Patient Assessment and Documentation > Fundamentals
Exam Review
Introduction to Patient Assessment and Documentation
Total Questions : 6
Showing 6 questions, Sign in for moreA nurse is assessing a client who has been admitted with chest pain.
Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately?
Explanation
D) The client has an elevated troponin level in the blood.
Rationale: An elevated troponin level indicates myocardial damage and is a diagnostic marker for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which includes unstable angina and myocardial infarction (MI). This is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate intervention.
A) The client has a history of hypertension and diabetes. - This is an important finding, as hypertension and diabetes are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but it is not an urgent finding that requires immediate reporting.
B) The client rates the pain as 8 on a scale of 0 to 10. - This is a significant finding, as chest pain is a cardinal symptom of ACS, but it is not a definitive finding that confirms the diagnosis.
C) The client has crackles in the lower lobes of both lungs. - This is an abnormal finding, as crackles indicate fluid accumulation in the alveoli, which may be caused by heart failure, pneumonia, or pulmonary edema. However, it is not a specific finding for ACS and may be related to other conditions.
A nurse is documenting the findings of a head-to-toe assessment on a newly admitted client.
Which of the following information should the nurse include in the documentation?
Explanation
Rationale: The nurse should document all relevant and objective data obtained from the assessment, including vital signs, skin condition, bowel sounds, and any other findings that reflect the client's health status.
Incorrect options:
A) The client's vital signs are within normal limits. - This is a correct statement, but it is not the only information that should be documented.
B) The client's skin is warm, dry, and intact. - This is a correct statement, but it is not the only information that should be documented.
C) The client's bowel sounds are present in all four quadrants. - This is a correct statement, but it is not the only information that should be documented.
A nurse is performing a physical assessment on a client who has abdominal pain.
Which of the following techniques should the nurse use to assess the abdomen?
Explanation
Inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation
Rationale: The correct order of techniques for abdominal assessment is inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation. This order prevents altering bowel sounds by manipulating the abdomen before listening to them.
Incorrect options:
A) Inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation - This order may alter bowel sounds by palpating and percussing before auscultating them.
C) Auscultation, inspection, palpation, percussion - This order may miss visual cues by inspecting after auscultating.
D) Palpation, auscultation, inspection, percussion - This order may alter bowel sounds and miss visual cues by palpating before auscultating and inspecting.
A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client who has been diagnosed with pneumonia.
Which of the following data should the nurse use to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment plan?
Explanation
The client's chest x-ray shows clear lung fields.
Rationale: A chest x-ray is a diagnostic test that can confirm the presence or absence of pneumonia by showing areas of consolidation or infiltration in the lung tissue. A clear chest x-ray indicates resolution of pneumonia and effectiveness of treatment.
Incorrect options:
A) The client's temperature is 37.2°C (99°F). - This is a normal finding, but it does not rule out pneumonia as some clients may have low-grade fever or no fever at all with pneumonia.
B) The client's white blood cell count is 12.5 x 10^9/L. - This is an elevated finding, as the normal range for white blood cell count is 4.5 to 11 x 10^9/L. An elevated white blood cell count indicates inflammation or infection and does not reflect the effectiveness of treatment.
C) The client's oxygen saturation is 95% on room air. - This is a normal finding, as the normal range for oxygen saturation is 95% to 100%. However, it does not indicate the severity or resolution of pneumonia, as some clients may have normal oxygen saturation despite having pneumonia.
A nurse is preparing to perform a neurological assessment on a client who has a head injury.
Which of the following tools should the nurse use to assess the client's level of consciousness?
Explanation
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a tool that measures the level of consciousness based on three parameters: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. The GCS score ranges from 3 to 15, with lower scores indicating lower levels of consciousness.
Incorrect options:
B) Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) - This is a tool that measures cognitive function, such as orientation, memory, attention, and language. It is not used to assess level of consciousness.
C) Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) - This is a tool that screens for delirium, which is an acute and fluctuating disturbance of cognition and attention. It is not used to assess level of consciousness.
D) Morse Fall Scale (MFS) - This is a tool that assesses the risk of falling in hospitalized clients based on six factors: history of falling, secondary diagnosis, ambulatory aid, intravenous therapy, gait, and mental status. It is not used to assess level of consciousness.
A nurse is conducting a health history interview with a client who has a chronic cough.
Which of the following questions should the nurse ask to elicit relevant information about the cough?
Explanation
The nurse should ask open-ended questions that cover the characteristics, duration, frequency, severity, precipitating and relieving factors, associated symptoms, and impact of the cough on the client's health and quality of life.
Incorrect options:
A) "How long have you had this cough?" - This is a correct question, but it is not the only question that should be asked.
B) "What do you think is causing your cough?" - This is a correct question, but it is not the only question that should be asked.
C) "How does your cough affect your daily activities?" - This is a correct question, but it is not the only question that should be asked.
Sign Up or Login to view all the 6 Questions on this Exam
Join over 100,000+ nursing students using Nursingprepexams’s science-backend flashcards, practice tests and expert solutions to improve their grades and reach their goals.
Sign Up Now