Nursing practice questions with comprehensive rationales
NurseDive Free Nursing Practice Question
A nurse is gathering medical history from a client admitted for pyelonephritis. Which of the following should the nurse expect the client to report when asked about their medical history?
A. The client states that they consume a high calcium diet and have had high calcium in their blood.
A high calcium diet and hypercalcemia are not directly associated with pyelonephritis. While dietary habits and blood calcium levels can impact overall health, they do not typically contribute to the development of pyelonephritis.
B. The client reports that they took a lot of ibuprofen for arthritis for many years.
Long-term use of ibuprofen can lead to kidney damage, which may increase the risk of pyelonephritis, especially if there is pre-existing kidney impairment. However, it is not as directly related to pyelonephritis as a history of UTIs.
C. The client reports that they had two urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the past 10 months.
A history of UTIs is relevant to pyelonephritis, as the infection can ascend from the lower urinary tract to the kidneys. Recurrent UTIs are a risk factor for pyelonephritis, making this the most likely report from the client.
D. The client states that they remember their mother saying their grandmother had this same genetic disease.
Genetic diseases can have various impacts on health, but there is no common genetic disease that directly causes pyelonephritis. This choice is less likely to be relevant to the client's current condition.
This question is an excerpt from Nurse Dive's nursing test bank - Ati Med Surg Proctored Exam Midterm Rn 36 1125. Take the full exam now
Full Explanation
Choice A rationale
A high calcium diet and hypercalcemia are not directly associated with pyelonephritis. While dietary habits and blood calcium levels can impact overall health, they do not typically contribute to the development of pyelonephritis.
Choice B rationale
Long-term use of ibuprofen can lead to kidney damage, which may increase the risk of pyelonephritis, especially if there is pre-existing kidney impairment. However, it is not as directly related to pyelonephritis as a history of UTIs.
Choice C rationale
A history of UTIs is relevant to pyelonephritis, as the infection can ascend from the lower urinary tract to the kidneys. Recurrent UTIs are a risk factor for pyelonephritis, making this the most likely report from the client.
Choice D rationale
Genetic diseases can have various impacts on health, but there is no common genetic disease that directly causes pyelonephritis. This choice is less likely to be relevant to the client's current condition.
Similar Questions
A nurse is caring for a client who has an acute kidney injury caused by acute tubular necrosis. The client asks why their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) keeps decreasing. Which of the following pathophysiological changes occurring in the kidney should the nurse explain as the cause of the decrease?
A. Inflammatory cells invade the already damaged kidneys.
While inflammation can affect the kidneys, the presence of inflammatory cells alone does not typically cause a decrease in GFR. Inflammatory cells invading the kidneys is more associated with conditions like glomerulonephritis rather than acute tubular necrosis.
B. There is a reduction of blood flow to the kidneys.
A reduction in blood flow to the kidneys, known as prerenal azotemia, can indeed lead to a decreased GFR. However, in the context of acute tubular necrosis, the primary issue is damage to the renal tubules rather than blood flow.
C. There is injury to the renal tubular cells.
Acute tubular necrosis is characterized by damage to the renal tubular cells, which can lead to a decrease in GFR. This damage impairs the kidney's ability to filter waste products from the blood, resulting in a lower GFR.
D. There is obstruction leading to the filtration system backing up and eventually shutting the kidneys down.
Obstruction of the urinary tract can lead to postrenal azotemia, which may decrease GFR if severe enough. However, this is not the typical pathophysiological change seen in acute tubular necrosis, which primarily involves tubular cell injury.
Full Explanation
Choice A rationale
While inflammation can affect the kidneys, the presence of inflammatory cells alone does not typically cause a decrease in GFR. Inflammatory cells invading the kidneys is more associated with conditions like glomerulonephritis rather than acute tubular necrosis.
Choice B rationale
A reduction in blood flow to the kidneys, known as prerenal azotemia, can indeed lead to a decreased GFR. However, in the context of acute tubular necrosis, the primary issue is damage to the renal tubules rather than blood flow.
Choice C rationale
Acute tubular necrosis is characterized by damage to the renal tubular cells, which can lead to a decrease in GFR. This damage impairs the kidney's ability to filter waste products from the blood, resulting in a lower GFR.
Choice D rationale
Obstruction of the urinary tract can lead to postrenal azotemia, which may decrease GFR if severe enough. However, this is not the typical pathophysiological change seen in acute tubular necrosis, which primarily involves tubular cell injury.
A female patient with a suspected urinary tract infection is to provide a clean-catch midstream urine specimen for culture and sensitivity testing. What should the nurse do to obtain the specimen?
A. Tell the patient to clean the urethral area, void a small amount into the toilet, then void directly into a sterile container.
This method is the standard procedure for obtaining a clean-catch midstream urine specimen. The initial voiding washes away organisms near the meatus, and the midstream urine is less likely to be contaminated by bacteria from the skin or urethral area, providing a sample that more accurately represents the bacteria in the bladder.
B. Have the patient empty the bladder completely; then obtain the next urine specimen that the patient is able to void.
Having the patient empty the bladder completely and then obtaining the next specimen does not ensure a clean-catch sample. This method could lead to contamination of the specimen with bacteria from the skin or urethral area.
C. Clean the area around the patient's meatus with a povidone-iodine (Betadine) swab and then have the patient void into a sterile specimen cup.
Cleaning the area with povidone-iodine is not recommended for routine urine culture as it may kill some of the bacteria, leading to a false-negative result. The standard practice is to clean the area with mild soap and water.
D. Insert a short sterile "mini" catheter attached to a collecting container into the urethra and bladder to obtain the specimen.
Inserting a catheter is an invasive procedure and is not the first choice for obtaining a urine specimen. It is used when a patient is unable to provide a clean-catch specimen or if there are specific medical indications.
Full Explanation
Choice A rationale
This method is the standard procedure for obtaining a clean-catch midstream urine specimen. The initial voiding washes away organisms near the meatus, and the midstream urine is less likely to be contaminated by bacteria from the skin or urethral area, providing a sample that more accurately represents the bacteria in the bladder.
Choice B rationale
Having the patient empty the bladder completely and then obtaining the next specimen does not ensure a clean-catch sample. This method could lead to contamination of the specimen with bacteria from the skin or urethral area.
Choice C rationale
Cleaning the area with povidone-iodine is not recommended for routine urine culture as it may kill some of the bacteria, leading to a false-negative result. The standard practice is to clean the area with mild soap and water.
Choice D rationale
Inserting a catheter is an invasive procedure and is not the first choice for obtaining a urine specimen. It is used when a patient is unable to provide a clean-catch specimen or if there are specific medical indications.
A patient is admitted with esophageal varices and portal hypertension. Which underlying cause of these conditions would the nurse suspect?
A. Liver cirrhosis
Liver cirrhosis is the most common cause of esophageal varices and portal hypertension. Cirrhosis leads to scarring of the liver, which impedes blood flow through the portal vein, causing increased pressure (portal hypertension) and the development of collateral blood vessels (varices) as the body attempts to bypass the blockage.
B. Throat lacerations
Throat lacerations are not related to the development of esophageal varices or portal hypertension. They are typically acute injuries and do not cause the chronic changes seen in the vasculature associated with these conditions.
C. Kyphosis
Kyphosis, a curvature of the spine, does not cause esophageal varices or portal hypertension. It is a structural skeletal condition and does not affect the vasculature of the esophagus or the portal venous system.
D. Squamous cell cancer
While squamous cell cancer can occur in the esophagus, it is not a typical cause of portal hypertension or esophageal varices. These varices are usually a result of increased pressure in the portal vein, not directly from a malignancy.
Full Explanation
Choice A rationale
Liver cirrhosis is the most common cause of esophageal varices and portal hypertension. Cirrhosis leads to scarring of the liver, which impedes blood flow through the portal vein, causing increased pressure (portal hypertension) and the development of collateral blood vessels (varices) as the body attempts to bypass the blockage.
Choice B rationale
Throat lacerations are not related to the development of esophageal varices or portal hypertension. They are typically acute injuries and do not cause the chronic changes seen in the vasculature associated with these conditions.
Choice C rationale
Kyphosis, a curvature of the spine, does not cause esophageal varices or portal hypertension. It is a structural skeletal condition and does not affect the vasculature of the esophagus or the portal venous system.
Choice D rationale
While squamous cell cancer can occur in the esophagus, it is not a typical cause of portal hypertension or esophageal varices. These varices are usually a result of increased pressure in the portal vein, not directly from a malignancy.