Mastery Chapter 33: Introduction to the Immune System

When obtaining a health history from a patient with possible abnormal immune function, what question would be a priority for the nurse to ask?

"Have you ever received a blood transfusion?"

This type of T lymphocyte is responsible for altering the cell membrane and initiating cellular lysis. Choose the T lymphocyte.

Cytotoxic T cell

Which of the following is associated with impaired immunity relating to the aging patient?

Decreased renal function

Which of the following is the most important guideline for a nurse caring for immunosuppressed clients?

Following the guidelines of the agency for controlling infections

What immunoglobulin is present in small amounts and is thought to be related to allergic responses?

IgE

Which of the following statements accurately reflects current stem cell research?

The stem cell is known as a precursor cell that continually replenishes the body's entire supply of both red and white cells.

Stem cells are considered "almost immortal," as they renew the different types of cells in the body. Where do stem cells develop into T cells?

Thymus

A 38-year old female client has begun to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. She is also being assessed for disorders of the immune system. She works as an aide at a facility which cares for children infected with AIDS. Which of the following factors will hold the greatest implications during the client's assessment? Choose all that apply.

• Her work environment • Her history of immunizations and allergies • Her use of other drugs

An emergency department (ED) nurse has provided care for many patients who have primary and secondary diagnoses of immune dysfunction. Which of the following patients likely has the highest risk of a disruption to normal immune functioning?

A man who has recently completed medical treatment for prostate cancer

During a mumps outbreak at a local school, a patient, who is a school teacher, is exposed. She has previously been immunized for mumps. What type of immunity does she possess?

Acquired immunity

The nursing instructor is discussing the different types of immunity with the Level I nursing students. The instructor gives an example of a patient given a vaccination for rubella; what will the healthy patient develop?

Active acquired immunity.

An infection control nurse is presenting an inservice reviewing the immune response. The nurse describes the clumping effect that occurs when an antibody acts like a cross-link between two antigens. What process is the nurse explaining?

Agglutination

A nurse is reviewing a patient's medication administration record in an effort to identify drugs that may contribute to the patient's recent immunosuppression. What drug is most likely to have this effect?

An antineoplastic

The immune system is a complicated and intricate system that contains specialized cells and tissues that protect us from external invaders and our own altered cells. Which of the following is the term used to define any substance capable of inducing a specific immune response and of reacting with the products of that response?

Antigens

A client undergoing a skin test has been intradermally injected with a disease-specific antigen on the inner forearm. The client becomes anxious because the area begins to swell. What advice should the nurse give to calm the client?

Assure the client that this is a normal reaction.

An experiment is designed to determine specific cell types involved in cell-mediated immune response. The experimenter is interested in finding cells that attack the antigen directly by altering the cell membrane and causing cell lysis. Which cells should be isolated?

Cytotoxic T cells

A 44-year-old man has come to the clinic with an asthma exacerbation. He tells the nurse that his father and brother also suffer from asthma, as does his 15-year-old son. The nurse explains that this is an allergic response based on a genetic predisposition. The specific allergen initiated by immunological mechanisms is usually mediated by what?

Immunoglobulin E

A woman has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is being treated aggressively with a chemotherapeutic regimen. As a result of this regimen she has an inability to fight infection due to the fact her bone marrow is unable to produce a sufficient amount of what?

Lymphocytes

The nurse is aware that the phagocytic immune response, one of the body's responses to invasion, involves the ability of cells to ingest foreign particles. Which of the following engulfs and destroys invading agents?

Macrophages

A nursing instructor is giving a lecture on the immune system. Which of the following cells will the instructor include in her discussion on phagocytosis?

Neutrophils and monocytes

A patient is admitted with an infected leg, and the nurse notes an increase in his white blood cell (WBC) count. The nurse is aware that, during the immune response, pathogens are engulfed by WBCs that ingest foreign particles. What is this process known as?

Phagocytosis

A patient is admitted with an infected leg. The nurse notes an increase in a patient's white blood cell count. The nurse is aware that during the immune response, pathogens are engulfed by white blood cells that ingest foreign particles. What is this process known as?

Phagocytosis

A patient is admitted with cellulitis and experiences a consequent increase in white blood cell count. The nurse is aware that during the immune response, pathogens are engulfed by white blood cells that ingest foreign particles. What is this process known as?

Phagocytosis

A nurse is taking the health history of a newly admitted client. Which of the following conditions would NOT place the client at risk for impaired immune function?

Surgical removal of the appendix

A nurse is explaining how the humoral and cellular immune responses should be seen as interacting parts of the broader immune system rather than as independent and unrelated processes. What aspect of immune function best demonstrates this?

The interactions that occur between T cells and B cells

A patient arrives at the clinic and informs the nurse that she has a very sore throat as well as a fever. A rapid strep test returns a positive result and the patient is given a prescription for an antibiotic. How did the streptococcal organism gain access to the patient to cause this infection?

Through the mucous membranes of the throat

A gardener sustained a deep laceration while working and requires sutures. The patient is asked about the date of her last tetanus shot which, she tells the nurse, is over 10 years ago. Based on this information the patient will receive a tetanus immunization. The tetanus injection will allow for the release of what?

an antibody

A patient undergoing a skin test has been intradermally injected with a disease-specific antigen on the inner forearm. The patient becomes anxious because the area begins to swell. Which of the following may be used to decrease anxiety in this patient?

Assure the patient that this is a normal reaction

Which of the following cell types are involved in humoral immunity?

B lymphocytes

A nurse is monitoring a client who developed facial edema after receiving a medication. Which white blood cells stimulated the edema?

Basophils

A patient has enlarged lymph nodes in his neck and a sore throat. This inflammatory response is an example of a cellular immune response whereby:

Lymphocytes migrate to areas of the lymph node

Matt Carson, a 20-year-old college student, was riding his motorcycle home from class when he lost control of the bike and sustained serious internal injuries, including a ruptured spleen. Matt has been taken to the OR to remove his spleen and the ED nurse is meeting with Matt's parents to answer some of their additional questions. Which of the following will be included in the nurse's discussion regarding special considerations following the removal of Matt's spleen?

Matt will be susceptible to infection because the spleen removes bacteria from the blood.

Which of the following medication classifications are known to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis or release?

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in large doses

The nurse is assessing a client's risk for impaired immune function. What assessment finding should the nurse identify as a risk factor for decreased immunity?

The patient is under significant psychosocial stress.

The infection control nurse is presenting an inservice for the staff on the immune reaction of the body. The nurse understands that the clumping effect that occurs when an antibody acts like a cross-link between two antigens is termed what?

Agglutination

Immunoglobulins (also known as antibodies) promote the destruction of invading cells in various ways, using different mechanisms. Which of the following mechanisms is used by immunoglobulins to destroy pathogenic antigens?

All options are correct

Which of the following immunity types becomes active as a result of the infection of a specific microorganism? Choose the correct option.

Naturally acquired active immunity

As a nursing instructor, you realize the importance of your students understanding the role of the immune system and its role to protect and defend the body from potential harm. What type of cells are the primary targets of the healthy immune system? Choose all correct options.

Interferons

Which type of immunity becomes active as a result of the infection of a specific microorganism?

Naturally acquired active immunity