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. A client with chronic renal failure is receiving erythropoietin (Epogen). The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following side effects?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Hypoglycemia
• C. Hyperkalemia
• D. Hypocalcemia

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Hypertension. Erythropoietin can lead to hypertension as a side effect due to its stimulation of red blood cell production, which can increase blood viscosity. This can result in elevated blood pressure. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Hypoglycemia is not a common side effect of erythropoietin. Hyperkalemia is more commonly associated with renal failure rather than erythropoietin use. Hypocalcemia is not a typical side effect of erythropoietin administration.

3. During an initial clinic visit, the nurse is taking the history for a client who wants to confirm her pregnancy. The client's last child has a history of low-birth-weight (LBW). Which additional finding is most important for the nurse to consider?

• A. Cigarette smoking.
• B. African American ethnicity.
• C. Poor nutritional status.
• D. Limited maternal education.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is a significant risk factor for low birth weight. Smoking during pregnancy reduces the amount of oxygen available to the baby, leading to LBW. Choice B, African American ethnicity, while it may be a risk factor, is not as directly linked to LBW as cigarette smoking. Choice C, poor nutritional status, can contribute to LBW but is not as significant as cigarette smoking in this case. Choice D, limited maternal education, is an important social determinant of health but is not as directly related to LBW as cigarette smoking.

4. The nurse is evaluating the growth and development of a toddler with AIDS. The nurse would anticipate finding that the child has

• A. Achieved developmental milestones at an erratic rate
• B. Delay in musculoskeletal development
• C. Displayed difficulty with speech development
• D. Delay in achievement of most developmental milestones

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Children with AIDS often experience delays in achieving developmental milestones, affecting their overall growth and development. This delay can impact various areas of development, not limited to a specific aspect like musculoskeletal or speech development. While some children may achieve milestones at varying rates (choice A), the general trend is a delay in multiple milestones (choice D). Musculoskeletal development (choice B) and speech development (choice C) may be affected but are not as comprehensive as the delay in most developmental milestones.

5. A client with chronic renal failure is receiving peritoneal dialysis. The nurse should assess the client for which of the following complications?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Hyperglycemia
• C. Hypokalemia
• D. Hypernatremia

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Hyperglycemia. In peritoneal dialysis, hyperglycemia can occur due to the glucose content of the dialysate solution. This high glucose concentration can lead to increased blood sugar levels in the client. Option A, Hypertension, is a common complication in chronic renal failure but is not directly related to peritoneal dialysis. Option C, Hypokalemia, is more commonly associated with loop diuretics or inadequate potassium intake. Option D, Hypernatremia, is more often seen in conditions of excessive sodium intake or water loss, rather than in peritoneal dialysis.

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