ATI RN
WGU Pathophysiology Final Exam
1. A patient with a history of breast cancer is being prescribed tamoxifen (Nolvadex). The nurse should educate the patient about what potential side effect of this medication?
- A. Increased risk of venous thromboembolism
- B. Increased risk of hot flashes
- C. Increased risk of cataracts
- D. Increased risk of bone fractures
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Increased risk of venous thromboembolism. Tamoxifen is known to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism, a serious side effect. Patients should be educated about the signs and symptoms of blood clots such as swelling, redness, warmth, or pain in the affected limb. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because tamoxifen is not associated with an increased risk of hot flashes, cataracts, or bone fractures.
2. In clients with a cognitive impairment disorder, the phenomenon of increased confusion in the early evening hours is called:
- A. Aphasia.
- B. Agnosia.
- C. Sundowning.
- D. Confabulation.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Sundowning. Sundowning is a phenomenon where individuals with cognitive impairment experience increased confusion and agitation in the late afternoon or early evening. This often occurs in conditions like dementia. Choice A, Aphasia, refers to a language disorder affecting a person's ability to communicate. Choice B, Agnosia, is the inability to recognize objects. Choice D, Confabulation, is the production of false memories without the intention to deceive, often seen in conditions like Korsakoff's syndrome.
3. A 54-year-old man presents with a temperature of 38.8°C (101.8°F), a racing heart, fatigue, and an upset stomach after spending an afternoon building a deck on a very hot, humid day. The physician assessing the man is performing a differential diagnosis as part of her assessment. Which finding would suggest fever rather than hyperthermia as a cause of the elevation in the man's temperature?
- A. Absence of sweating
- B. Shivering
- C. Lack of thirst
- D. Increased heart rate
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Shivering is a physiological response to fever, as the body attempts to generate heat to increase the internal temperature. Hyperthermia, on the other hand, does not involve shivering. Absence of sweating (choice A) is more indicative of hyperthermia, as the body struggles to cool down without sweating. Lack of thirst (choice C) can be seen in both fever and hyperthermia. Increased heart rate (choice D) can occur in both fever and hyperthermia due to the body's attempt to regulate temperature.
4. A patient with severe peripheral vascular disease has developed signs of dry gangrene on the great toe of one foot. Which of the following pathophysiologic processes most likely contributed to this diagnosis?
- A. Inappropriate activation of apoptosis
- B. Bacterial invasion
- C. Impaired arterial blood supply
- D. Metaplastic cellular changes
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Impaired arterial blood supply. Dry gangrene is typically caused by impaired arterial blood supply, leading to tissue death without bacterial infection. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Inappropriate activation of apoptosis is not a common cause of dry gangrene. Bacterial invasion usually leads to wet gangrene, not dry gangrene. Metaplastic cellular changes are not directly associated with the development of dry gangrene.
5. What lab results would be noted in a client with leukocytosis?
- A. Increased white blood cell count
- B. Increased platelet count
- C. Decreased white blood cell count
- D. Decreased platelet count
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Leukocytosis is a condition characterized by an elevated white blood cell count, typically in response to infection or inflammation. Therefore, the correct answer is an increased white blood cell count (Choice A). Increased platelet count (Choice B) is not a typical finding in leukocytosis. Choices C and D, decreased white blood cell count and decreased platelet count respectively, are opposite to what would be expected in leukocytosis and are therefore incorrect.
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