Nursing Elites

1. The nurse needs to start an intravenous (IV) line on an 8-year-old child to begin administering intravenous antibiotics. The child starts to cry and tells the nurse, "Do it later, okay?" What action should the nurse take?

• A. Postpone starting the IV until the next shift.
• B. Start the IV line and then allow for expression of feelings.
• C. Change the route of the antibiotics to PO.
• D. Postpone starting the IV line until the child is ready.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Starting the IV as planned while allowing the child to express feelings afterward helps build trust and ensures the timely administration of necessary antibiotics. Delaying the procedure or changing the route could compromise the child's treatment.

2. A nurse is evaluating the effectiveness of teaching regarding care of a child with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) that is in remission after the administration of prednisone. The nurse realizes further teaching is required if the parents state what?

• A. We will keep our child away from anyone who is ill.
• B. We will be sure to administer the prednisone as ordered.
• C. We will encourage our child to eat a balanced diet, but we will watch his salt intake.
• D. We understand our child will not be able to attend school, so we will arrange for homeschooling.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Children with MCNS who are in remission can usually attend school and participate in normal activities with precautions to avoid infections. Home schooling may not be necessary, and this indicates a misunderstanding of the condition's management.

3. Nurses should be alert for increased fluid requirements in which circumstance?

• A. Fever
• B. Mechanical ventilation
• C. Congestive heart failure
• D. Increased intracranial pressure

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Fever increases metabolic rate, leading to insensible water loss, thus requiring increased fluid intake. Mechanical ventilation, CHF, and increased intracranial pressure generally require fluid restriction rather than increased fluid intake.

4. A thorough systemic physical assessment is necessary in the extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infant to detect what?

• A. Weight gain reflective of fluid retention
• B. Difficulties in maternal-child attachment
• C. Subtle changes that may be indicative of an underlying problem
• D. Changes in Apgar score over the first 24 hours of life

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants, a thorough systemic physical assessment is crucial to detect subtle changes that may indicate an underlying problem. These infants are highly vulnerable and may show signs of stress through changes in feeding behavior, activity, color, oxygen saturation, or vital signs. Monitoring weight in ELBW infants primarily reflects genitourinary function rather than fluid retention. Difficulties in maternal-child attachment are important but are usually assessed during parental visits and are not the primary focus of a systemic physical assessment. Changes in the Apgar score are used immediately after birth to assess the transition to extrauterine life and are not as relevant in the following 24 hours to detect ongoing subtle issues.

5. When assessing a child with leukemia, which clinical manifestations should the nurse anticipate?

• A. Petechiae, fever, fatigue
• B. Headache, papilledema, irritability
• C. Muscle wasting, weight loss, fatigue
• D. Decreased intracranial pressure, psychosis, confusion

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Petechiae, fever, fatigue. Children with leukemia commonly present with petechiae (due to low platelet count), fever (due to infection), and fatigue (due to anemia), which are classic manifestations of the disease. Option B is incorrect because headache, papilledema, and irritability are more indicative of increased intracranial pressure, not leukemia. Option C is incorrect as muscle wasting and weight loss are not typical initial manifestations of leukemia in children. Option D is incorrect as decreased intracranial pressure, psychosis, and confusion are not commonly associated with leukemia.

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