Nursing Elites

1. Which of the following patients should the home care nurse assess first?

• A. A 65-year-old male with known COPD and difficulty breathing after climbing a flight of stairs.
• B. A 78-year-old with CHF who has gained 4 lbs according to her tele-monitoring.
• C. A 50-year-old with bilateral leg swelling and difficulty walking.
• D. A 60-year-old with lower back pain.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. A patient with known COPD and difficulty breathing after physical exertion like climbing stairs requires immediate assessment by the nurse. This could indicate a potential exacerbation of COPD, which needs prompt intervention to prevent respiratory distress. Choices B, C, and D describe important patient situations that also require attention, but the urgency is higher with a COPD patient experiencing difficulty breathing.

2. While assessing a client in an outpatient facility with a panic disorder, the nurse completes a thorough health history and physical exam. Which finding is most significant for this client?

• A. Compulsive behavior
• B. Sense of impending doom
• C. Fear of flying
• D. Predictable episodes

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Sense of impending doom.' In panic disorder, a sense of impending doom is a hallmark symptom often experienced by clients. This intense feeling of dread or fear is a key feature of panic attacks. Compulsive behavior (choice A) may be more indicative of obsessive-compulsive disorder rather than panic disorder. Fear of flying (choice C) may be more related to specific phobias rather than panic disorder. Predictable episodes (choice D) do not align with the unpredictable nature of panic attacks.

3. The healthcare provider would expect which eating disorder to have the greatest fluctuations in potassium?

• A. Binge eating disorder
• B. Anorexia nervosa
• C. Bulimia
• D. Purge syndrome

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Bulimia. Bulimia involves cycles of binge eating and purging, where individuals may induce vomiting or use laxatives and diuretics. These purging behaviors can lead to significant fluctuations in potassium levels due to electrolyte imbalances caused by excessive loss of potassium through vomiting and purging. In contrast, Binge eating disorder (A) does not involve purging behaviors, so it is less likely to cause significant potassium fluctuations. Anorexia nervosa (B) is characterized by severe food restriction rather than purging, leading to a different pattern of electrolyte imbalances. Purge syndrome (D) is not a recognized eating disorder and is not associated with specific patterns of potassium fluctuations seen in bulimia.

4. Which client has the highest risk for developing community-acquired pneumonia?

• A. a 40-year-old first-grade teacher who works with underprivileged children
• B. a 75-year-old retired secretary with exercise-induced wheezing
• C. a 60-year-old homeless person who is an alcoholic and smokes
• D. a 35-year-old aerobics instructor who skips meals and eats only vegetables

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because homeless individuals who are alcoholics and smoke have a higher risk of developing community-acquired pneumonia due to factors like poor living conditions, compromised immune systems, and increased exposure to infections. Choice A is less likely as the teacher's profession, while involving contact with children, may not pose as high a risk as the factors in choice C. Choice B may have respiratory issues but does not have the same risk factors as choice C. Choice D, the aerobics instructor, may have a healthy lifestyle but skipping meals and a restrictive diet do not directly correlate with a higher risk of pneumonia compared to the risk factors in choice C.

5. A community health nurse is conducting a home visit to assess a family's health needs. What is the first step in this process?

• A. Develop a care plan
• B. Conduct a physical examination
• C. Establish rapport with the family
• D. Provide health education

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Establishing rapport with the family is crucial in the initial stages of a home visit. It helps build trust, open communication channels, and allows the nurse to gain insight into the family's health needs and concerns. Developing a care plan (Choice A) comes after the assessment phase, where information is gathered. Conducting a physical examination (Choice B) is a part of the assessment but typically follows establishing rapport. Providing health education (Choice D) is important but usually occurs after the assessment and care planning stages.

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