AH1- Final Exam

A client has been brought to the emergency department after being covered in fertilizer after an explosion and fire at a warehouse. What action by the nurse is best? a. Assess the client's airway. b. Irrigate the client's skin. c. Brush any visible dust off the skin. d. Call poison control for guidance

A With any burn client, assessing and maintaining the airway is paramount. Airway tissues can swell quickly, cutting off the airway. The fertilizer would then be brushed off before irrigation. Poison control may or may not need to be called.

A nurse assesses an older client who is scratching and rubbing white ridges on the skin between the fingers and on the wrists. Which action would the nurse take? a. Request a prescription for permethrin. b. Administer an antihistamine. c. Assess the client's airway. d. Apply gloves to minimize friction.

A The client's presentation is most likely to be scabies, a contagious mite infestation. The drugs used to treat this infestation are ivermectin and permethrin. The nurse would contact the primary care provider to request a prescription for one of the medications. Secondary interventions may include medication to decrease the itching. The client's airway is not at risk with this skin disorder. Applying gloves will help prevent transmission.

Which activities can the nurse working in the outpatient clinic delegate to a licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) (select all that apply)? a. Administer patch testing to a patient with allergic dermatitis. b. Interview a new patient about chronic health problems and allergies. c. Apply a sterile dressing after the health care provider excises a mole. d. Explain potassium hydroxide testing to a patient with a skin infection. e. Teach a patient about site care after a punch biopsy of an upper arm lesion.

A, C Skills such as administration of patch testing and sterile dressing technique are included in LPN/LVN education and scope of practice. Obtaining a health history and patient education require registered nurse (RN) level education and scope of practice.

When performing a skin assessment, the nurse notes angiomas on the chest of an older patient. Which action should the nurse take next? a. Suggest an appointment with a dermatologist. b. Assess the patient for evidence of liver disease. c. Teach the patient about skin changes with aging. d. Discuss the use of sunscreen to prevent skin cancers.

B Angiomas are a common occurrence as patients get older, but they may occur with systemic problems such as liver disease. The patient may want to see a dermatologist to have the angiomas removed, but this is not the initial action by the nurse. The nurse may need to teach the patient about the effects of aging on the skin and about the effects of sun exposure, but the initial action should be further assessment.

A nurse is caring for a client with an electrical burn. The client has entrance wounds on the hands and exit wounds on the feet. What information is most important to include when planning care? a. The client may have memory and cognitive issues postburn. b. Everything between the entry and exit wounds can be damaged. c. The respiratory system requires close monitoring for signs of swelling. d. Electrical burns increase the risk of developing future cancers.

B As the electricity enters the body, travels through various tissues, and exits, it damages all the tissue it flows through. There may be severe internal injury that is not yet apparent. The client may have cognitive issues postburn but this is not as important as vigilant monitoring for complications. Respiratory system swelling is associated with thermal burns and smoke inhalation. Exposure to radiation increases cancer risk.

A 35-yr-old female patient states that she is using topical fluorouracil to treat actinic keratoses on her face. Which additional assessment information will be most important for the nurse to obtain? a. History of sun exposure by the patient b. Method of contraception used by the patient c. Length of time the patient has used fluorouracil d. Appearance of the treated areas on the patient's face

B Because fluorouracil is teratogenic, it is essential that the patient use a reliable method of birth control. The other information is also important for the nurse to obtain, but lack of reliable contraception has the most potential for serious adverse medication effects.

Which integumentary assessment data from an older patient admitted with bacterial pneumonia is of concern to the nurse? a. Brown macules on extremities b. Reports a history of allergic rashes c. Skin wrinkled with tenting on both hands d. Longitudinal nail ridges and sparse scalp hair

B Because the patient will be receiving antibiotics to treat the pneumonia, the nurse should be most concerned about her history of allergic rashes. The nurse needs to do further assessment of possible causes of the allergic rashes and whether she has ever had allergic reactions to any drugs, especially antibiotics. The assessment data in the other response would be normal for an older patient.

The nurse assesses a circular, flat, reddened lesion about 5 cm in diameter on a middle-aged patient's ankle. How should the nurse determine if the lesion is related to intradermal bleeding? a. Elevate the patient's leg. b. Press firmly on the lesion. c. Check the temperature of the skin around the lesion. d. Palpate the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses

B If the lesion is caused by intradermal or subcutaneous bleeding or a nonvascular cause, the discoloration will remain when direct pressure is applied to the lesion. If the lesion is caused by blood vessel dilation, blanching will occur with direct pressure. The other assessments will assess circulation to the leg but will not be helpful in determining the etiology of the lesion

A patient reports chronic itching of the ankles and continuously scratches the area. Which assessment finding will the nurse expect? a. Hypertrophied scars on both ankles b. Thickening of the skin around the ankles c. Yellowish-brown skin around both ankles d. Complete absence of melanin in both ankles

B Lichenification is likely to occur in areas where the patient scratches the skin frequently. Lichenification results in thickening of the skin with accentuated normal skin markings. Vitiligo is the complete absence of melanin in the skin. Keloids are hypertrophied scars. Yellowish-brown skin indicates jaundice. Vitiligo, keloids, and jaundice do not usually occur as a result of scratching the skin.

A nurse is assessing a client who has a recent diagnosis of melanoma for understanding of treatment choices. What statement by the client indicates good understanding of the information? a. "Dermabrasion or chemical peels can be done in the office." b. "I may need lymph node resection during Mohs surgery." c. "This needs only a small excision with local anesthetic." d. "After surgery I will need 8 weeks of radiation therapy."

B Melanoma is usually treated with Mohs micrographic surgery, in which tissue is sectioned horizontally in layers and examined histologically, layer by layer, to assess for cancer cells. Dermabrasion and chemical peels can be used on actinic keratoses. Local anesthetic for small excisions is generally used on basal or squamous cell carcinomas. Radiation is usually not used with melanoma.

After teaching a client who has a stage 2 pressure injury, a nurse assesses the client's understanding. Which dietary choice by the client indicates a good understanding of the teaching? a. Green salad, a banana, whole wheat dinner roll, coffee b. Chicken breast, broccoli, baked potato, ice water c. Vegetable lasagna and green salad, iced tea d. Hamburger, fruit cup, cookie, diet pop

B Successful healing of pressure injuries depends on adequate intake of calories, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water. The dinner with the chicken breast meets all these criteria. The other dinners while having some healthy items each, are not as nutritious.

During assessment of the patient's skin, the nurse observes a similar pattern of discrete, small, raised lesions on the left and right upper back areas. Which term should the nurse use to document the distribution of these lesions? a. Confluent b. Symmetric c. Zosteriform d. Generalized

B The description of the lesions indicates that they are grouped in a bilateral distribution. The other terms are inconsistent with the description of the lesions

A nurse is teaching a client who has itchy, raised red patches covered with a silvery white scale how to care for this disorder. What statement by the client shows a need for further information? a. "At the next family reunion, I'm going to ask my relatives if they have anything similar." b. "I have to make sure I keep my lesions covered, so I do not spread this to others." c. "I must avoid large crowds and sick people while I am taking adalimumab." d. "I will buy a good quality emollient to put on my skin each day."

B This client has plaque psoriasis which is not a contagious disorder. The client does not have to worry about spreading the condition to others. It is a condition that has hereditary links so it would be correct for the client to inquire about other family members who are affects. Adalimumab is a drug used to treat psoriasis and it has a black box warning about serious infection risk and cancer risk, so the client needs to take precautions to avoid infectious individuals. Emollients help keep the plaques soft and reduce itching.

A patient in the dermatology clinic is scheduled for removal of a 15-mm multicolored and irregular mole from the upper back. The nurse should prepare the patient for which type of biopsy? a. Shave biopsy b. Punch biopsy c. Incisional biopsy d. Excisional biopsy

C An incisional biopsy would remove the entire mole and the tissue borders. The appearance of the mole indicates that it may be malignant. A shave biopsy would not remove the entire mole. The mole is too large to be removed with punch biopsy. Excisional biopsies are done for smaller lesions and where a good cosmetic effect is desired, such as on the face.

A dark-skinned patient has been admitted to the hospital with chronic heart failure. How would the nurse assess this patient for cyanosis? a. Assess the skin color of the earlobes. b. Apply pressure to the palms of the hands. c. Check the lips and oral mucous membranes. d. Examine capillary refill time of the nail beds.

C Cyanosis in dark-skinned individuals is more easily seen in the mucous membranes. Earlobe color may change in light-skinned individuals, but this change in skin color is difficult to detect on darker skin. Application of pressure to the palms of the hands and nail bed assessment would check for adequate circulation but not for skin color.

The nurse prepares to obtain a culture from a patient who has a possible fungal infection on the foot. Which items should the nurse gather for this procedure? a. Sterile gloves b. Patch test instruments c. Cotton-tipped applicators d. Syringe and intradermal needle

C Fungal cultures are obtained by swabbing the affected area of the skin with cotton-tipped applicators. Sterile gloves are not needed because it is not a sterile procedure. Local injection or aspiration are not involved in the procedure. The patch test is done to determine whether a patient is allergic to specific testing material, not for obtaining fungal specimens.

A nurse asks a client to take deep breaths during an electroencephalography. The client asks, "Why are you asking me to do this?" How would the nurse respond? a. "Hyperventilation causes vascular dilation of cerebral arteries, which decreases electoral activity in the brain." b. "Deep breathing helps you to relax and allows the electroencephalograph to obtain a better waveform." c. "Hyperventilation causes cerebral vasoconstriction and increases the likelihood of seizure activity." d. "Deep breathing will help you to blow off carbon dioxide and decreases intracranial pressures."

C Hyperventilation produces cerebral vasoconstriction and alkalosis, which increase the likelihood of seizure activity. The client is asked to breathe deeply 20 times for 3 minutes. The other responses are not accurate

Which abnormality on the skin of an older patient is the priority to discuss immediately with the health care provider? a. Dry, scaly patches on the face b. Numerous varicosities on both legs c. Petechiae on the chest and abdomen d. Small dilated blood vessels on the face

C Petechiae are caused by pinpoint hemorrhages and are associated with a variety of serious disorders such as meningitis and coagulopathies. The nurse should contact the patient's health care provider about this finding for further diagnostic follow-up. The other skin changes are associated with aging. Although the other changes will also require ongoing monitoring or intervention by the nurse, they do not indicate a need for urgent action.

A nurse assesses clients on a medical-surgical unit. Which client is at greatest risk for pressure injury development? a. 44 year old prescribed IV antibiotics for pneumonia b. 26 year old who is bedridden with a fractured leg c. 65 year old with hemiparesis and incontinence d. 78 year old requiring assistance to ambulate with a walker

C Risk factors for development of a pressure injury include lack of mobility, exposure of skin to excessive moisture (e.g., urinary or fecal incontinence), malnourishment, and aging skin. The client with hemiparesis and incontinence has two risk factors. The client with pneumonia has no identified risk factors. The other two are at lower risk if they are not very mobile, but having two risk factors is a higher risk.

A nurse is teaching a client and family about self-care at home for the client's wound infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. What statement by the client indicates a need to review the information? a. "I will keep dry bandages on the wound and change them when drainage appears." b. "I will shower instead of taking a bath in the bathtub each day." c. "If the dressing is dry, I can sit or sleep anywhere in the house." d. "I will clean exposed household surfaces with a bleach and water mixture."

C The client should not sit on upholstered furniture or sleep in the same bed as another person until the infection has cleared. The other statements show good understanding.

When examining an older patient in the home, the home health nurse notices irregular patterns of bruising at different stages of healing on the patient's body. Which action should the nurse take first? a. Ensure the patient wears shoes with nonslip soles. b. Discourage using throw rugs throughout the house. c. Talk with the patient alone and ask about the bruising. d. Notify the health care provider so that radiographs can be ordered.

C The nurse should note irregular patterns of bruising, especially in the shapes of hands or fingers, in different stages of resolution. These may be indications of other health problems or abuse and should be further investigated. It is important that the nurse interview the patient alone because, if mistreatment is occurring, the patient may not disclose it in the presence of the person who may be the abuser. Throw rugs and shoes with slippery surfaces may contribute to falls. Radiographs may be needed if the patient has fallen recently and also has complaints of pain or decreased mobility. However, the nurse's first nursing action is to further assess the patient.

The nurse teaches an 80-year-old client with diminished peripheral sensation. Which statement would the nurse include in this client's teaching? a. "Place soft rugs in your bathroom to decrease pain in your feet." b. "Bathe in warm water to increase your circulation." c. "Look at the placement of your feet when walking." d. "Walk barefoot to decrease pressure injuries from your shoes."

C Older clients with decreased sensation are at risk of injury from the inability to sense changes in terrain when walking. To compensate for this loss, the client is instructed to look at the placement of his or her feet when walking. Throw rugs can slip and increase fall risk. Bath water that is too warm places the client at risk for thermal injury.

A nurse is caring for a client who has a nonhealing pressure injury on the right ankle. Which action would the nurse take first? a. Draw blood for albumin, prealbumin, and total protein. b. Prepare for and assist with obtaining a wound culture. c. Instruct the client to elevate the foot. d. Assess the right leg for pulses, skin color, and temperature.

D A client with an ulcer on the foot would be assessed for interruption in arterial flow to the area. This begins with the assessment of pulses and color and temperature of the skin. The nurse can also assess for pulses noninvasively with a Doppler flowmeter if unable to palpate with his or her fingers. Tests to determine nutritional status and risk assessment would be completed after the initial assessment is done. Wound cultures are done after it has been determined that drainage, odor, and other risks for infection are present. Elevation of the foot would impair the ability of arterial blood to flow to the area.

A client is admitted to the emergency department with a probable traumatic brain injury. Which assessment finding would be the priority for the nurse to report to the primary health care provider? a. Mild temporal headache b. Pupils equal and react to light c. Alert and oriented x3 d. Decreasing level of consciousness

D A decreasing level of consciousness is the first sign of increasing intracranial pressure, a potentially severe and possibly fatal complication of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A mild headache would be expected for a client having a TBI. Equal reactive pupils and being alert and oriented are normal assessment findings.

The nurse assesses a client's recent memory. Which statement by the client confirms that recent memory is intact? a. "A young girl wrapped in a shroud fell asleep on a bed of clouds." b. "I was born on April 3, 1967, in Johnstown Community Hospital." c. "Apple, chair, and pencil are the words you just stated." d. "I ate oatmeal with wheat toast and orange juice for breakfast."

D Asking clients about recent events that can be verified, such as what the client ate for breakfast, assesses recent memory. Asking clients about certain facts from the past that can be verified assesses remote or long-term memory. Asking the client to repeat words assesses immediate memory.

A nurse teaches a client who has pruritus. Which statement by the client shows a need to review the information? a. "I will shower daily using a super-fatted soap." b. "I can try taking a bath with colloidal oatmeal." c. "I will pat my skin dry instead of rubbing it with a towel." d. "I will be careful to keep my nails filed smoothly."

D The client with pruritus should shower only every other day, although super-fatted soap is an appropriate choice. Colloidal oatmeal baths are very soothing. Patting the skin dry avoids trauma and injury. Keeping nails filed smoothly also prevents injury.

The nurse notes darker skin pigmentation in the skinfolds of a middle-aged patient who has a body mass index of 40 kg/m2. What is the nurse's appropriate action? a. Discuss the use of drying agents to minimize infection risk. b. Instruct the patient about the use of mild soap to clean skinfolds. c. Teach the patient about treating fungal infections in the skinfolds. d. Ask the patient about a personal or family history of type 2 diabetes.

D The presence of acanthosis nigricans in skinfolds suggests either having type 2 diabetes or being at an increased risk for it. The description of the patient's skin does not indicate problems with fungal infection, poor hygiene, or the need to dry the skinfolds better.

A nurse cares for a client who has a stage 3 pressure injury with copious exudate. What type of dressing does the nurse use on this wound? a. Wet-to-damp saline moistened gauze b. None, the wound is left open to the air c. A transparent film d. Multi-fiber superabsorbent dressing

D This pressure injury requires a superabsorbent dressing that will collect the exudate but not stick to the wound itself. A wet-to-damp gauze dressing provides mechanical removal of necrotic tissue. A draining wound would not be left open. A transparent film is a good choice for a noninfected stage 2 pressure injury

A client contacts the clinic to report a life-long mole has developed a crust with occasional bleeding. What instruction by the nurse is most appropriate? a."Take monthly photographs of it so you can document any changes." b. "Wash daily with warm water and gentle soap to prevent infection." c. "Keep the lesion covered with a bandage and triple antibiotic ointment." d. "Please make an appointment to be seen here as soon as possible."

D A lesion demonstrating a change in characteristics, such as oozing, crusting, bleeding, or scaling, is suspicious for skin cancer. The nurse would instruct the client to come in for evaluation. Monthly photographs are a good way to document skin changes, but the client needs an assessment for skin cancer. The lesion can be washed and covered with a bandage and ointment, but again, the client needs an evaluation for skin cancer

The nurse is developing a health promotion plan for an older adult who worked in the landscaping business for 40 years. The nurse will plan to teach the patient about how to self- assess for which clinical manifestations (select all that apply)? a. Vitiligo b. Alopecia c. Intertrigo d. Erythema e. Actinic keratosis

D, E A patient who has worked as a landscaper is at risk for skin lesions caused by sun exposure such as erythema and actinic keratosis. Vitiligo, alopecia, and intertrigo are not associated with excessive sun exposure.