Nursing Elites

1. Which of the following clinical signs would MOST suggest acute respiratory distress in a 2-month-old infant?

• A. Heart rate of 130 beats/min
• B. Respiratory rate of 30 breaths/min
• C. Abdominal breathing
• D. Grunting respirations

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Grunting respirations are a key clinical sign of acute respiratory distress in infants. Grunting is a protective mechanism where the infant exhales against a partially closed glottis to increase functional residual capacity and oxygenation. This is often seen in conditions such as respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, or other causes of respiratory compromise in infants. Monitoring respiratory patterns like grunting is crucial for early recognition and intervention in infants with respiratory distress. Choices A, B, and C are less specific to acute respiratory distress in infants. While an elevated heart rate and respiratory rate can be present in respiratory distress, grunting respirations are a more direct indicator of significant respiratory compromise in infants.

2. Alice is rushed to the emergency department during an acute, severe prolonged asthma attack and is unresponsive to usual treatment. The condition is referred to as which of the following?

• A. Status asthmaticus
• B. Reactive airway disease
• C. Intrinsic asthma
• D. Extrinsic asthma

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Status asthmaticus is a life-threatening condition characterized by a severe and prolonged asthma attack that does not respond to standard treatments. It requires immediate medical intervention to prevent respiratory failure and potential fatality. Reactive airway disease, intrinsic asthma, and extrinsic asthma do not specifically denote the severity and unresponsiveness to treatment seen in status asthmaticus.

3. When a father asks why his child with tetralogy of Fallot seems to favor a squatting position, the nurse would explain that squatting:

• A. Increases peripheral vascular resistance
• B. Decreases arterial blood flow away from the heart
• C. It's a common resting position when a child is tachycardic
• D. Increases the workload of the heart

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Squatting increases systemic vascular resistance, which leads to a reduction in the right-to-left shunting of blood in children with tetralogy of Fallot. This helps improve oxygenation by balancing the pulmonary and systemic blood flow. The squatting position decreases the pressure in the right ventricle and reduces the magnitude of the right-to-left shunt by increasing afterload, thereby improving oxygenation. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because squatting does not decrease arterial blood flow away from the heart, is not related to being tachycardic, and does not increase the workload of the heart.

4. Which behavior is most indicative that a 2-year-old is experiencing the initial phase of separation anxiety because his parents cannot stay all day at the hospital with him?

• A. He withdraws from the nursing staff.
• B. He cries when his parents leave.
• C. He lies quietly in bed.
• D. He cries when his parents arrive.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The most indicative behavior of a 2-year-old experiencing the initial phase of separation anxiety due to parents not staying all day at the hospital is crying when his parents leave. This behavior is a common manifestation of separation anxiety in children, as they struggle with the absence of their primary attachment figures. Choices A, C, and D are less indicative because withdrawing from the nursing staff, lying quietly in bed, or crying when parents arrive do not specifically demonstrate the distress caused by separation from parents, which is the hallmark of separation anxiety in children.

5. When is it MOST appropriate to clamp and cut the umbilical cord?

• A. Before the newborn has taken its first breath
• B. After the placenta has completely delivered
• C. As soon as the cord has stopped pulsating
• D. Immediately following delivery of the newborn

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The ideal time to clamp and cut the umbilical cord is when it has stopped pulsating. This allows for the transfer of remaining blood from the placenta to the newborn, which can be beneficial for the baby's health and iron stores. Clamping the cord too early can deprive the newborn of this essential blood volume. Waiting for the pulsations to cease ensures that the baby receives the maximum benefits from delayed cord clamping.

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