HESI LPN
Community Health HESI Practice Exam
1. What is the primary goal of community health nursing?
- A. Promote health and prevent disease
- B. Provide care to the sick
- C. Conduct research
- D. Develop health policies
Correct answer: A
Rationale: The primary goal of community health nursing is to promote health and prevent disease. Community health nurses focus on preventive care, health promotion, and education to improve the overall health of the community. Providing care to the sick (Choice B) is part of nursing but not the primary goal of community health nursing. While research (Choice C) and developing health policies (Choice D) may be components of community health nursing, they are not the primary goal, which is centered around promoting health and preventing disease.
2. An elderly female client with advanced dementia is admitted to the hospital with a fractured hip. The client repeatedly tells the staff, 'Take me home. I want my Mommy.' Which response is best for the nurse to provide?
- A. Orient the client to the time, place, and person.
- B. Tell the client that the nurse is there and will help her.
- C. Remind the client that her mother is no longer living.
- D. Explain the seriousness of her injury and need for hospitalization.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Those with dementia often refer to home or parents when seeking security and comfort. The nurse should use the techniques of 'offering self' and 'talking to the feelings' to provide reassurance (B). Clients with advanced dementia have permanent physiological changes in the brain (plaques and tangles) that prevent them from comprehending and retaining new information, so choices A, C, and D are likely to be of little use to this client and do not address the emotional needs expressed by the client. Option B acknowledges the client's feelings, offers support, and provides reassurance, which can help comfort the client during this distressing time.
3. A 3-year-old child ingests a substance that may be a poison. The parent calls a neighbor who is a nurse and asks what to do. What should the nurse recommend the parent do?
- A. Administer syrup of ipecac.
- B. Call the poison control center.
- C. Take the child to the emergency department.
- D. Give the child bread dipped in milk to absorb the poison.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: In cases of potential poisoning, the best immediate action to take is to call the poison control center. Administering syrup of ipecac is no longer recommended as it can lead to complications such as aspiration and may interfere with subsequent treatments. Taking the child to the emergency department should only be done if advised by the poison control center or if the child is showing severe symptoms. Giving bread dipped in milk to absorb the poison is not an appropriate or effective treatment for poisoning, as it does not address the toxicity of the ingested substance and may delay appropriate medical interventions.
4. A woman with an anxiety disorder calls her obstetrician’s office and tells the nurse of increased anxiety since the normal vaginal delivery of her son three weeks ago. Since she is breastfeeding, she stopped taking her antianxiety medications, but thinks she may need to start taking them again because of her increased anxiety. What response is best for the nurse to provide this woman?
- A. Describe the safety of certain antianxiety medications during breastfeeding
- B. Encourage her to consider stress-relieving alternatives, such as deep breathing exercises
- C. Inform her that some antianxiety medications are safe to take while breastfeeding
- D. Explain that anxiety is a common response for the mother of a 3-week-old
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. Some antianxiety medications are considered safe for use while breastfeeding, and the nurse should provide this information to alleviate the woman's concerns. Choice A has been corrected to focus on the safety of certain antianxiety medications during breastfeeding, which is more accurate. Choice B suggests stress-relieving alternatives, which may help but do not address the need for antianxiety medication if required. Choice D is incorrect because it minimizes the woman's concerns by dismissing her increased anxiety as a normal response.
5. The nurse is caring for a child who has been admitted for a sickle cell crisis. What would the nurse do first to provide adequate pain management?
- A. Administer a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) as ordered.
- B. Use guided imagery and therapeutic touch.
- C. Administer meperidine as ordered.
- D. Initiate pain assessment with a standardized pain scale.
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Initiating pain assessment with a standardized pain scale is crucial in effectively managing pain during a sickle cell crisis. This initial step helps the nurse understand the severity of the pain, which guides subsequent interventions. Administering medications, such as NSAIDs or meperidine, should only be done after a thorough pain assessment to ensure appropriate and individualized treatment. Using guided imagery and therapeutic touch may be beneficial as adjunct interventions, but they should not replace the essential first step of assessing the pain level accurately.