NCLEX-RN
Exam Cram NCLEX RN Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
Which playroom activities should the nurse organize for a small group of 7-year-old hospitalized children?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: For 7-year-old children, play serves an important role in developing cooperation, logical reasoning, and social skills. Organizing sports and games with rules is beneficial as it helps children understand the importance of rules, promotes teamwork, and fosters social interactions. Finger paints and water play, while fun, may not target the specific developmental needs of this age group. Similarly, 'Dress-up' clothes and props can encourage imaginative play but may not necessarily promote cooperation and logical reasoning. Chess and television programs are more suited for older children and may not engage 7-year-olds as effectively in developing the desired skills.
Question 2 of 5
A second-year nursing student has just suffered a needlestick while working with a patient that is positive for AIDS. Which of the following is the most significant action that the nursing student should take?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Starting prophylactic AZT treatment is the most critical intervention in this scenario. Azidothymidine (AZT) is an antiretroviral medication used to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS by reducing the replication of the virus. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV involves taking medication to suppress the virus and prevent infection after exposure. PEP should be initiated within 72 hours of potential HIV exposure to be effective. Seeking treatment quickly is crucial to enhance its effectiveness. Seeing a social worker (
Choice
A) may be helpful for emotional support but is not the immediate priority. Pentamidine treatment (
Choice
C) is not indicated for post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV. Seeking counseling (
Choice
D) is important for the nursing student's emotional well-being but does not address the urgent need for post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV transmission.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is assessing an 80-year-old male patient. Which assessment finding would be considered normal?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In an 80-year-old male patient, the presence of kyphosis (rounded upper back) and flexion in bilateral knees and hips are considered normal age-related changes. These postural changes are commonly seen in older adults due to structural changes in the spine and joints. Option A is incorrect as aging individuals typically experience a decrease in body weight, not an increase. Option B is also incorrect as there is usually a decrease in subcutaneous fat from the face and periphery, rather than an increase in fat deposits in specific areas. Option D is incorrect because the change in overall body proportion with aging usually involves a shorter trunk and relatively longer extremities, not the other way around. This is because long bones do not shorten with age, leading to this characteristic change in body proportions.
Question 4 of 5
Which of these actions illustrates the correct technique for a nurse when assessing oral temperature with a glass thermometer?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct technique for assessing oral temperature with a glass thermometer involves leaving the thermometer in place for 3 to 4 minutes if the patient is afebrile and up to 8 minutes if the patient is febrile. Waiting 30 minutes if the patient has ingested hot or iced liquids is incorrect; instead, the nurse should wait 15 minutes in such cases. Shaking the glass thermometer down to 35.5°C, not 37.5°C, is the correct procedure before taking the patient's temperature. Placing the thermometer at the base of the tongue, not the front, and asking the patient to close their lips is the proper way to position the thermometer.
Therefore, the correct answer is to leave the thermometer in place for 3 to 4 minutes if the patient is afebrile and up to 8 minutes if the patient is febrile.
Question 5 of 5
A 4-month-old child is at the clinic for a well-baby checkup and immunizations. Which of these actions is most appropriate when the nurse is assessing an infant's vital signs?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse auscultates an apical rate, not a radial pulse, with infants and toddlers. The pulse should be counted by listening to the heart for 1 full minute to account for normal irregularities, such as sinus dysrhythmia. Children younger than 3 years of age have such small arm vessels; consequently, hearing Korotkoff sounds with a stethoscope is difficult. The nurse should use either an electronic lood pressure device that uses oscillometry or a Doppler ultrasound device to amplify the sounds.
An infant's respiratory rate should be assessed by observing the infant's abdomen, not chest, because an infant's respirations are normally more diaphragmatic than thoracic. The nurse should auscultate an apical heart rate, not palpate a radial pulse, with infants and toddlers.