Chapter 8: Review Questions
Complying with scheduled radiation therapies, Protecting the skin by applying lotion, and understanding the therapeutic effects and side effects of the treatment
A 40-year-old woman is scheduled for external radiation therapy for breast cancer. To help the patient cope with her illness and the effects of radiation therapy, what should the nurse help her to focus on?
Humor is a healthful part of everyone's life.
A nursing assistant says to the LPN/LVN, "I can't believe that Mrs. Feld, who is so sick and so near death, still enjoys a good laugh." Which of these ideas should the nurse use as the basis for discussing Mrs. Feld's behavior?
Encourage the patient to verbalize feelings and fears
A patient has recently been diagnosed with cancer. What is the best initial nursing intervention for this patient?
breast development
A patient is receiving hormone therapy for treatment of prostate cancer. The nurse should inform the patient that he is likely to experience which effect?
"The test is noninvasive."
A patient is scheduled for a computed tomography (CT) scan. To prepare the patient appropriately, the nurse should provide the patient with which information?
"It introduces a needle to aspirate tissue samples."
A patient is scheduled for bone marrow biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of leukemia. As the nurse reinforces provider instructions regarding the procedure, an appropriate nursing statement regarding bone marrow biopsy would be:
The patient uses humor about her hair loss.
A patient undergoes chemotherapy and loses her hair. Which of these findings is most indicative that the patient has satisfactorily adjusted to her alopecia?
"Most of these drugs cause some degree of bone-marrow depression."
A patient who has been prescribed an antineoplastic drug for his newly diagnosed cancer asks the nurse what the most common side effect is for these drugs. What is the nurse's most accurate response?
"You sound very angry today."
A patient who is in the terminal stages of his illness says to the LPN/LVN, "Get out of here! You do everything so slowly. Leave me alone!" Which of these responses by the nurse is most appropriate?
Place patient in Fowlers position
A patient who is near death has the following nursing diagnosis—Impaired gas exchange related to fluid in the lungs. Which intervention is most appropriate?
inadequate nutrition
A patient who recently had chemotherapy for lung cancer complains of uncontrollable nausea and vomiting with accompanying loss of appetite. An appropriate problem statement would be:
Discuss the patient's behaviors with the family, encourage the family to talk to the patient in quiet tones and promote a calm environment
A terminally ill female patient reminiscing about the "good old days" becomes increasingly confused. She talks of seeing relatives who have died. Which nursing intervention(s) would be appropriate?
Lack of power over effects of chemotherapy
Before chemotherapy, a female patient expresses concerns regarding hair loss. She says that her partner will no longer love her because she will not be as attractive. An appropriate nursing problem statement would be:
Maintain a normal weight. Abstain from nitrite and nitrate food additives. Have your drinking water supply checked for contaminants.
Major measures to help prevent cancer in patients should be taught by the nurse at every given opportunity. What are those things that should be taught to patients about the prevention of cancer?
Seek a combination of interventions to offer the best pain control.
Pain is not unique to cancer but is a common occurrence in cancer patients. An important point to keep in mind when employing pain control efforts is to:
Reassure family members
The family members attending to the needs of a dying patient express distress regarding the noisy breathing. An important nursing action would be to:
Pregnancy, diet restriction and hand hygiene
The nurse reinforces patient instructions regarding neutropenic precautions. Important topics should include which of the following?
Malignant cells do not know when to stop multiplying, whereas benign cells have controlled patterns of reproduction and follow signals to stop.
There are two types of tumors: benign and malignant. A difference between the two types is:
Advise the patient to use good birth control methods, because most chemotherapeutic agents are teratogenic.
Your patient will begin chemotherapy next week. Based on the understanding of the effects of chemotherapy, what patient education would be appropriate?
