Nursing practice questions with comprehensive rationales
NurseDive Free Nursing Practice Question
A nurse is caring for a client who has a tracheostomy tube. Upon data collection, the nurse observes the client is restless and hears crackles in the lungs. Which of the following interventions should the nurse take?
A. Perform suctioning.
The correct answer is choice A, Perform suctioning. Restlessness and crackles in the lungs may indicate respiratory distress or airway obstruction, which may be due to mucus or secretions blocking the tracheostomy tube. Performing suctioning helps clear the airway of secretions, which will improve the client's breathing. Choice B is incorrect because instilling saline into the tubing is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles. Choice C is incorrect because checking the cuff pressure is not related to managing restlessness and crackles. Choice D is incorrect because increasing humidification is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles. Other choices:
B. Instill saline into the tubing.
Instill saline into the tubing: Instilling saline into the tubing is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles.
C. Check the cuff pressure.
Check the cuff pressure: Checking the cuff pressure is not related to managing restlessness and crackles.
D. Increase the humidification.
Increase the humidification: Increasing humidification is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles.
This question is an excerpt from Nurse Dive's nursing test bank - ATI PN Adult Med Surg 2020 with NGN Proctored Exam. Take the full exam now
Full Explanation
The correct answer is choice A, Perform suctioning. Restlessness and crackles in the lungs may indicate respiratory distress or airway obstruction, which may be due to mucus or secretions blocking the tracheostomy tube. Performing suctioning helps clear the airway of secretions, which will improve the client's breathing. Choice B is incorrect because instilling saline into the tubing is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles. Choice C is incorrect because checking the cuff pressure is not related to managing restlessness and crackles. Choice D is incorrect because increasing humidification is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles.
Other choices:
Instill saline into the tubing: Instilling saline into the tubing is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles.
Check the cuff pressure: Checking the cuff pressure is not related to managing restlessness and crackles.
Increase the humidification: Increasing humidification is not a common intervention for managing restlessness and crackles.
Similar Questions
A nurse is assisting with care for a client who received a tuberculin skin test 72 hr ago. When collecting data from the test site, which of the following findings indicates a need for further testing?
A. Nonpalpable area of redness, less than 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter
Choice A. Nonpalpable area of redness, less than 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter. This indicates a negative TST reaction for any person, regardless of their risk factors for TB infection. A negative TST reaction means that the person has not been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or has a very low level of immune response to the bacterium.
B. Area of ecchymosis, greater than 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter
Choice B. Area of ecchymosis, greater than 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter. This indicates a bruise or bleeding under the skin, not a TST reaction. Ecchymosis is not caused by the injection of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) into the skin, but by trauma or injury to the blood vessels.
C. Tenderness at the injection site
Choice C. Tenderness at the injection site. This indicates a mild local reaction to the injection of tuberculin PPD into the skin, not a TST reaction. Tenderness is not measured in millimeters of induration (firm swelling), which is the standard way of reading TST results.
D. Palpable area of induration, greater than 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter
Palpable area of induration, greater than 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter. This indicates a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) reaction for a person with no known risk factors for TB infection. A positive TST reaction means that the person has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB disease, and needs further testing to confirm the diagnosis and rule out active TB disease. The other choices are not correct because:
Full Explanation
Palpable area of induration, greater than 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter. This indicates a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) reaction for a person with no known risk factors for TB infection. A positive TST reaction means that the person has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB disease, and needs further testing to confirm the diagnosis and rule out active TB disease.
The other choices are not correct because:
- Choice A. Nonpalpable area of redness, less than 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter. This indicates a negative TST reaction for any person, regardless of their risk factors for TB infection. A negative TST reaction means that the person has not been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or has a very low level of immune response to the bacterium.
- Choice B. Area of ecchymosis, greater than 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter. This indicates a bruise or bleeding under the skin, not a TST reaction. Ecchymosis is not caused by the injection of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) into the skin, but by trauma or injury to the blood vessels.
- Choice C. Tenderness at the injection site. This indicates a mild local reaction to the injection of tuberculin PPD into the skin, not a TST reaction. Tenderness is not measured in millimeters of induration (firm swelling), which is the standard way of reading TST results.
A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following an open cholecystectomy. Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse report to the provider?
A. Report of shoulder pain
Choice A, reporting of shoulder pain, is not the correct answer because this is a common finding post-cholecystectomy, which is often due to the presence of carbon dioxide used during the surgical procedure.
B. Thick, green-brown drainage on dressing
This finding could indicate the presence of bile leakage, which can occur following a cholecystectomy. The provider should be notified immediately as the client may require further interventions. Incisional pain, shoulder pain, and a dry and intact abdominal dressing are expected findings in the postoperative period.
C. Incisional pain 5 out of 10 on a pain scale
Choice C, incisional pain 5 out of 10 on a pain scale, is not the correct answer because this level of pain is within the expected range for the postoperative period.
D. Abdominal dressing dry and intact
Choice D, abdominal dressing dry and intact, is not the correct answer because this is an expected finding in the postoperative period.
Full Explanation
This finding could indicate the presence of bile leakage, which can occur following a cholecystectomy. The provider should be notified immediately as the client may require further interventions. Incisional pain, shoulder pain, and a dry and intact abdominal dressing are expected findings in the postoperative period.
Choice C, incisional pain 5 out of 10 on a pain scale, is not the correct answer because this level of pain is within the expected range for the postoperative period.
Choice D, abdominal dressing dry and intact, is not the correct answer because this is an expected finding in the postoperative period.
A nurse is caring for a client who has just had a central venous catheter placed via the right subclavian vein. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Place the client in the Trendelenburg position
Choice A, placing the client in the Trendelenburg position, is not the correct answer because it is not indicated in this situation and may increase the risk of complications.
B. Encourage active range of motion exercises of the right arm
Choice B, encouraging active range of motion exercises of the right arm, is not the correct answer because it can increase the risk of catheter dislodgment.
C. Keep the client's right arm immobilized
The client's right arm should be immobilized to prevent dislodgment of the central venous catheter. The Trendelenburg position is not indicated in this situation and may increase the risk of complications. Active range of motion exercises of the right arm and frequent coughing can also increase the risk of catheter dislodgment.
D. Instruct the client to cough frequently
Choice D, instructing the client to cough frequently, is not the correct answer because it can increase the risk of catheter dislodgment.
Full Explanation
The client's right arm should be immobilized to prevent dislodgment of the central venous catheter. The Trendelenburg position is not indicated in this situation and may increase the risk of complications. Active range of motion exercises of the right arm and frequent coughing can also increase the risk of catheter dislodgment.
Choice A, placing the client in the Trendelenburg position, is not the correct answer because it is not indicated in this situation and may increase the risk of complications.
Choice B, encouraging active range of motion exercises of the right arm, is not the correct answer because it can increase the risk of catheter dislodgment.
Choice D, instructing the client to cough frequently, is not the correct answer because it can increase the risk of catheter dislodgment.