Nursing Elites

1. Which condition is characterized by a "barking" cough in children?

• A. Asthma
• B. Bronchiolitis
• C. Croup
• D. Pneumonia

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Croup is the correct answer. It is characterized by a distinctive "barking" cough, typically worse at night, caused by the inflammation of the upper airway, specifically the larynx and trachea. Asthma (Choice A) typically presents with wheezing and shortness of breath rather than a barking cough. Bronchiolitis (Choice B) commonly causes wheezing and respiratory distress in infants and young children. Pneumonia (Choice D) often presents with symptoms like fever, productive cough, and chest pain, but not typically a barking cough.

2. Which disease would require strict isolation of the patient?

• A. Mumps
• B. Chickenpox
• C. Exanthema subitum (roseola)
• D. Erythema infectiosum (fifth disease)

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Chickenpox. Chickenpox is highly infectious and is transmitted through direct contact, droplet spread, and contaminated objects. Due to its high communicability, strict isolation of the patient is necessary to prevent the spread of the disease. Mumps is primarily transmitted through direct contact with the infected person's saliva, with peak contagiousness before the onset of swelling. Exanthema subitum (roseola) has an unknown transmission source. Erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) is contagious before the appearance of symptoms. Therefore, these diseases do not require the same level of strict isolation as chickenpox.

3. The clinic nurse is teaching parents about physiologic anemia that occurs in infants. What statement should the nurse include about the cause of physiologic anemia?

• A. Maternally derived iron stores are depleted in the first 2 months.
• B. Fetal hemoglobin results in a shortened survival of red blood cells.
• C. The production of adult hemoglobin decreases in the first year of life.
• D. Low levels of fetal hemoglobin depress the production of erythropoietin.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Physiologic anemia is caused by the transition from fetal to adult hemoglobin, with fetal hemoglobin having a shorter lifespan, leading to a temporary decrease in red blood cells.

4. Which drug is usually the best choice for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) for a child in the immediate postoperative period?

• A. Codeine sulfate (Codeine)
• B. Morphine (Roxanol)
• C. Methadone (Dolophine)
• D. Meperidine (Demerol)

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Morphine is the drug of choice for PCA in children because of its efficacy, safety profile, and rapid onset of action for pain management.

5. 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.

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