indicative of head lice infestation. Itching alone, as mentioned in choice A, is not a reliable indicator of head lice. Choice B is irrelevant as it refers to checking for ear mites in a dog, not head lice in a human. Observing between the fingers for red lines, as in choice D, is not a method to check for head lice.

2. What is the appropriate therapeutic management for children with Hirschsprung disease?

• A. daily enemas
• B. low-fiber diet
• C. permanent colostomy
• D. surgical removal of the affected section of bowel

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: surgical removal of the affected section of bowel. Hirschsprung disease is characterized by a segment of the colon lacking nerve cells, leading to obstruction. The definitive treatment involves surgically removing the affected segment, followed by a pull-through procedure to restore normal bowel continuity. Daily enemas (choice A) are not the primary treatment for Hirschsprung disease. While dietary adjustments may be advised, a low-fiber diet (choice B) alone is not curative for this condition. A permanent colostomy (choice C) is considered a last resort if surgical interventions fail or in severe cases, but it is not the initial therapeutic approach for managing Hirschsprung disease.

3. You are managing a 10-month-old infant who has had severe diarrhea and vomiting for 3 days and is now showing signs of shock. You have initiated supplemental oxygen therapy and elevated the lower extremities. En route to the hospital, you note that the child's work of breathing has increased. What must you do first?

• A. Lower the extremities and reassess the child
• B. Begin positive pressure ventilations and reassess the child
• C. Place a nasopharyngeal airway and increase the oxygen flow
• D. Listen to the lungs with a stethoscope for abnormal breath sounds

Correct answer: A

Rationale: In this scenario, the infant is showing signs of shock with increased work of breathing. Lowering the extremities helps improve venous return to the heart, cardiac output, and oxygenation by reducing the pressure on the diaphragm. This action can alleviate the respiratory distress and is a critical step to take in a child with signs of shock. Beginning positive pressure ventilations (Choice B) should be considered if the infant's respiratory distress worsens despite lowering the extremities. Placing a nasopharyngeal airway and increasing oxygen flow (Choice C) may not directly address the increased work of breathing or the underlying shock condition. Listening to the lungs with a stethoscope (Choice D) may provide information on lung sounds but does not address the immediate need to improve breathing in a child with signs of shock.

4. During a nap, a 3-year-old hospitalized child wets the bed. How should the nurse respond?

• A. Ask the child to help with remaking the bed.
• B. Put clean sheets on the bed over a rubber sheet.
• C. Change the child’s clothes without discussing the incident.
• D. Explain that children should call the nurse when they need to go to the bathroom.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: When a 3-year-old hospitalized child wets the bed during a nap, the nurse should respond by changing the child's clothes without discussing the incident. This approach helps to maintain the child's dignity, avoid embarrassment, and reduce anxiety about bedwetting. Asking the child to help remake the bed (Choice A) may not be developmentally appropriate for a 3-year-old and could potentially lead to further distress. Putting clean sheets on the bed over a rubber sheet (Choice B) addresses the aftermath but does not directly address the child's needs and feelings. Explaining that children should call the nurse when they need to go to the bathroom (Choice D) may not be effective in this situation as the child may not have control over bedwetting during sleep.

5. The nurse has developed a plan of care for a 6-year-old with muscular dystrophy. He was recently injured when he fell out of bed at home. Which intervention would the nurse suggest to prevent further injury?

• A. Recommend raising the bed's side rails throughout the day and night.
• B. Suggest having a caregiver present continuously to prevent falls from bed.
• C. Encourage the use of a loose restraint when he is in bed.
• D. Recommend raising the bed's side rails when a caregiver is not present.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: For a child with muscular dystrophy who fell out of bed, it is important to prevent further injuries. Using bed side rails when a caregiver is not present can help provide a safety measure and prevent falls. While continuous caregiver presence (choice B) may be ideal, it may not always be feasible. Recommending raising the bed's side rails throughout the day and night (choice A) may limit the child's mobility unnecessarily. Encouraging the use of a loose restraint (choice C) can be dangerous and may increase the risk of injury in case of a fall.

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