Exam 2.5 Practice Questions

A student studying leukemias learns the risk factors for developing this disorder. Which risk factors does this include? (Select all that apply.) a. Chemical exposure b. Genetically modified foods c. Ionizing radiation exposure d. Vaccinationse. Viral infections

ANS: A, C, E Chemical and ionizing radiation exposure and viral infections are known risk factors for developing leukemia. Eating genetically modified food and receiving vaccinations are not known risk factors.

The nurse is caring for a client with leukemia who has the priority problem of fatigue. What action by the client best indicates that an important goal for this problem has been met? a. Doing activities of daily living (ADLs) using rest periods b. Helping plan a daily activity schedule c. Requesting a sleeping pill at night d. Telling visitors to leave when fatigued

ANS: A Fatigue is a common problem for clients with leukemia. This client is managing his or her own ADLs using rest periods, which indicates an understanding of fatigue and how to control it. Helping to plan an activity schedule is a lesser indicator. Requesting a sleeping pill does not help control fatigue during the day. Asking visitors to leave when tired is another lesser indicator. Managing ADLs using rest periods demonstrates the most comprehensive management strategy.

A client has dumping syndrome after a partial gastrectomy. Which action by the nurse would be most helpful? a. Arrange a dietary consult. b. Increase fluid intake. c. Limit the clients foods. d. Make the client NPO.

ANS: A The client with dumping syndrome after a gastrectomy has multiple dietary needs. A referral to the registered dietitian will be extremely helpful. Food and fluid intake is complicated and needs planning. The client should not be NPO.

A client has been admitted after sustaining a humerus fracture that occurred when picking up the family cat. What test result would the nurse correlate to this condition? a. Bence-Jones protein in urine b. Epstein-Barr virus: positive c. Hemoglobin: 18 mg/dL d. Red blood cell count: 8.2/mm3

ANS: A This client has possible multiple myeloma. A positive Bence-Jones protein finding would correlate with this condition. The Epstein-Barr virus is a herpesvirus that causes infectious mononucleosis and some cancers. A hemoglobin of 18 mg/dL is slightly high for a male and somewhat high for a female; this can be caused by several conditions, and further information would be needed to correlate this value with a specific medical condition. A red blood cell count of 8.2/mm3 is also high, but again, more information would be needed to correlate this finding with a specific medical condition.

A client has frequent hospitalizations for leukemia and is worried about functioning as a parent to four small children. What action by the nurse would be most helpful? a. Assist the client to make sick day plans for household responsibilities. b. Determine if there are family members or friends who can help the client. c. Help the client inform friends and family that they will have to help out. d. Refer the client to a social worker in order to investigate respite child care.

ANS: A While all options are reasonable choices, the best option is to help the client make sick day plans, as that is more comprehensive and inclusive than the other options, which focus on a single item.

A client has a platelet count of 9000/mm3. The nurse finds the client confused and mumbling. What action takes priority? a. Calling the Rapid Response Team b. Delegating taking a set of vital signs c. Instituting bleeding precautions d. Placing the client on bedrest

ANS: A With a platelet count this low, the client is at high risk of spontaneous bleeding. The most disastrous complication would be intracranial bleeding. The nurse needs to call the Rapid Response Team as this client has manifestations of a sudden neurologic change. The nurse should not delegate the vital signs as the client is no longer stable. Bleeding precautions will not address the immediate situation. Placing the client on bedrest or putting the client back into bed is important, but the critical action is to call for immediate medical attention.

The student nurse learns about risk factors for gastric cancer. Which factors does this include? (Select all that apply.) a. Achlorhydria b. Chronic atrophic gastritis c. Helicobacter pylori infection d. Iron deficiency anemia e. Pernicious anemia

ANS: A, B, C, E Achlorhydria, chronic atrophic gastritis, H. pylori infection, and pernicious anemia are all risk factors for developing gastric cancer. Iron deficiency anemia is not a risk factor.

A client has dumping syndrome. What menu selections indicate the client understands the correct diet to manage this condition? (Select all that apply.) a. Canned unsweetened apricots b. Coffee cake c. Milk shaked. Potato soup e. Steamed broccoli

ANS: A, D Canned apricots and potato soup are appropriate selections as they are part of a high-protein, high-fat, low- to moderate-carbohydrate diet. Coffee cake and other sweets must be avoided. Milk products and sweet drinks such as shakes must be avoided. Gas-forming foods such as broccoli must also be avoided.

The family of a neutropenic client reports the client is not acting right. What action by the nurse is the priority? a. Ask the client about pain. b. Assess the client for infection. c. Delegate taking a set of vital signs .d. Look at todays laboratory results.

ANS: B Neutropenic clients often do not have classic manifestations of infection, but infection is the most common cause of death in neutropenic clients. The nurse should assess for infection. The nurse should assess for pain but this is not the priority. The nurse should take the clients vital signs instead of delegating them since the client has had a change in status. Laboratory results may be inconclusive.

While assessing a client who is 12 hours postoperative after a thoracotomy for lung cancer, a nurse notices that the lower chest tube is dislodged. Which action should the nurse take first? a. Assess for drainage from the site. b. Cover the insertion site with sterile gauze .c. Contact the provider and obtain a suture kit. d. Reinsert the tube using sterile technique.

ANS: B Immediately covering the insertion site helps prevent air from entering the pleural space and causing a pneumothorax. The area will not reseal quickly enough to prevent air from entering the chest. The nurse should not leave the client to obtain a suture kit. An occlusive dressing may cause a tension pneumothorax. The site should only be assessed after the insertion site is covered. The provider should be called to reinsert the chest tube or prescribe other treatment options.

A client has a recurrence of gastric cancer and is in the gastrointestinal clinic crying. What response by the nurse is most appropriate? a. Do you have family or friends for support? b. Id like to know what you are feeling now. c. Well, we knew this would probably happen. d. Would you like me to refer you to hospice?

ANS: B The nurse assesses the clients emotional state with open-ended questions and statements and shows a willingness to listen to the clients concerns. Asking about support people is very limited in nature, and yes-or-no questions are not therapeutic. Stating that this was expected dismisses the clients concerns. The client may or may not be ready to hear about hospice, and this is another limited, yes-or-no question.

An older client has gastric cancer and is scheduled to have a partial gastrectomy. The family does not want the client told about her diagnosis. What action by the nurse is best? a. Ask the family why they feel this way. b. Assess family concerns and fears. c. Refuse to go along with the familys wishes. d. Tell the family that such secrets cannot be kept.

ANS: B The nurse should use open-ended questions and statements to fully assess the familys concerns and fears. Asking why questions often puts people on the defensive and is considered a barrier to therapeutic communication. Refusing to follow the familys wishes or keep their confidence will not help move this family from their position and will set up an adversarial relationship.

A client has Hodgkins lymphoma, Ann Arbor stage Ib. For what manifestations should the nurse assess the client? (Select all that apply.) a. Headaches b. Night sweats c. Persistent fever d. Urinary frequency e. Weight loss

ANS: B, C, E In this stage, the disease is located in a single lymph node region or a single nonlymph node site. The client displays night sweats, persistent fever, and weight loss. Headache and urinary problems are not related.

A nurse is caring for a young male client with lymphoma who is to begin treatment. What teaching topic is a priority? a. Genetic testing b. Infection prevention c. Sperm banking d. Treatment options

ANS: C All teaching topics are important to the client with lymphoma, but for a young male, sperm banking is of particular concern if the client is going to have radiation to the lower abdomen or pelvis.

A nursing student is caring for a client with leukemia. The student asks why the client is still at risk for infection when the clients white blood cell count (WBC) is high. What response by the registered nurse is best? a. If the WBCs are high, there already is an infection present b. The client is in a blast crisis and has too many WBCs. c. There must be a mistake; the WBCs should be very low. d. Those WBCs are abnormal and dont provide protection.

ANS: D In leukemia, the WBCs are abnormal and do not provide protection to the client against infection. The other statements are not accurate.

A nurse is caring for a client who is about to receive a bone marrow transplant. To best help the client cope with the long recovery period, what action by the nurse is best? a. Arrange a visitation schedule among friends and family. b. Explain that this process is difficult but must be endured. c. Help the client find things to hope for each day of recovery. d. Provide plenty of diversionary activities for this time.

ANS: C Providing hope is an essential nursing function during treatment for any disease process, but especially during the recovery period after bone marrow transplantation, which can take up to 3 weeks. The nurse can help the client look ahead to the recovery period and identify things to hope for during this time. Visitors are important to clients, but may pose an infection risk. Telling the client the recovery period must be endured does not acknowledge his or her feelings. Diversionary activities are important, but not as important as instilling hope.

A nurse cares for a client who has developed esophagitis after undergoing radiation therapy for lung cancer. Which diet selection should the nurse provide for this client? a. Spaghetti with meat sauce, ice cream b. Chicken soup, grilled cheese sandwich c. Omelet, soft whole wheat bread d. Pasta salad, custard, orange juice

ANS: C Side effects of radiation therapy may include inflammation of the esophagus. Clients should be taught that bland, soft, high-calorie foods are best, along with liquid nutritional supplements. Tomato sauce may prove too spicy for a client with esophagitis. A grilled cheese sandwich is too difficult to swallow with this condition, and orange juice and other foods with citric acid are too caustic.

A client has thrombocytopenia. What client statement indicates the client understands self-management of this condition? a. I brush and use dental floss every day. b. I chew hard candy for my dry mouth. c. I usually put ice on bumps or bruises. d. Nonslip socks are best when I walk.

ANS: C The client should be taught to apply ice to areas of minor trauma. Flossing is not recommended. Hard foods should be avoided. The client should wear well-fitting shoes when ambulating.

A client has received a bone marrow transplant and is waiting for engraftment. What actions by the nurse are most appropriate? (Select all that apply.) a. Not allowing any visitors until engraftment b. Limiting the protein in the clients diet c. Placing the client in protective precautions d. Teaching visitors appropriate hand hygiene e. Telling visitors not to bring live flowers or plants

ANS: C, D, E The client waiting for engraftment after bone marrow transplant has no white cells to protect him or her against infection. The client is on protective precautions and visitors are taught hand hygiene. No fresh flowers or plants are allowed due to the standing water in the vase or container that may harbor organisms. Limiting protein is not a healthy option and will not promote engraftment.

A client has a platelet count of 25,000/mm3. What actions does the nurse delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)? (Select all that apply.) a. Assist with oral hygiene using a firm toothbrush. b. Give the client an enema if he or she is constipated. c. Help the client choose soft foods from the menu. d. Shave the male client with an electric razor. e. Use a lift sheet when needed to re-position the client.

ANS: C, D, E This client has thrombocytopenia and requires bleeding precautions. These include oral hygiene with a soft-bristled toothbrush or swabs, avoiding rectal trauma, eating soft foods, shaving with an electric razor, and using a lift sheet to re-position the client.

The nurse is caring for a client with lung cancer who states, I dont want any pain medication because I am afraid Ill become addicted. How should the nurse respond? a. I will ask the provider to change your medication to a drug that is less potent. b. Would you like me to use music therapy to distract you from your pain? c. It is unlikely you will become addicted when taking medicine for pain. d. Would you like me to give you acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead?

ANS: CClients should be encouraged to take their pain medications; addiction usually is not an issue with a client in pain. The nurse would not request that the pain medication be changed unless it was not effective. Other methods to decrease pain can be used, in addition to pain medication.

A client with multiple myeloma demonstrates worsening bone density on diagnostic scans. About what drug does the nurse plan to teach this client? a. Bortezomib (Velcade) b. Dexamethasone (Decadron) c. Thalidomide (Thalomid) d. Zoledronic acid (Zometa)

ANS: D All the options are drugs used to treat multiple myeloma, but the drug used specifically for bone manifestations is zoledronic acid (Zometa), which is a bisphosphonate. This drug class inhibits bone resorption and is used to treat osteoporosis as well.

A client is scheduled for a total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. What preoperative laboratory result should the nurse report to the surgeon immediately? a. Albumin: 2.1 g/dL b. Hematocrit: 28% c. Hemoglobin: 8.1 mg/dL d. International normalized ratio (INR): 4.2

ANS: D An INR as high as 4.2 poses a serious risk of bleeding during the operation and should be reported. The albumin is low and is an expected finding. The hematocrit and hemoglobin are also low, but this is expected in gastric cancer.

A nursing student is struggling to understand the process of graft-versus-host disease. What explanation by the nurse instructor is best? a. Because of immunosuppression, the donor cells take over. b. Its like a transfusion reaction because no perfect matches exist. c. The clients cells are fighting donor cells for dominance. d. The donors cells are actually attacking the clients cells.

ANS: D Graft versus host disease is an autoimmune-type process in which the donor cells recognize the clients cells as foreign and begin attacking them. The other answers are not accurate.