Nursing Elites

1. While performing a physical assessment on a 6-month-old infant, the nurse observes head lag. Which of the following nursing actions should the nurse perform first?

• A. Ask the parents to allow the infant to lie on his stomach to promote muscle development.
• B. Notify the physician because a developmental or neurological evaluation is indicated.
• C. Document the findings as abnormal in the nurse's notes.
• D. Explain to the parents that their child is likely to have developmental delays.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Head lag should be completely resolved by 4 months of age. Continuing head lag at 6 months of age indicates the need for further developmental or neurological evaluation. Laying the infant on his stomach promotes muscle development of the neck and shoulder muscles, but because of the age of this child, a referral should be the first action. The findings are abnormal for a 6-month-old infant. Significant head lag can be seen in infants with Down syndrome and hypoxia, as well as neurological and other metabolic disorders. While some of these disorders might include developmental delays, stating this to the parents without a proper evaluation can cause unnecessary distress. The priority is to identify the cause of the head lag through a medical evaluation before discussing potential outcomes with the parents.

2. While assessing a client’s skin, the nurse notes the presence of several large red-blue and purple areas on the client’s body that do not blanch when pressure is applied. The nurse documents this finding using which term?

• A. Psoriasis
• B. Anasarca
• C. Petechiae
• D. Ecchymosis

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Ecchymosis refers to a large patch of capillary bleeding into the tissues, commonly known as a bruise. The color of such an area changes from red-blue or purple to green, yellow, and brown before the area disappears. Pressure on the area will not cause it to blanch. Psoriasis is characterized by scaly erythematous patches with silvery scales on top, usually found on specific areas like the scalp, elbows, knees, low back, and anogenital area. Anasarca is bilateral or generalized edema, indicating a central problem like congestive heart failure or kidney failure. Petechiae are tiny purple or red spots resulting from tiny hemorrhages within the dermal and subdermal areas. Therefore, in this case, the correct term to document the described finding is Ecchymosis.

3. When performing an abdominal assessment, what is the correct order of the tasks?

• A. inspect, percuss, palpate, auscultate
• B. inspect, palpate, percuss, auscultate
• C. inspect, auscultate, percuss, palpate
• D. inspect, palpate, auscultate, percuss

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct order of tasks when performing an abdominal assessment is to first inspect the abdomen visually, then auscultate to assess bowel sounds without altering them, followed by percussing to assess the presence of tympany or dullness, and finally palpating to feel for any tenderness, masses, or organ enlargement. Placing palpation or percussion before auscultation, as in choices A, B, and D, can affect the bowel sounds and examination findings, making them incorrect sequences.

4. A nurse assisting with data collection notes that the client's skin is very dry. The nurse documents this finding using which term?

• A. Xerosis
• B. Pruritus
• C. Seborrhea
• D. Actinic keratoses

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Dry skin is also called xerosis. In this condition, the epidermis lacks moisture or sebum and is often marked by a pattern of fine lines, scaling, and itching. Xerosis is the correct term for very dry skin. Pruritus is the symptom of itching, an uncomfortable sensation that prompts the urge to scratch the skin, but it does not specifically refer to dry skin. Seborrhea is a skin condition characterized by overproduction of sebum, leading to excessive oiliness or dry scales, not necessarily indicating very dry skin. Actinic keratoses are sun-related skin lesions that are premalignant and not associated with dry skin.

5. During a routine health screening for a 1-year-old child, what is the most critical topic for the nurse to discuss with the parents?

• A. the potential hazards of accidents
• B. appropriate nutrition now that the child has been weaned from breastfeeding
• C. toilet training
• D. how to purchase appropriate shoes now that the child is walking

Correct answer: A

Rationale: During a routine health screening for a 1-year-old child, the most critical topic for the nurse to discuss with the parents is the potential hazards of accidents. Accidents are the primary source of injury in children and can be life-threatening. Discussions about appropriate nutrition should have been addressed during the weaning process, while the purchase of appropriate shoes is important but not life-threatening. Toilet training typically begins around 2 years of age, so 1 year of age is too early to discuss it. Therefore, the focus should be on educating parents about accident prevention to ensure the child's safety and well-being.

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