Which one of the following is considered a reliable indicator for assessing the adequacy of fluid resuscitation in a 3-year-old child who suffered partial- and fullthickness burns to 25% of her body?
Correct Answer: A
Explanation/Reference: Explanation: (A) Urinary output is a reliable indicator of renal perfusion, which in turn indicates that fluid resuscitation is adequate. IV fluids are adjusted based on the urinary output of the child during fluid resuscitation. (B) Edema is an indication of increased capillary permeability following a burn injury. (C) Hypertension is an indicator of fluid volume excess. (D) Fontanelles close by 18 months of age.
NCLEX-RN Exam Question 552
Decreased pulmonary blood flow, right-to-left shunting, and deoxygenated blood reaching the systemic circulation are characteristic of:
Correct Answer: A
(A) Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic heart defect, which includes a VSD, pulmonary stenosis, an overriding aorta, and ventricular hypertrophy. The blood flow is obstructed because the pulmonary stenosis decreases the pulmonary blood flow and shunts blood through the VSD, creating a right-to-left shunt that allows deoxygenated blood the reach the systemic circulation. (B) A VSD alone creates a left-to-right shunt. The pressure in the left ventricle is greater than that of the right; therefore, the blood will shunt from the left ventricle to the right ventricle, increasing the blood flow to the lungs. No deoxygenated blood will reach the systemic circulation. (C) In patent ductus arteriosus, the pressure in the aorta is greater than in the pulmonary artery, creating a left-to-right shunt. Oxygenated blood from the aorta flows into the unoxygenated blood of the pulmonary artery. (D) Transposition of the great arteries results in two separate and parallel circulatory systems. The only mixing or shunting of blood is based on the presence of associated lesions.
NCLEX-RN Exam Question 553
A 19-year-old client has sustained a C-7 fracture, which resulted in his spinal cord being partially transected. By 2 weeks' postinjury, his neck has been surgically stabilized, and he has been transferred from the intensive care unit. A potential life-threatening complication the nurse monitors the client for is:
Correct Answer: A
Explanation/Reference: Explanation: (A) Autonomic dysreflexia is the exaggerated sympathetic nervous system response to various stimuli in the anesthetized area. Sympathetic stimulation results in severe, uncontrolled hypertension, which may result in myocardial infarction or cerebral hemorrhage. (B) Bradycardia occurs as a result of sympathetic blockade in the immediate postinjury period. After spinal shock recedes, cardiovascular stability returns, but the client will be bradycardiac for life. (C) Central cord syndrome is a specific type of spinal cord injury that occurs as a result of either hyperextension injuries or disrupted blood flow to the spinal cord. (D) Spinal shock occurs in the immediate postinjury phase and usually resolves in approximately 72 hours.
NCLEX-RN Exam Question 554
A female client who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has presented in the emergency department with cough productive of yellow sputum and increasing shortness of breath. On room air, her blood gases are as follows: pH 7.30 mm Hg, PCO2 60 mm Hg, PO2 55 mm Hg, HCO3 32 mEq/L. These arterial blood gases reflect:
Correct Answer: D
(A) In compensated respiratory acidosis, the pH level is normal, the PCO2level is elevated, and the HCO3level is elevated. The client's primary alteration is an inability to remove CO2from the lungs, so over time, the kidneys increase reabsorption of HCO3to buffer the CO2. (B) Normal ranges for arterial blood gases for adults and children are as follows: pH 7.35-7.45, PO280-100 mm Hg, PCO235-45 mm Hg, HCO321-28 mEq/L. (C) In uncompensated metabolic acidosis the pH level is decreased, the PCO2level is normal, and the HCO3level is decreased. The client's primary alteration is an inability to remove excess acid via the kidneys. The lungs are unable to clear the increased acid. (D) In uncompensated respiratory acidosis, the pH level is decreased, the PCO2level is increased, and the HCO3level is normal. In a person with long-standing COPD, the HCO3level will rise gradually over time to compensate for the gradually increasing PCO2, and the person's pH level will be normal. When a person with COPD becomes acutely ill, the kidneys do not have time to increase the reabsorption of HCO3, so the person's pH level will reflect acidosis even though the HCO3is elevated.
NCLEX-RN Exam Question 555
Which of the following nursing care goals has the highest priority for a child with epiglottitis?
Correct Answer: A
Explanation/Reference: Explanation: (A) Of these four goals, maintenance of a calm, quiet atmosphere to reduce anxiety and to allow for rest is the most important. (B) Although nutrition is important, the child needs fluids to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance more than solid foods. In addition, the child may not be able to swallow solid foods owing to epiglottic swelling. (C) This goal is unrealistic because fever is a common symptom of the infection associated with epiglottitis. (D) If overexerted, the child will need more O2 and energy than available, and these requirements may exacerbate the condition.