Nursing Elites

1. During a well-child checkup, the parent of a 5-year-old child reports the child seems much smaller than the 2 older siblings did at this same age. A review of the medical record reveals that the child is 44 inches tall and weighs 42 pounds. What information should be included in the response by the nurse?

• A. The weight of your child at this time is within normal limits for this age but the child is moderately taller than other children this age.
• B. Your child is within the acceptable range for height but the child is significantly smaller in weight for this age.
• C. Your child is within normal limits for weight but the child is slightly shorter in stature than other children this age.
• D. Your child is slightly taller than other children this age but the child’s weight is normal.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. The child is slightly taller than average, but the weight is within normal limits. This information should be reassuring to the parent and provides insights into normal growth patterns. Choice A is incorrect as it inaccurately states that the child is taller than other children this age. Choice B is incorrect because the child's weight is actually within normal limits. Choice C is incorrect as it inaccurately states that the child is shorter in stature than other children this age.

2. The mother of a 6-year-old boy who has recently had surgery for the removal of his tonsils and adenoids complains that he has begun sucking his thumb again. Which defense mechanism should the nurse include when responding to the mother?

• A. Repression
• B. Regression
• C. Rationalization
• D. Fantasy

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Regression. Regression is a common defense mechanism where a child reverts to an earlier stage of development, such as thumb-sucking, to cope with stress. In this scenario, the 6-year-old boy is using thumb-sucking (a behavior typical of earlier developmental stages) as a way to deal with the stress of surgery. Repression (choice A) involves unconsciously blocking out thoughts or feelings, which is not applicable in this case. Rationalization (choice C) is a defense mechanism where illogical or unreasonable explanations are provided to justify behavior, which is not relevant here. Fantasy (choice D) refers to the use of imagination to escape from reality, which is also not the appropriate defense mechanism for the situation described.

3. When assessing an infant with intussusception, what type of stool would the nurse expect to find?

• A. Soft, seedy stool
• B. Currant-jelly stool
• C. Ribbon-like stool
• D. Soft and pasty stool

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Currant-jelly stool. This type of stool, which is red and mucous-like, is a classic sign of intussusception in infants. Choice A (Soft, seedy stool) is incorrect as it does not specifically describe the characteristic stool associated with intussusception. Choice C (Ribbon-like stool) is incorrect; ribbon-like stool may be seen in conditions like colon cancer, not intussusception. Choice D (Soft and pasty stool) is also incorrect as it does not match the typical stool finding in intussusception.

4. Physiologically, the child compensates for fluid volume losses by which mechanism?

• A. Inhibition of aldosterone secretion
• B. Hemoconcentration to reduce cardiac workload
• C. Fluid shift from interstitial space to intravascular space
• D. Vasodilation of peripheral arterioles to increase perfusion

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In response to dehydration, the body compensates by shifting fluids from the interstitial spaces to the intravascular space to maintain blood pressure and perfusion to vital organs. Hemoconcentration and vasoconstriction are other compensatory mechanisms but are less immediate.

5. The nurse is caring for an adolescent hospitalized for asthma. The adolescent belongs to a large family. The nurse recognizes that the adolescent is likely to relate to which group?

• A. Peers
• B. Parents
• C. Siblings
• D. Teachers

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Adolescents typically identify and relate more closely to their peer group, especially during the teenage years when peer relationships become a central focus.

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