Leukemia NCLEX questions
A 4 yo is admitted for abdominal pain. She has been pale and excessively tired and is bruising easily. On physical exam, lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomaegaly are noted. Diagnostic studies are being performed on the child because acute lymphocytic leukemia is suspected. Which diagnostic study would confirm this diagnosis "1. Platelet count 2. LUmbar puncture 3. bone marrow biopsy 4. wbc count"
"Correct: 3. 3 leukemia is a malignant increase in the number of leukocytes, usually at an immature stage, in the bone marrow. The confirmatory test is microscopic exam of bone marrow obtained by bone marrow aspirate and biopsy. a lumbar puncture may be done to look for blast cells in the scfluid that indicate CNS disease. The wbc count may be normal, high or low in leukemia an altered platelet count occurs as a result of the disease but also may occur as a result of chemotherapy and does not confirm the diagnosis"
A hospitalized patient who has received chemotherapy for leukemia develops neutropenia. Which observation by the RN caring for the patient indicates that the nurse should take action? a. The patient's visitors bring in some fresh peaches from home. b. The patient ambulates several times a day in the room. c. The patient uses soap and shampoo to shower every other day. d. The patient cleans with a warm washcloth after having a stool.
A Rationale: Fresh, thinned-skin peaches are not permitted in a neutropenic diet because of the risk of bacteria being present. The patient should ambulate in the room rather than the hospital hallway to avoid exposure to other patients or visitors. Because overuse of soap can dry the skin and increase infection risk, showering every other day is acceptable. Careful cleaning after having a bowel movement will help to prevent perineal skin breakdown and infection.
"A client with acute leukemia is admitted to the oncology unit. Which of the following would be most important for the nurse to inquire? "a. ""Have you noticed a change in sleeping habits recently?"" b. ""Have you had a respiratory infection in the last 6 months?"" c. ""Have you lost weight recently?"" d. ""Have you noticed changes in your alertness?"""
Answer B is correct. The client with leukemia is at risk for infection and has often had recurrent respiratory infections during the previous 6 months. Insomnolence, weight loss, and a decrease in alertness also occur in leukemia, but bleeding tendencies and infections are the primary clinical manifestations; therefore, answers A, C, and D are incorrect.
Which information noted by the nurse reviewing the laboratory results of a patient who is receiving chemotherapy is most important to report to the health care provider? a. Hemoglobin of 10 g/L b. WBC count of 1700/µl c. Platelets of 65,000/µl d. Serum creatinine level of 1.2 mg/dl
B Rationale: Neutropenia places the patient at risk for severe infection and is an indication that the chemotherapy dose may need to be lower or that white blood cell (WBC) growth factors such as filgrastim (Neupogen) are needed. The other laboratory data do not indicate any immediate life-threatening adverse effects of the chemotherapy.
The nurse analyzes the laboratory values of a child with leukemia who is receiving chemotherapy . The nurse notes that the platelet count is 20,000/ul. Based on the laboratry result, which intervention will the nurse document in the plan of care? 1 Mointor closely for signs of infection 2. Mointor the temperature every 4hours 3. Initate prptective isolation precautions 4. Use soft small toothbrush for mouth care
Correct Ans 4 If a child is severely thrombocytopenic and has a platelet count less than 20,000/ul, bleeding precautions need to be initated because of increased risk of bleeding or hemorrhage. Options 1,2,3 are related to the prevention of infection rather than bleeding
"The most common signs and symptoms of leukemia related to bone marrow involvement are which of the following? "A. Petechiae, fever, fatigue B. Headache, papilledema, irritability C. Muscle wasting, weight loss, fatigue D. Decreased intracranial pressure, psychosis, confusion"
"Answer A is Correct. Signs of infiltration of the bone marrow are petechiae from lowered platelet count, fever related to infection from the depressed number of effective leukocytes, and fatigue from the anemia."
"The nurse writes a nursing problem of "altered nutrition" for a client diagnosed withleukemia who has received a treatment regimen of chemotherapy and radiation. Which nursing intervention should be implemented? "1. Administer an antidiarrheal medication prior to meals 2. Monitor the client's serum albumin levels 3. Assess for signs and symptoms of infection 4. Provide skin care to irradiated areas"
"Answer: 2 1. The nurse should administer an antiemetic prior to meals, not an antidiarrheal medication 2. Serum albumin is a measure of the protein content in the blood that is derived form food eaten; albumin monitors nutritional status 3. Assessment of the nutritional status is indicated for this problem, not assessment of the s/sx of infections. 4. This addresses an altered skin integrity problem"
"What nursing diagnosis is seen with acute lymphocytic leukemia and thromocytopenia? "A. potential for injury B. self-care deficit C. potential for self harm D. alteration in comfort"
"Answer: A potential for injury Low platelet increases risk of bleeding from even minor injuries. Safety measures: shave with an electric razor, use soft tooth brush, avoid SQ or IM meds and invasive procedures (urinary drainage catheter or a nasogastric tube), side-rails up, remove sharp objects, frequently assess for signs of bleeding, bruising, hemorrhage. "
"When caring for a client with a diagnosis of thrombocytopenia, the nurse should plan to: "a.Discourage the use of stool softeners b.Assess temperature readings every six hours c.Avoid invasive procedures d.Encourage the use of a hard, brittle toothbrush "
"Answer: C Rationale: Thrombocytopenia is a deficiency of platelets, and leaves the patient more prone to hemmorrhage. For this reason, avoiding invasive procedures will limit the risk of hemorrhage. Stool softeners should be encouraged, while hard brittle toothbrushes should be avoided. Temperature is not the most important vital to track in this patient"
The nurse is assessing a client diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Which assessment data support this diagnosis? "1.) Fever and infections. 2.) Nausea and vomiting. 3.) Excessive energy and high platelet counts. 4.) Cervical lymph node enlargement and positive acid-fast bacillus."
"Correct: 1. 1. Fever and infection are hallmark symptoms of leukemia. They occur because the bone marrow is unable to produce WBCs of the number and maturity needed to fight infection (CORRECT). 2. Nausea and vomiting are symptoms related to the treatment of cancer but not to the diagnosis of leukemia (omit #2). 3. The clients are frequently fatigued and have low platelet counts. The platelet count is low as a result of the inability of the bone marrow to produce the needed cells (omit #3). 4. Cervical lymph node enlargement is associated with Hodgkin's lymphoma, and positive acid-fast bacillus is diagnostic for tuberculosis (omit #4)."
Which of the following laboratory values could indicate that a child has leukemia? "1. WBCs 32,000/mm3 2. Platelets 300,000/mm3 3. Hemoglobin 15g/dL 4. Blood pH of 7.35"
"Correct: 1. 1. YES! - A normal WBC count is approximately 4.5 mm3 - 11.0 mm3. In leukemia a high WBC count is diagnostic and is usually confirmed by a blood smear. 2-4. None of these indicate leukemia,"
"The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Which assess-ment data warrant immediate intervention? 1.T 99, P 102, R 22, and BP 132/68. 2.Hyperplasia of the gums. 3.Weakness and fatigue. 4.Pain in the left upper quadrant."
"Correct: 4 1.These vital signs are not alarming. The vitalsigns are slightly elevated and indicate moni-toring at intervals, but they do not indicate animmediate need. 2.Hyperplasia of the gums is a symptom of myeloid leukemia, but it is not an emergency. 3.Weakness and fatigue are symptoms of thedisease and are expected. 4.Pain is expected, but it is a priority, andpain control measures should be imple-mented."
"Which medication is contraindicated for a client diagnosed with leukemia? 1. Bactrim, a sulfa antibiotic 2. Morphine, a narcotic analgesic 3. Epogen, a biologic response modifier 4. Gleevec, a genetic blocking agent"
"Correct: C 1. Because of the ineffective or nonexistent WBCs characteristic of leukemia, the body cannot fight infections, and antibiotics are given to treat infections. 2. Leukemic infiltrations into the organs or the CNS cause pain. Morphine is the drug of choice for most clients with cancer. 3. Epogen is a biologic response modifier that stimulates the bone marrow to produce RBCs. The bone marrow is the area of malignancy in leukemia. Stimulating the bone marrow would be generally ineffective for the desired results and would have the potential to stimulate malignant growth. 4. Gleevec is a drug that specifically works in leukemic cells to block the expression of the BCR-ABL protein, preventing the cells from growing and dividing."
"Nursing considerations related to the administration of chemotherapeutic drugs include which of the following? "A. Anaphylaxis cannot occur, since the drugs are considered toxic to normal cells. B. Infiltration will not occur unless superficial veins are used for the intravenous infusion. C. Many chemotherapeutic agents are vesicants that can cause severe cellular damage if drug infiltrates. D. Good hand washing is essential when handling chemotherapeutic drugs, but gloves are not necessary."
"Correct: C 3. Chemotherapeutic agents can be extremely damaging to cells. Nurses experienced with the administration of vesicant drugs should be responsible for giving these drugs and be prepared to treat extravasations if necessary. 1. Anaphylaxis is a possibility with some chemotherapeutic and immunologic agents. 2. Infiltration and extravasations are always a risk, especially with peripheral veins. 4. Gloves are worn to protect the nurse when handling the drugs, and the hands should be thoroughly washed afterward. Level of cognitive ability: Analysis Area of client needs: Physiologic Integrity/Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapy Integrated process: Teaching/Learning; Nursing Process: Implementation"
