Nursing Elites

1. 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.

2. An appropriate method for administering oral medications that are bitter to an infant or small child should be to mix them with which?

• A. Bottle of formula or milk
• B. Any food the child is going to eat
• C. One teaspoon of something sweet-tasting such as jam
• D. Carbonated beverage, which is then poured over crushed ice

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Mixing bitter medication with a small amount of something sweet, like jam, can mask the taste effectively without diluting the medication too much. Mixing with milk or formula is not recommended as the child may refuse future feedings, and carbonated beverages are not suitable for infants.

3. Latex allergy is suspected in a child with spina bifida. What are appropriate nursing interventions to include in care of this patient?

• A. Avoid using any latex product.
• B. Use only non-allergenic latex products.
• C. Teach the family about long-term management of asthma.
• D. Administer medication for long-term desensitization.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'Avoid using any latex product.' In the case of a suspected latex allergy, it is crucial to prevent exposure to latex products to avoid allergic reactions. Choice B is incorrect because there are no truly non-allergenic latex products. Choice C is irrelevant to the situation described in the question, as the child does not have asthma. Choice D is also incorrect because desensitization is not an immediate option for managing a suspected latex allergy.

4. A four-year-old boy is admitted to the hospital with leg pain and fever. He is pale-looking and has bruises over various areas of his body. The physician suspects acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Which test would be used to confirm the diagnosis?

• A. Bone marrow aspirate
• B. Red blood cell count
• C. Lumbar puncture
• D. Bone scan

Correct answer: A

Rationale: A bone marrow aspirate is the definitive test to confirm acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in this case. It allows for the examination of leukemic cells in the bone marrow, providing a direct assessment of the disease. Red blood cell count (Choice B) is not specific for diagnosing leukemia but may show anemia commonly seen in leukemia patients. Lumbar puncture (Choice C) is used to assess central nervous system involvement, not primarily for confirming ALL. Bone scan (Choice D) is not a standard diagnostic test for ALL and is mainly used for evaluating bone metastases in other conditions.

5. The physician tells the parents of a 2-year-old that the child probably has RSV. The parents ask how the diagnosis will be confirmed. How should the nurse respond?

• A. We will swab your child's nose and send the secretions for testing.
• B. There is no specific test for RSV. The diagnosis is based on symptoms.
• C. We will send a viral culture to an outside lab for testing.
• D. There is no specific test for RSV. The diagnosis is based on symptoms.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. RSV is typically diagnosed by swabbing the nose and testing the secretions. This method helps confirm the presence of the respiratory syncytial virus. Choice B is incorrect because while symptoms are important in diagnosis, specific tests like swabbing for RSV do exist. Choice C is incorrect as sending a viral culture to an outside lab is not the primary method for diagnosing RSV. Choice D is a duplicate of choice B and is incorrect for the same reasons.

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