Nursing Elites

1. What is an appropriate nursing intervention for a child with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) who has scrotal edema?

• A. Place an ice pack on the scrotal area.
• B. Place the child in an upright sitting position.
• C. Elevate the scrotum with a rolled washcloth.
• D. Place a warm moist pack to the scrotal area.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Elevating the scrotum with a rolled washcloth helps reduce edema by promoting fluid drainage. Ice packs are not recommended due to the risk of frostbite, and warm moist packs are not typically used for this purpose. An upright position does not specifically address the edema.

2. The parent asks when the soft area in the infant's head will go away. What is the best response by the nurse?

• A. The area is called the anterior fontanel (fontanelle) and typically closes anytime up to 18 months of age.
• B. The area is called a fontanel (fontanelle). They remain open to allow for rapid brain growth in the first months of life.
• C. The soft spots may stay open until your infant is 2 or 3 years old.
• D. Soft spots on the infant's head should have closed by now.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The best response by the nurse is A, as the anterior fontanel typically closes between 12-18 months of age, allowing for brain growth during infancy. Choice B is incorrect because it does not provide a specific timeframe for the closure of the fontanel. Choice C is incorrect as it suggests a later closure timeframe than usual. Choice D is incorrect as it states that the soft spots should have closed already, which is inaccurate for a 6-month-old infant.

3. A hospitalized child with minimal change nephrotic syndrome is receiving high doses of prednisone. What nursing goal is appropriate for this child?

• A. Stimulate appetite
• B. Detect evidence of edema
• C. Minimize risk of infection
• D. Promote adherence to the antibiotic regimen

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Prednisone, an immunosuppressant, increases the child's susceptibility to infections, making infection prevention a critical nursing goal. Detecting edema and stimulating appetite are important but secondary to preventing potentially life-threatening infections.

4. What information does the nurse include when teaching parents about nonpharmacologic strategies for pain management in children?

• A. May reduce pain perception.
• B. Make pharmacologic strategies unnecessary.
• C. Usually take too long to implement.
• D. Trick children into believing they do not have pain.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'May reduce pain perception.' When teaching parents about nonpharmacologic strategies for pain management in children, the nurse should include information that these techniques may help reduce pain perception, make the pain more tolerable, decrease anxiety, and enhance the effectiveness of analgesics. It is important to note that nonpharmacologic techniques should be learned before the pain occurs, and it is beneficial to use both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic measures for pain control. Choice B is incorrect because nonpharmacologic strategies do not make pharmacologic strategies unnecessary but rather complement them. Choice C is incorrect as nonpharmacologic techniques, when properly learned and applied, do not usually take too long to implement. Choice D is incorrect as the goal of nonpharmacologic strategies is not to trick children into believing they do not have pain, but to help them cope with and manage their pain effectively.

5. What laboratory finding, in conjunction with the presenting symptoms, indicates minimal change nephrotic syndrome?

• A. Low specific gravity
• B. Decreased hemoglobin
• C. Normal platelet count
• D. Reduced serum albumin

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Reduced serum albumin is a hallmark of minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) due to massive proteinuria. This results in hypoalbuminemia, which contributes to the edema characteristic of this condition.

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