how should a nurse assess for infection in a patient post surgery how should a nurse assess for infection in a patient post surgery
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Nursing Elites

ATI RN

ATI RN Comprehensive Exit Exam

1. How should a healthcare professional assess for infection in a patient post-surgery?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When assessing for infection in a patient post-surgery, checking the surgical site is crucial. Changes in the appearance of the surgical site, such as redness, swelling, warmth, or drainage, can indicate an infection. While checking for fever (Choice B) is also important as it can be a sign of infection, it is a more general symptom and may not always be present. Checking for abnormal breath sounds (Choice C) and skin color (Choice D) are not typically direct indicators of infection in a post-surgery patient.

2. The healthcare professional is preparing to administer atenolol (Tenormin) to a client with angina. Which vital sign would cause the healthcare professional to question administering this drug?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Atenolol is a beta-blocker medication that can lower heart rate. A pulse of 52 beats per minute is relatively low and administering atenolol could further decrease the heart rate, potentially leading to bradycardia. Monitoring the pulse rate and holding the medication if the pulse is below the prescribed parameters is crucial to prevent adverse effects such as bradycardia and hypotension.

3. Your patient, Christopher, has a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and has severe abdominal pain aggravated by movement, rebound tenderness, fever, nausea, and decreased urine output. This may indicate which complication?

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Severe abdominal pain aggravated by movement, rebound tenderness, fever, nausea, and decreased urine output in a patient with ulcerative colitis may indicate bowel perforation.

4. Each statement is true of calcium within saliva, except one. Which is the exception?

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. Calcium within saliva does not increase dental caries; in fact, the buffering action provided by calcium and phosphate in saliva inhibits caries formation by preventing the dissolution of enamel by plaque biofilm. Choice A is correct as saliva is indeed supersaturated with calcium. Choice B is correct as saliva serves as a source of calcium to mineralize an immature or demineralized enamel surface. Choice C is correct as calcium and phosphate in saliva do provide a buffering action to protect teeth from acids.

5. What describes a common physical change of aging that can affect an older adult's nutrition?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Reduced salivary output is a common physical change in aging. This can affect an older adult's nutrition by impacting chewing, swallowing, and taste perception. The decrease in saliva production can make it harder to chew and swallow food effectively, affecting the overall eating experience. Additionally, saliva plays a role in taste perception, so a reduction in salivary output can lead to alterations in how food tastes, potentially impacting an individual's appetite and food choices. Increased gastrointestinal motility (choice B) is not typically associated with aging and would not directly affect nutrition. Abnormal cortisol production (choice C) is related to hormonal changes and is not a common physical change of aging that affects nutrition. An increase in the number of taste buds (choice D) is not a typical change associated with aging and would not have a significant impact on an older adult's nutrition.

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