A 65-year-old female who has diabetes mellitus and has sustained a large laceration on her left wrist asks the nurse, 'How long will it take for my scars to disappear?' Which statement would be the nurse's best response?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Diabetes mellitus delays wound healing due to impaired circulation, reduced immune response, and poor collagen formation, complicating predictions for a 65-year-old patient with a large wrist laceration. Choice C'With your history and the type of location of the injury, it's hard to say'is the best response because it acknowledges these variables without giving a definitive, potentially inaccurate timeline. Choice A (2 to 3 years') refers to the remodeling phase but overgeneralizes, as diabetes may prolong this. Choice B (within 4 months') is overly optimistic, as diabetic healing often exceeds this, especially for large wounds. Choice D (1 to 3 years') assumes no infection but still provides a broad, uncertain range. The nurse must avoid false reassurance; diabetes and age increase infection risk and slow tissue repair, while the wrist's mobility may further delay healing. Choice C's ambiguity reflects clinical reality, encouraging follow-up discussion, making it the most appropriate and correct response.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: A WBC count of 100/µL (normal: 4,500-11,000) indicates severe leukopenia, likely neutropenia, making infection prevention (Choice B) the most important goal. With Hb (14 g/dL, normal: 13.5-17.5) and HCT (40%, normal: 38-50%) within range, anemia or fluid imbalance isn't a concern, ruling out fluid balance (Choice A) and rest (Choice C). Injury prevention (Choice D) is less urgent, as bleeding risk requires low platelets, not specified here. A WBC this lowe.g., post-chemotherapyleaves the client defenseless against pathogens; even minor infections can become septic. Interventions like isolation, hand hygiene, or antibiotics prioritize this risk. For example, a fever in neutropenia is a medical emergency, unlike fatigue or bruising. Survival hinges on infection control, making Choice B the correct and critical goal.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The rhythmic biologic clock in humans is the 'circadian rhythm' , a roughly 24-hour cycle governed by the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), syncing bodily functions like sleep, temperature, and hormone release to day-night cues. 'Sleep-wake cycle' is a component of this rhythm, not its name; it's the observable outcome, not the mechanism. 'Alert-unaware process' is fictitious, lacking scientific basis. 'Yo-yo theory' doesn't exist in sleep science. For instance, the SCN adjusts melatonin release at dusk, promoting sleep, and cortisol at dawn, enhancing alertnessdisruptions (e.g., jet lag) show its 24-hour rule. Nursing education, per Taylor, emphasizes circadian rhythm as the internal pacemaker, evident in shift workers' struggles. Unlike a mere cycle, it's a genetically driven clock, making Choice C the precise term and correct answer.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Medications impact sleep via physiological or neurological effects. 'Ambien' , or zolpidem, is least likely to harm sleep quality; it's a sedative-hypnotic designed to induce and maintain sleepe.g., shortening sleep latency to 15 minuteswithout altering architecture long-term, per prescribing data. 'Diuretic' disrupts sleep via nocturiae.g., waking 3 times to void after furosemide. 'Steroid' , like prednisone, causes insomniae.g., 20% of users report wakefulness from CNS stimulation. 'Antidepressant' , like SSRIs, alters REMe.g., fluoxetine delays REM onset by 30 minutesdisrupting quality. Ambien's targeted action (GABA enhancement) contrasts with others' side effects, aligning with Taylor's pharmacology. Choice D is correct as it enhances, not impairs, sleep.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Sleepwalking (somnambulism), a parasomnia, occurs in NREM stage 3, posing risks. 'Safety' is key; a 10-year-old might wandere.g., downstairs or outsiderisking falls or injury, per sleep disorder texts. 'Sleep deprivation' might exacerbate it but isn't the discussion's focuse.g., it's a trigger, not the issue. 'Privacy' is irrelevant; sleepwalking isn't about exposuree.g., no dignity loss. 'Schoolwork' might reflect fatigue but isn't immediatee.g., a sprained ankle trumps grades. Nurses, per Taylor, advise locks, alarms, or floor paddinge.g., 80% of sleepwalkers injure themselves yearly. Choice D addresses this primary concern correctly.