NCLEX-PN
NCLEX PN Test Questions with NGN Questions
Extract:
The nurse is caring for a 58-year-old client.
Admission Note
Emergency Department
A client with colorectal cancer reports intractable bilious vomiting for the past day; it is accompanied by severe, colicky
abdominal pain. The client cannot tolerate oral intake and has not passed gas or had a bowel movement since the
symptoms began. The abdomen is distended, and bowel sounds are hyperactive.
Vital Signs
Emergency Department
T, 97.3 F (36.3 C)
P, 98
RR, 18
BP, 110/70
SpO2, 98% on room air
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is contributing to the client's plan of care. For each potential intervention, click to specify if the intervention is indicated or not indicated for the care of the client.
Correct Answer:
Rationale: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is an intestinal blockage that obstructs the flow of intestinal contents (eg, fluid, gas, fecal
material). The blockage may be due to mechanical (eg, surgical adhesions, hernias, tumors) or nonmechanical/functional (eg,
paralytic ileus) causes. As intestinal contents accumulate, clients develop abdominal distension, colicky abdominal pain,
bilious vomiting, and inability to pass flatus or stool.
Clients with SBO are at risk for fluid, electrolyte, and nutritional imbalances due to decreased intestinal absorption. Clients may
develop bowel necrosis and perforation due to impaired intestinal blood flow, which can lead to peritonitis and sepsis.
The practical nurse should anticipate assisting the registered nurse with the following interventions for a client with SBO:
• Inserting a nasogastric tube for gastrointestinal decompression to reduce abdominal distension and improve intestinal
blood flow
• Administering antiemetics (eg, ondansetron) to prevent further fluid and electrolyte imbalance from vomiting
• Preparing the client for abdominal CT scan to determine the size and location of intestinal obstruction
• Administering IV fluids to improve fluid volume status
In clients with SBO, bowel rest (ie, NPO status) with gastric decompression is prescribed; therefore, a soft diet is not
indicated. Stimulant laxatives increase intestinal motility and are not indicated for clients with intestinal obstruction due to
the risk for bowel perforation.
Extract:
Nurses' Notes
Outpatient Clinic
Initial
visit
The child recently started attending a new preschool and hit a teacher during lunch. The parent says, "My
child has never been aggressive before but has always been particular about food."
The client was born at full term without complications and has no significant medical history. The child
started babbling at age 6 months, and the parent reports that the first words were spoken around age 12
months. The client then became quiet and "obsessed" with stacking blocks and organizing toys by color.
The child can kick a ball, draw a circle, pedal a tricycle, and now says two-word phrases. Vitals signs are
normal, and the client is tracking adequately on growth curves.
During the evaluation, the child sits in the corner of the room playing with blocks. The client does not follow
the parents gaze when the parent points to toys in the office. The child begins screaming and rocking back
and forth when the health care provider comes near.
Question 2 of 5
Select below the client findings that are most concerning.
Correct Answer: B,D,E
Rationale: When caring for a child, the nurse should be alert for abnormal developmental findings, including possible behavior,
communication, and/or sensory impairments. Autism spectrum disorder (AS
D), a neurodevelopmental condition, is usually
apparent by age 3. It is characterized by impaired social skills and interpersonal communication, increased or decreased
reactivity to sensory input, and restricted activities and interests (eg, unusual obsession with certain toys,
stacking/organizing by colors).
Some children may experience developmental regression, which involves losing previously acquired language and/or social
skills; this regression is a red flag for ASD. Other concerning findings include delayed speech (eg, lack of 3-word sentences
by age 3 years, deficiency in social-emotional reciprocity (eg, poor eye contact), and repetitive patterns of behavior (eg,
rocking back and forth, organizing toys by color).
Extract:
Nurses' Notes
Initial Clinic Visit
1100:
The client has experienced enuresis at night for the past 2 weeks and frequently requests to use the
bathroom while at school. The client was previously toilet trained with no nighttime bed wetting for 6 months;
the client recently relocated to a new home and school where the client lives with parents.
The parent reports that the client has recently demonstrated fatigue, irritability, and multiple behavioral
outbursts that resemble past temper tantrums. The client frequently reports feeling thirsty. No dysuria or
urinary hesitancy is reported.
Weight and height were in the 40th percentiles at the previous visit a year ago. Growth charts today show
the client's weight in the 20th percentile and height in the 40th percentile.
The client appears tired and irritable. Dry mucous membranes are noted with no increased work of
breathing. The lungs are clear to auscultation bilaterally. No cardiac murmur is heard.
Question 3 of 5
For each client finding below, click to specify if the finding is consistent with the disease process of behavior regression,diabetes mellitus, or urinary tract infection. Each finding may support more than one disease process.
| Finding | Behavior Regression | Diabetes Mellitus | Urinary Tract Infection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatigue | |||
| Irritability | |||
| Polydipsia | |||
| Urinary frequency | |||
| Nocturnal enuresis |
Correct Answer:
Rationale: Behavior regression is the return to a previous behavior as an act of coping. This may be caused by a stressful event (eg,
new school, parental divorce, relocation). Clinical findings may include withdrawal or the return of previous behaviors that
resemble toddlerhood (eg, temper tantrums [fatigue, irritability], nocturnal enuresis).
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin deficiency (type 1 DM) or resistance (type 2 DM),
which leads to increased blood glucose levels (ie, hyperglycemia) and signs of cellular starvation (eg, fatigue, irritability,
weight loss) from decreased glucose use. Glucose increases the osmolality of blood, which pulls water into the intravascular
space and leads to excessive urination (eg, urinary frequency, nocturnal enuresis). As the kidneys excrete excess glucose,
the body loses water, resulting in hypovolemia and signs of dehydration (eg, increased thirst [polydipsial, dry mucous
membranes).
A urinary tract infection is an infection of the urethra, bladder, ureters, and/or kidneys. Common manifestations include
fatigue, fever, painful urination (ie, dysuria), urinary frequency and urgency, and nocturnal enuresis. Irritability may be a
sign of illness in a child who has difficulty verbalizing or understanding the cause of the symptoms. Although increased urinary
frequency is seen (due to bladder irritation), volume is not excessive (unlike osmotic diuresis of DM); therefore, clients are not
dehydrated and would not report polydipsia.
Extract:
The nurse is caring for a 68-year-old client in the emergency department.
Nurses' Notes,
Emergency Department
1020:
The client reports shortness of breath, a 2-lb weight gain over the past week, and lower extremity swelling. The client
reports slight chest discomfort during activity that is relieved with rest. Medical history is significant for hypertension.
myocardial infarction, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and chronic stable angina. Current medications include
metoprolol, furosemide, potassium chloride, lisinopril, and aspirin. The client takes all medications as prescribed except
one; he states, "I do not take that water pill because I got tired of having to go to the bathroom all the time."
S1 and S2 are present; a prominent S3 is heard. Respirations are labored with inspiratory crackles in the middle and at the
base of the lungs. The abdomen is soft and nontender with normoactive bowel sounds. There is 3+ pitting edema in the
bilateral lower extremities.
Vital Signs,
1020
T ,98.8 F (37.1 C)
P, 60
RR, 24
BP, 168/96
SpO2, 90% on room air
Question 4 of 5
Drag words from the choices below to fill in the blank/blanks. The nurse should immediately follow up on the client's-----------------------and-----------
Correct Answer: C,B
Rationale: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, progressive condition characterized by impaired ventricular function that leads to decreased cardiac output and
causes blood to back up into the lungs and systemic circulation. This results in fluid volume overload that is commonly treated with diuretics,
such as furosemide (ie, "water pill"), that remove excess fluid through increased urination.
A client with HF who is experiencing dyspnea, inspiratory crackles, weight gain, and peripheral edema is demonstrating fluid volume overload
from a probable acute HF exacerbation. The nurse should immediately follow up on potentially life-threatening findings such as the client's:
• Blood pressure, which is moderately elevated and requires urgent intervention with medications (eg, diuretics). Fluid overload causes
increased pressure in the blood vessels, leading to hypertension that increases afterload. This is especially concerning for HF because
the heart muscle is already weak and cannot withstand additional afterload.
• Respiratory findings (ie, capillary oxygen saturation [SpOz) 90% on room air, inspiratory crackles, tachypnea, dyspnea, labored
respirations) because these likely indicate pulmonary edema. Crackles are a manifestation of pulmonary edema caused by fluid in the
alveoli that leads to impaired gas exchange and hypoxemia.
(Incorrect) Weiaht aain and lower extremity edema are also indicators of fluid volume overload however these findinas are not directly life
Extract:
Nurses' Notes
Outpatient Clinic
Initial
visit
The child recently started attending a new preschool and hit a teacher during lunch. The parent says,
"My
child has never been aggressive before but has always been particular about food."
The client was born at full term without complications and has no significant medical history. The child
started babbling at age 6 months, and the parent reports that the first words were spoken around age 12
months. The client then became quiet and "obsessed" with stacking blocks and organizing toys by color.
The child can kick a ball, draw a circle, pedal a tricycle, and now says two-word phrases. Vitals signs are
normal, and the client is tracking adequately on growth curves.
During the evaluation, the child sits in the corner of the room playing with blocks. The client does not follow
the parents gaze when the parent points to toys in the office. The child begins screaming and rocking back
and forth when the health care provider comes near.
Laboratory Results
Laboratory Test and
Reference Range
1030
Glucose (random)
71-200 mg/dL
(3.9-11.1 mmol/L)
110 mg/dL (6.1 mmol/L)
Sodium
136-145 mEq/L
(136-145 mmol/L)|
133 mEq/L (133 mmol/L)|
Potassium
3.5-5.0 mEq/L
(3.5-5.0 mmol/L)
4.5 mEq/L (4.5 mmol/L)
B-type natriuretic peptide
<100 pg/mL
(<100 ng/L)
640 pg/mL (640 ng/L)
Diagnostic Results
Chest X-ray
1030:Mild cardiomegaly
Echocardiogram
1100:Mild left ventricular hypertrophy with left ventricular ejection fraction of 30%
Question 5 of 5
Which of the following findings indicate that the client is improving as expected? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: A,B,C,D
Rationale: Clinical improvement in a client with heart failure includes manifestations of reduced cardiac workload and improved fluid
volume status and gas exchange. A decrease in blood pressure from 170/100 mm Hg to 138/70 mm Hg and increased
urinary output indicate effectiveness of diuretics to reduce circulatory fluid volume and antihypertensive medications to
decrease cardiac workload . In addition, clear lung sounds and an increased capillary oxygen
saturation (SpO2) indicate a decrease in pulmonary congestion and an improvement in fluid volume status