NCLEX-RN
Safe and Effective Care Environment NCLEX RN Questions
1. What is the initial step to take when a patient passes out at the front desk?
- A. Call 911.
- B. Initiate CPR.
- C. Shake the patient and ask if they are okay.
- D. Check for a pulse.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct initial step when a patient passes out at the front desk is to shake the patient gently and ask if they are okay. This step aims to assess the patient's level of responsiveness. Checking for a pulse or initiating CPR should only be done if the patient does not respond to being shaken. Calling 911 can be the next step after assessing the patient's immediate condition and providing necessary assistance.
2. You see a patient lying on the floor of the bathroom. You are NOT assigned to this patient. What is the first thing that you should do?
- A. Get the nurse who is caring for the patient.
- B. Tell the nurse that the patient has had another seizure.
- C. Observe the patient for any injuries and call out for help.
- D. Nothing. This patient is not one of your assignments.
Correct answer: C
Rationale: The correct course of action in this situation is to observe the patient for any injuries and call out for help. It is crucial to act immediately in an emergency, regardless of whether the patient is under your care. Checking for injuries and seeking assistance can help ensure the patient receives prompt and appropriate care. Choosing to inform the nurse of a seizure without evidence or taking no action because the patient is not your assignment are not optimal responses. In a healthcare setting, patient safety and well-being should always be the top priority.
3. The most accurate reading for a temperature is done:
- A. Orally
- B. Aurally through a clean canal
- C. Rectally
- D. Axially
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Aural readings are done through the ear canal. The tympanic membrane shares a blood supply with the hypothalamus, the brain area that regulates body temperature. Taking the temperature aurally through a clean canal ensures an accurate reading. Choice A (Orally) is not the most accurate method for temperature measurement as it can be affected by external factors like drinking hot or cold liquids. Choice C (Rectally) is invasive and less practical for routine temperature monitoring. Choice D (Axially) is not a standard method for temperature measurement and may not provide accurate results.
4. A 4-month-old child is at the clinic for a well-baby checkup and immunizations. Which of these actions is most appropriate when the nurse is assessing an infant's vital signs?
- A. The infant's radial pulse should be palpated, and the nurse should notice any fluctuations resulting from activity or exercise.
- B. The nurse should auscultate an apical rate for 1 minute and then assess for any normal irregularities, such as sinus dysrhythmia.
- C. The infant's blood pressure should be assessed by using a stethoscope with a large diaphragm piece to hear the soft muffled Korotkoff sounds.
- D. The infant's chest should be observed and the respiratory rate counted for 1 minute; the respiratory pattern may vary significantly.
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The nurse auscultates an apical rate, not a radial pulse, with infants and toddlers. The pulse should be counted by listening to the heart for 1 full minute to account for normal irregularities, such as sinus dysrhythmia. Children younger than 3 years of age have such small arm vessels; consequently, hearing Korotkoff sounds with a stethoscope is difficult. The nurse should use either an electronic blood pressure device that uses oscillometry or a Doppler ultrasound device to amplify the sounds. An infant's respiratory rate should be assessed by observing the infant's abdomen, not chest, because an infant's respirations are normally more diaphragmatic than thoracic. The nurse should auscultate an apical heart rate, not palpate a radial pulse, with infants and toddlers.
5. What term is used to refer to generalized wasting of body tissues and malnutrition?
- A. Entropion
- B. Confabulation
- C. Induration
- D. Cachexia
Correct answer: D
Rationale: Cachexia is the correct term used to describe the generalized wasting of body tissues, ill health, and malnutrition associated with some chronic diseases. It involves a loss of fat tissue to protect the bones and joints. Clients with cachexia are at risk of pressure ulcers and other complications due to malnutrition and poor health. Entropion refers to an eyelid condition, confabulation is a memory disturbance, and induration is the abnormal hardening of a part of the body.
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