Med Surg Chapter 45 Course Point

During an assessment of a client's functional health pattern, which question by the nurse directly addresses the client's thyroid function?

"Do you experience fatigue even if you have slept a long time?"

A nurse is teaching a client with adrenal insufficiency about corticosteroids. Which statement by the client indicates a need for additional teaching?

"I may stop taking this medication when I feel better."

A nursing student asks the instructor why the pituitary gland is called the "master gland." What is the best response by the instructor?

"It regulates the function of other endocrine glands."

A patient is diagnosed with overactivity of the adrenal medulla. What epinephrine value does the nurse recognize is a positive diagnostic indicator for overactivity of the adrenal medulla?

450 pg/mL

The nurse is aware that the best time of day for the total large corticosteroid dose is between:

7:00 AM and 8:00 AM

A patient is ordered desmopressin (DDAVP) for the treatment of diabetes insipidus. What therapeutic response does the nurse anticipate the patient will experience?

A decrease in urine output

A client with acromegaly is complaining of severe headaches. What does the nurse suspect is the cause of the headaches that is related to the acromegaly?

A pituitary tumor

Which of the following is a clinical manifestation of hypothyroidism?

A pulse rate below 60 beats/minute.

A client with a history of hypertension is diagnosed with primary hyperaldosteronism. This diagnosis indicates that the client's hypertension is caused by excessive hormone secretion from which gland?

Adrenal cortex

Which of the following hormones controls secretion of adrenal androgens?

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

During the first 24 hours after a client is diagnosed with addisonian crisis, which intervention should the nurse perform frequently?

Assess vital signs.

A nurse is caring for a client suspected of having a pituitary tumor that is causing panhypopituitarism. During assessment of the client, which clinical manifestation would the nurse expect to find?

Atrophy of the gonads

A patient is suspected of having a pheochromocytoma and is having diagnostic tests done in the hospital. What symptoms does the nurse recognize as most significant for a patient with this disorder?

Blood pressure varying between 120/86 and 240/130 mm Hg

Surgical removal of the thyroid gland is the treatment of choice for thyroid cancer. During the immediate postoperative period, the nurse knows to evaluate serum levels of __________ to assess for a serious and primary postoperative complication of thyroidectomy.

Calcium

What interventions can the nurse encourage the client with diabetes insipidus to do in order to control thirst and compensate for urine loss?

Consume adequate amounts of fluid.

Which disorder is characterized by a group of symptoms produced by an excess of free circulating cortisol from the adrenal cortex?

Cushing syndrome

A nurse is planning care for a client in acute addisonian crisis. Which nursing diagnosis should receive the highest priority?

Decreased cardiac output

Which of the following medications is used in the treatment of diabetes insipidus to control fluid balance?

Desmopressin (DDAVP)

During physical examination of a client with a suspected endocrine disorder, the nurse assesses the body structures. The nurse gathers this data based on the understanding that it is an important aid in which of the following?

Detecting evidence of hormone hypersecretion

A client sustained a head injury when falling from a ladder. While in the hospital, the client begins voiding large amounts of clear urine and reports being very thirsty. The client states feeling weak and having experienced an 8-pound weight loss since admission. What condition does the nurse expect the client to be tested for?

Diabetes insipidus (DI)

The nurse obtains a complete family history of a client with a suspected endocrine disorder based on which rationale?

Endocrine disorders can be inherited.

A group of students is reviewing material about endocrine system function. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when they identify which of the following as secreted by the adrenal medulla?

Epinephrine

Which of the following would the nurse expect to find in a client with severe hyperthyroidism?

Exophthalmos

A nurse should perform which intervention for a client with Cushing's syndrome?

Explain that the client's physical changes are a result of excessive corticosteroids.

A health care provider suspects that a thyroid nodule may be malignant. The nurse knows to prepare information for the patient based on the usual test that will be ordered to establish a diagnosis. What is that test?

Fine-needle biopsy of the thyroid gland

Which outcome indicates that treatment of a client with diabetes insipidus has been effective?

Fluid intake is less than 2,500 ml/day.

The nurse is reviewing a client's history which reveals that the client has had an oversecretion of growth hormone (GH) that occurred before puberty. The nurse interprets this as resulting in which condition?

Gigantism

The nurse is reviewing a client's history which reveals that the client has had an oversecretion of growth hormone (GH) that occurred before puberty. The nurse interprets this as which of the following?

Gigantism

Which hormone would be responsible for increasing blood glucose levels by stimulating glycogenolysis?

Glucagon

A client is having chronic pain from arthritis. What type of hormone is released in response to the stress of this pain that suppresses inflammation and helps the body withstand stress?

Glucocorticoids

A woman with a progressively enlarging neck comes into the clinic. She mentions that she has been in a foreign country for the previous 3 months and that she didn't eat much while she was there because she didn't like the food. She also mentions that she becomes dizzy when lifting her arms to do normal household chores or when dressing. What endocrine condition should the nurse expect the health care provider to diagnose?

Goiter

A middle-aged female client complains of anxiety, insomnia, weight loss, the inability to concentrate, and eyes feeling "gritty." Thyroid function tests reveal the following: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) 0.02 U/ml, thyroxine 20 g/dl, and triiodothyronine 253 ng/dl. A 6-hour radioactive iodine uptake test showed a diffuse uptake of 85%. Based on these assessment findings, the nurse should suspect:

Graves' disease.

Which of the following precautions would be most appropriate when caring for a client being treated with radioactive iodine (RAI) for a thyroid tumor?

Handle body fluids carefully.

A client has been diagnosed with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (DI), and the physician is initiating treatment. What medication does the nurse prepare to administer for this client?

Hydrochlorothiazide

Which condition should a nurse expect to find in a client diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism?

Hypercalcemia

On the third day after a partial thyroidectomy, a client exhibits muscle twitching and hyperirritability of the nervous system. When questioned, the client reports numbness and tingling of the mouth and fingertips. Suspecting a life-threatening electrolyte disturbance, the nurse notifies the surgeon immediately. Which electrolyte disturbance most commonly follows thyroid surgery?

Hypocalcemia

The nurse is aware that the clinical symptoms of a patient with hypoparathyroidism are the result of the initial physiologic response of:

Hypocalcemia.

A client has experienced several autoimmune disorders over the last 25 years, and lately has developed a new set of symptoms. What assessments would the nurse expect to find with a client with suspected Addison disease? Select all that apply.

Hypoglycemia Depression Hypotension

A client with acromegaly has been given the option of a surgical approach or a medical approach. The client decides to have a surgical procedure to remove the pituitary gland. What does the nurse understand this surgical procedure is called?

Hypophysectomy

The typical triad of manifestations seen in a client diagnosed with pheochromocytoma does notinclude which of the following?

Hypotension

A client has been diagnosed with myxedema from long-standing hypothyroidism. What clinical manifestations of this disorder does the nurse recognize are progressing to myxedema coma? Select all that apply.

Hypothermia Hypotension Hypoventilation

Following a thyroidectomy, a client exhibits signs of tetany. The nurse anticipates administering which medication?

IV calcium gluconate

Which nursing diagnosis takes highest priority for a client with hyperthyroidism?

Imbalanced nutrition: Less than body requirements related to thyroid hormone excess

When reviewing laboratory results for a patient with a possible diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism, the nurse knows that this condition is characterized by which of the following?

Inadequate secretion of parathormone

A nurse is assigned to support a patient while a cast is being applied to treat a greenstick fracture. The nurse documents that this fracture is classified as what type of fracture?

Incomplete

A client is experiencing an increase in blood glucose levels. The nurse understands that which of the following hormones would be important in lowering the client's blood glucose level?

Insulin

The most common type of goiter is caused by lack of which of the following?

Iodine

A client is suspected to have a pituitary tumor due to signs of diabetes insipidus. What initial test does the nurse help to prepare the client for?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Which intervention is the most critical for a client with myxedema coma?

Maintaining a patent airway

A client receiving thyroid replacement therapy develops influenza and forgets to take her thyroid replacement medicine. The nurse understands that skipping this medication puts the client at risk for developing which life-threatening complication?

Myxedema coma

Which of the following would the nurse need to be alert for in a client with severe hypothyroidism?

Myxedemic coma

Which assessment would a nurse perform on a client with Cushing syndrome who is at high risk of developing a peptic ulcer?

Observe stool color.

Which of the following assessments should the nurse perform to determine the development of peptic ulcers when caring for a patient with Cushing's syndrome?

Observe the color of stool.

An instructor is preparing a teaching plan for a class on the various pituitary hormones. Which hormone would the instructor include as being released by the posterior pituitary gland?

Oxytocin

Vision and visual fields are altered in disorders of which of the following endocrine glands?

Pituitary

A client who is being tested for syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion asks the nurse to explain the diagnosis. While explaining, the nurse states that excessive antidiuretic hormone is secreted from which gland?

Posterior pituitary

The nurse assesses a patient who has been diagnosed with Addison's disease. Which of the following is a diagnostic sign of this disease?

Potassium of 6.0 mEq/L

A client with a history of chronic hyperparathyroidism admits to being noncompliant. Based on initial assessment findings, the nurse formulates the nursing diagnosis of Risk for injury. To complete the nursing diagnosis statement for this client, which "related-to" phrase should the nurse add?

Related to bone demineralization resulting in pathologic fractures

The nurse is reviewing the history and physical examination of a client diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Which of the following would the nurse expect to find?

Reports of increased appetite

A client is admitted for treatment of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Which nursing intervention is appropriate?

Restricting fluids

Patients with hyperthyroidism are characteristically:

Sensitive to heat

A client is admitted to the health care facility for evaluation for Addison's disease. Which laboratory test result best supports a diagnosis of Addison's disease?

Serum potassium level of 5.8 mEq/L

A client has a decreased level of thyroid hormone being excreted. What will the feedback loop do to maintain the level of thyroid hormone required to maintain homeostatic stability?

Stimulate more hormones using the negative feedback system

Beta-blockers are used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism to counteract which of the following effects?

Sympathetic

Dilutional hyponatremia occurs in which disorder?

Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)

The nurse is teaching a client that the body needs iodine for the thyroid to function. What is the function of iodine?

Synthesis of thyroid hormones

A nurse is assessing a client after a thyroidectomy. The assessment reveals muscle twitching and tingling, along with numbness in the fingers, toes, and mouth area. The nurse should suspect which complication?

Tetany

When describing the difference between endocrine and exocrine glands, which of the following would the instructor include as characteristic of endocrine glands?

The glands contain ducts that produce the hormones.

The nurse is attempting to locate the thyroid gland in order to determine if it is enlarged. Where should the nurse palpate the thyroid gland?

The lower neck anterior to the trachea

A client has had an imaging test on a thyroid mass. Results indicate the mass is "cold." How should the results be interpreted?

The mass is likely cancerous.

A patient taking corticosteroids for exacerbation of Crohn's disease comes to the clinic and informs the nurse that he wants to stop taking them because of the increase in acne and moon face. What can the nurse educate the patient regarding these symptoms?

The moon face and acne will resolve when the medication is tapered off.

An instructor has just finished teaching a class about the endocrine system. The instructor determines that the students need additional instruction when they identify which of the following as an endocrine gland?

The secretions are released directly into the blood stream.

A nurse is assessing a client with hyperthyroidism. What findings should the nurse expect?

Weight loss, nervousness, and tachycardia

When assessing a client with pheochromocytoma, a tumor of the adrenal medulla that secretes excessive catecholamine, the nurse is most likely to detect:

a blood pressure of 176/88 mm Hg.

A 35-year-old female client who complains of weight gain, facial hair, absent menstruation, frequent bruising, and acne is diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome. Cushing's syndrome is most likely caused by:

a corticotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma.

For a client with hyperthyroidism, treatment is most likely to include:

a thyroid hormone antagonist.

A nurse working in the ED at a level 1 trauma center is notified that casualties from a multivehicle car accident are currently in transit. The nurse's heart is pounding and mouth is dry. What gland is responsible for this nurse's physiologic response?

adrenal medulla

Trousseau sign is elicited

by occluding the blood flow to the arm for 3 minutes with the use of a blood pressure cuff.

Which diagnostic test is done to determine suspected pituitary tumor?

computed tomography scan

A client has been experiencing a decrease in serum calcium. After diagnostics, the physician proposes the calcium level fluctuation is due to altered parathyroid function. What is the typical number of parathyroid glands?

four

Hyperthyroidism is caused by increased levels of thyroxine in blood plasma. A client with this endocrine dysfunction experiences:

heat intolerance and systolic hypertension.

Before undergoing a subtotal thyroidectomy, a client receives potassium iodide (Lugol's solution) and propylthiouracil (PTU). The nurse should expect the client's symptoms to subside:

in 1 to 2 weeks.

A client is suspected of having central diabetes insipidus and is scheduled to undergo a vasopressin challenge test. When preparing the client for this test, the nurse anticipates that the test would be done:

in the morning after fasting.

Although not designated as endocrine glands, several organs within the body secrete hormones as part of their normal function. Which organ secretes hormones involved in increasing blood pressure and volume and maturation of red blood cells?

kidneys

An incoherent client with a history of hypothyroidism is brought to the emergency department by the rescue squad. Physical and laboratory findings reveal hypothermia, hypoventilation, respiratory acidosis, bradycardia, hypotension, and nonpitting edema of the face and periorbital area. Knowing that these findings suggest severe hypothyroidism, the nurse prepares to take emergency action to prevent the potential complication of:

myxedema coma.

Cardiac effects of hyperthyroidism include

palpitations.

A young client has a significant height deficit and is to be evaluated for diagnostic purposes. What could be the cause of this client's disorder?

pituitary disorder

A client is admitted to an acute care facility with a tentative diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism. The nurse should monitor the client closely for the related problem of:

profound neuromuscular irritability

A nurse is caring for a client with diabetes insipidus. The nurse should anticipate administering:

vasopressin.

When caring for a client with diabetes insipidus, the nurse expects to administer:

vasopressin.