Ch. 15: Cancer care

A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving chemotherapy and has a platelet count of 30,000/mm3. Which statement by the client indicates a need for additional teaching?

"I floss my teeth every morning."

A client is recovering from a craniotomy with tumor debulking. Which comment by the client indicates to the nurse a correct understanding of what the surgery entailed?

"I guess the doctor could not remove the entire tumor."

The nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled for chemotherapy. Which is the best statement the nurse can make about the client experiencing chemotherapy-induced alopecia?

"The hair loss is usually temporary."

An oncology nurse is caring for a client who relates that certain tastes have changed. The client states that "meat tastes bad." What nursing intervention can be used to increase protein intake for a client with taste changes?

Encourage eating cheese, eggs, and legumes

What intervention should the nurse provide to reduce the incidence of renal damage when a patient is taking a chemotherapy regimen?

Encourage fluid intake to dilute the urine.

A client is scheduled for a nerve-sparing prostatectomy. The emotional spouse confides in the nurse that the client will not talk about the cancer and/or upcoming surgery. Which nursing diagnosis will the nurse choose as primary diagnosis for this client?

Fear

What foods should the nurse suggest that the patient consume less of in order to reduce nitrate intake because of the possibility of carcinogenic action?

Ham and bacon

A client diagnosed with cancer has the tumor staged and graded based on what?

How the tumor tends to grow and the cell type

Which is a growth-based classification of tumors?

Malignancy

The nurse working on a bone marrow unit knows that it is a priority to monitor which of the following in a client who has just undergone a stem cell transplant?

Monitor the client closely to prevent infection.

A client is receiving chemotherapy to treat breast cancer. Which assessment finding indicates a chemotherapy-induced complication?

Serum potassium level of 2.6 mEq/L

A client with a brain tumor is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for treatment of cancer. The client has recently reported swelling in the gums, tongue, and lips. Which is the most likely cause of these symptoms?

Stomatitis

A nurse is administering daunorubicin (DaunoXome) to a patient with lung cancer. Which situation requires immediate intervention?

The I.V. site is red and swollen.

What should the nurse tell a client who is about to begin chemotherapy and is anxious about hair loss?

The client should consider getting a wig or cap prior to beginning treatment.

The client is diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. Which of the following features of a benign tumor is of most concern to the nurse?

Tumor pressure against normal tissues

The nurse evaluates teaching as effective when a female client states that she will

Use sunscreen when outdoors.

A nurse is performing a home visit for a client who received chemotherapy within the past 24 hours. The nurse observes a small child playing in the bathroom, where the toilet lid has been left up. Based on these observations, the nurse modifies the client's teaching plan to include:

chemotherapy exposure and risk factors.

Which type of surgery is used in an attempt to relieve complications of cancer?

Palliative

The nurse is conducting a screening for familial predisposition to cancer. Which element should the nurse note as a possible indication of hereditary cancer syndrome?

An aunt and uncle diagnosed with cancer

A patient is taking vincristine, a plant alkaloid for the treatment of cancer. What system should the nurse be sure to assess for symptoms of toxicity?

Nervous system