Nursing Elites

1. You are treating a 5-year-old child who has had severe diarrhea and vomiting for 3 days and is now showing signs of shock. Supplemental oxygen has been given, and you have elevated his lower extremities. En route to the hospital, you note that his work of breathing has increased. You should:

• A. begin positive-pressure ventilations and reassess the child.
• B. lower the extremities and reassess the child.
• C. listen to the lungs with a stethoscope for abnormal breath sounds.
• D. insert a nasopharyngeal airway and increase the oxygen flow.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: When the work of breathing increases after elevating the legs, it is important to lower the extremities. Elevating the lower extremities in a child with signs of shock can worsen the condition by reducing venous return to the heart. Lowering the extremities can help improve venous return and potentially alleviate the increased work of breathing.

2. When assessing a geriatric patient who has possibly experienced an acute ischemic stroke, which of the following questions would be MOST appropriate to ask?

• A. When did you first notice the symptoms?
• B. Do you have a history of high blood pressure?
• C. What medications do you take and why?
• D. Have you previously had a heart attack?

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The most appropriate question to ask when assessing a geriatric patient who may have experienced an acute ischemic stroke is when the symptoms were first noticed. This information is crucial for determining the time window for potential treatments like thrombolytic therapy, as prompt intervention is necessary for stroke management. Option B is not as relevant in the acute assessment of stroke, though important for overall health history. Option C is important but may not be as time-sensitive as determining symptom onset. Option D focuses on a different cardiac event, not directly related to the current concern of a possible stroke.

3. Kobby, who is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 1, displays symptoms of hypoglycemia; which of the following actions should the nurse instruct the parents to take?

• A. Give the child honey (simple sugar)
• B. Give the child milk (complex sugar)
• C. Contact the healthcare provider before doing anything
• D. Give the child nothing by mouth

Correct answer: A

Rationale: During hypoglycemia, it is crucial to quickly raise blood glucose levels. Giving a simple sugar like honey is recommended as it can rapidly increase blood sugar levels and alleviate the symptoms of hypoglycemia in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 1. Milk, being a complex sugar, will not act as quickly as honey in raising blood sugar levels. Contacting the healthcare provider may lead to a delay in treatment, as immediate action is necessary during hypoglycemia. Withholding food or drink (choice D) is not appropriate when dealing with hypoglycemia as it can worsen the condition.

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. A mother of a 2-year-old child complains that her child has a fever, sore mouth, and red eye. What will be the possible diagnosis?

• A. TB
• B. Meningitis
• C. Measles
• D. Pertussis

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, Measles. Measles commonly presents with symptoms such as fever, sore mouth, and red eyes. These characteristic symptoms help differentiate measles from the other conditions listed. Tuberculosis (Choice A) typically presents with respiratory symptoms, Meningitis (Choice B) commonly presents with symptoms like headache, neck stiffness, and altered mental status, while Pertussis (Choice D) is characterized by severe coughing spells. Therefore, in this case, the symptoms described align more closely with measles.

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