Nursing practice questions with comprehensive rationales
NurseDive Free Nursing Practice Question
Which instruction regarding skin care should the nurse provide to a client who is receiving radiation therapy for metastatic breast cancer?
A. Protect the site from getting wet during bathing.
Protect the site from getting wet during bathing. While it is important to avoid prolonged soaking, gentle rinsing with water is usually allowed. Complete avoidance of water is not typically necessary. Gentle bathing is important for hygiene.
B. Gently pat the skin dry after rinsing with water.
Gently patting the skin dry after rinsing with water is a good practice as it helps to minimize friction and irritation to the sensitive skin. Rubbing or scrubbing the skin should be avoided.
C. Frequently apply moisturizers to prevent dry skin.
Applying moisturizers to prevent dry skin can be beneficial for overall skin health, but it is important to consult with the healthcare team and follow specific instructions regarding the use of moisturizers during radiation therapy. Certain types of moisturizers or creams may interfere with the radiation treatment or cause skin irritation. Frequent application is not always necessary. Over-hydration can soften the skin and increase vulnerability.
D. Use a sponge to debride the affected area.
Using a sponge to debride the affected area is not recommended during radiation therapy. The skin in the radiation treatment field is already sensitive and prone to damage, and using a sponge for debridement can further traumatize the skin. It is important to avoid any abrasive or rough handling of the treated skin.
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Full Explanation
A. Protect the site from getting wet during bathing. While it is important to avoid prolonged soaking, gentle rinsing with water is usually allowed. Complete avoidance of water is not typically necessary. Gentle bathing is important for hygiene.
B. Gently patting the skin dry after rinsing with water is a good practice as it helps to minimize friction and irritation to the sensitive skin. Rubbing or scrubbing the skin should be avoided.
C. Applying moisturizers to prevent dry skin can be beneficial for overall skin health, but it is important to consult with the healthcare team and follow specific instructions regarding the use of moisturizers during radiation therapy. Certain types of moisturizers or creams may interfere with the radiation treatment or cause skin irritation. Frequent application is not always necessary. Over-hydration can soften the skin and increase vulnerability.
D. Using a sponge to debride the affected area is not recommended during radiation therapy. The skin in the radiation treatment field is already sensitive and prone to damage, and using a sponge for debridement can further traumatize the skin. It is important to avoid any abrasive or rough handling of the treated skin.
Similar Questions
After having a pulmonary angiogram, a client is diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism (PE). Which intervention is most important for the nurse to include in the client's plan of care?
A. Administer IV opioids as needed for pain.
While pain management is important, it is not the most critical intervention compared to monitoring for bleeding, which can be life-threatening.
B. Teach how to use incentive spirometry.
Teaching the client how to use incentive spirometry is important for improving lung function and preventing complications like atelectasis. However, in the context of a pulmonary embolism (PE), the immediate priority is to monitor for signs of increased bleeding due to the anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy often used to treat PE. This is crucial to prevent potentially life-threatening complications.
C. Monitor for confusion and restlessness.
Confusion and restlessness could indicate hypoxia, which is important to monitor in a PE patient. However, the immediate risk of bleeding due to anticoagulation therapy takes precedence.
D. Observe for signs of increased bleeding.
Patients with a pulmonary embolism are typically treated with thrombolytic or anticoagulant therapy to prevent further clot formation and to help dissolve the existing clot. Anticoagulants significantly increase the risk of bleeding, making it crucial to monitor for signs of increased bleeding as a priority in the plan of care.
Full Explanation
A. While pain management is important, it is not the most critical intervention compared to monitoring for bleeding, which can be life-threatening.
B. Teaching the client how to use incentive spirometry is important for improving lung function and preventing complications like atelectasis. However, in the context of a pulmonary embolism (PE), the immediate priority is to monitor for signs of increased bleeding due to the anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy often used to treat PE. This is crucial to prevent potentially life-threatening complications.
C. Confusion and restlessness could indicate hypoxia, which is important to monitor in a PE patient. However, the immediate risk of bleeding due to anticoagulation therapy takes precedence.
D. Patients with a pulmonary embolism are typically treated with thrombolytic or anticoagulant therapy to prevent further clot formation and to help dissolve the existing clot. Anticoagulants significantly increase the risk of bleeding, making it crucial to monitor for signs of increased bleeding as a priority in the plan of care.
One hour after arriving on the postoperative unit, a woman who received spinal anesthesia 5 hours ago is complaining of severe abdominal incisional pain. Her vital signs are: temperature 99° F (37.2° C), heart rate 110 beats/minute, respiratory rate 30 breaths/minute and blood pressure 160/90 mmHg. The client's skin is pale, and the surgical dressing is dry and Intact. Which intervention is most important for the nurse to Implement?
A. Provide pillow for splinting.
While providing a pillow for splinting can offer comfort and support to the client, it is not the most critical intervention in this situation.
B. Assess the IV site for patency.
Assessing IV patency is a procedural prerequisite for medication administration but not a therapeutic intervention in itself. It does not directly address the pathophysiology of acute pain or the sympathetic surge evidenced by tachycardia and hypertension. Pain activates ascending pathways via A-delta and C fibers, requiring pharmacologic blockade. IV access assessment is necessary but secondary to the urgent need for analgesia to prevent complications like hypoxia, hyperventilation, or delayed recovery.
C. Place in a high Fowler position.
Placing the client in a high Fowler position may help with pain management, but it is not the priority at this moment.
D. Administer an IV analgesic.
IV analgesics act rapidly to inhibit nociceptive transmission at the spinal cord and brainstem levels. Opioids bind to mu receptors, reducing neurotransmitter release and hyperpolarizing neurons, thereby dampening pain signals. This intervention directly targets the physiologic cause of elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. Normal heart rate is 60–100 bpm, respiratory rate 12–20 breaths/min, and BP <120/80 mmHg. Prompt analgesia prevents complications like hypoxia, delayed healing, and neuroendocrine stress.
E. None
None
F. None
None
Full Explanation
The correct answer is Choice D
Choice A rationale: Splinting with a pillow may reduce discomfort during movement or coughing by stabilizing the incision site, but it does not address acute postoperative pain with sympathetic overdrive. The elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure suggest a stress response mediated by catecholamines. Without analgesia, nociceptive signals continue to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. While splinting is supportive, it lacks the pharmacologic efficacy needed to blunt nociceptive transmission at the spinal or supraspinal level.
Choice B rationale: Assessing IV patency is a procedural prerequisite for medication administration but not a therapeutic intervention in itself. It does not directly address the pathophysiology of acute pain or the sympathetic surge evidenced by tachycardia and hypertension. Pain activates ascending pathways via A-delta and C fibers, requiring pharmacologic blockade. IV access assessment is necessary but secondary to the urgent need for analgesia to prevent complications like hypoxia, hyperventilation, or delayed recovery.
Choice C rationale: High Fowler positioning may improve diaphragmatic excursion and reduce pulmonary complications, but it does not mitigate visceral or incisional pain. In fact, increased intra-abdominal pressure from upright posture may exacerbate pain at the surgical site. Pain perception involves central sensitization and peripheral nociceptor activation, which are unaffected by positioning. The client’s pale skin and elevated vitals indicate systemic distress requiring analgesic intervention, not postural adjustment. Thus, this choice lacks direct analgesic benefit.
Choice D rationale: IV analgesics act rapidly to inhibit nociceptive transmission at the spinal cord and brainstem levels. Opioids bind to mu receptors, reducing neurotransmitter release and hyperpolarizing neurons, thereby dampening pain signals. This intervention directly targets the physiologic cause of elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. Normal heart rate is 60–100 bpm, respiratory rate 12–20 breaths/min, and BP <120/80 mmHg. Prompt analgesia prevents complications like hypoxia, delayed healing, and neuroendocrine stress
The nurse is preparing to administer a suspension ampicillin labeled, 250 mg/5 mL, to a child with impetigo. The prescription is for 500 mg four times a day. How many mL should the child receive per day?
(Enter numeric value only.)
Full Explanation
To determine the amount of mL the child should receive per day, we need to calculate the total daily dose of ampicillin based on the prescription.
The prescription is for 500 mg of ampicillin four times a day, so the total daily dose is: 500 mg × 4 times = 2000 mg/day
The concentration of the suspension is 250 mg/5 mL, which means that there are 250 mg of ampicillin in every 5 mL.
To find out how many mL the child should receive per day, we divide the total daily dose by the concentration:
2000 mg ÷ 250 mg/5 mL = 40 mL/day
Therefore, the child should receive 40 mL of the ampicillin suspension per day.