NCLEX-RN
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1. The nurse is reviewing the hot/cold theory of health and illness. Which statement best describes the basic tenets of this theory?
- A. The causation of illness is based on supernatural forces that influence the humors of the body.
- B. Herbs and medicines are classified based on their physical characteristics of hot and cold and the humors of the body.
- C. The four humors of the body consist of blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.
- D. The treatment of disease consists of adding or subtracting cold, heat, dryness, or wetness to restore the balance of the humors of the body.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The hot/cold theory of health and illness is based on the four humors of the body: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. These humors regulate the basic bodily functions, described in terms of temperature, dryness, and moisture. The treatment of disease in this theory involves adding or subtracting cold, heat, dryness, or wetness to restore the balance of the humors. Choice A is incorrect as the theory is not based on supernatural forces but on the balance of bodily humors. Choice B is incorrect as herbs and medicines are not classified solely based on their physical characteristics of hot and cold in this theory. Choice C is incorrect as the four humors are blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile, not spiritual connectedness or social aspects. Therefore, the correct choice is D, as it accurately reflects a foundational tenet of the hot/cold theory of health and illness.
2. A patient's blood pressure is 118/82 mm Hg. The patient asks the nurse, "What do the numbers mean?"? Which is the best reply by the nurse?
- A. "The numbers are within the normal range and are nothing to worry about."?
- B. "The bottom number is the diastolic pressure and reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart relaxes."?
- C. "The top number is the systolic blood pressure and reflects the pressure of the blood against the arteries when the heart contracts."?
- D. "The concept of blood pressure can be complex. The primary thing to be concerned about is the top number, or the systolic blood pressure."?
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The systolic pressure is the maximum pressure felt on the artery during left ventricular contraction, or systole. The diastolic pressure is the elastic recoil, or resting, pressure that the blood constantly exerts in between each contraction. The nurse should answer the patient's question in terms they can understand and not just say it is normal and there is nothing to worry about. The diastolic pressure is the pressure in the vessels when the heart is at rest, not the stroke volume. Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure are important. Choice A is incorrect as providing a vague reassurance does not address the patient's query. Choice B is incorrect as it inaccurately describes the diastolic pressure as reflecting stroke volume, which is incorrect. Choice D is incorrect as it oversimplifies the explanation, focusing solely on the top number without providing a complete understanding of blood pressure.
3. A client with expressive aphasia is pointing wildly at the bath water but unable to speak. Which response from the nurse is most appropriate?
- A. Is something wrong with the bath water?
- B. Just calm down, we'll finish your bath soon.
- C. Are you trying to tell me something?
- D. Shall I turn on the television?
Correct answer: A
Rationale: A client with expressive aphasia faces difficulty expressing themselves verbally but can understand others. In this scenario, the client's gestures indicate a communication attempt. The nurse's best response is to directly address the potential issue the client is indicating, which is the bath water. Option A acknowledges the client's non-verbal communication and seeks to address their concern. Choices B, C, and D do not directly address the client's attempt to communicate about the bath water, which is the focal point of the interaction.
4. After change-of-shift report, which patient should the nurse assess first?
- A. 72-year-old with cor pulmonale who has 4+ bilateral edema in his legs and feet
- B. 28-year-old with a history of a lung transplant and a temperature of 101 F (38.3 C)
- C. 40-year-old with a pleural effusion who is complaining of severe stabbing chest pain
- D. 64-year-old with lung cancer and tracheal deviation after subclavian catheter insertion
Correct answer: D
Rationale: The patient with lung cancer and tracheal deviation after a subclavian catheter insertion should be assessed first. Tracheal deviation can indicate tension pneumothorax, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate intervention to prevent inadequate cardiac output or hypoxemia. While the other patients also need assessment, the potential for tension pneumothorax in the patient with tracheal deviation necessitates urgent attention to prevent complications.
5. A urine pregnancy test:
- A. May be negative even if a blood pregnancy test is positive.
- B. Is positive only during the first trimester of pregnancy.
- C. Will be negative if the amount of LH isn't enough to meet or exceed the sensitivity of the testing device.
- D. All of the above.
Correct answer: A
Rationale: A urine pregnancy test detects HCG in a pregnant woman's urine. Blood levels of HCG are usually higher and register earlier than HCG levels in the urine. Choice A is correct because urine pregnancy tests may be negative even if a blood pregnancy test is positive due to the differences in HCG levels in blood and urine. Choice B is incorrect because a urine pregnancy test can be positive throughout pregnancy, not just in the first trimester. Choice C is incorrect because LH (luteinizing hormone) is not the hormone detected in a pregnancy test; it is HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Choice D is incorrect because not all the statements provided are true.
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