Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The nurse's primary responsibility in responding to a patient's questions about their diagnosis and treatment options is to listen actively and provide accurate, honest, and comprehensive answers. This approach helps build trust between the patient and the healthcare team, allows the patient to make informed decisions about their care, and ensures that the patient understands their condition and the recommended treatment plan. Providing vague answers or ignoring the patient's questions can lead to confusion, anxiety, and mistrust, which can hinder the patient's overall care and recovery. Referring the patient to the physician for all questions may be appropriate for certain medical inquiries, but the nurse plays a crucial role in educating and supporting the patient throughout their healthcare journey.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Maintaining patient confidentiality is a foundational principle in healthcare ethics. Nurses are obligated to keep all information about patients confidential, which means not disclosing any patient-related information to unauthorized individuals. This includes refraining from discussing patient cases with others who are not directly involved in the care of the patient. Sharing patient information without consent can be a breach of trust and privacy, which can have legal and ethical implications. Therefore, in order to uphold the principle of confidentiality, nurses must keep all matters about the patient as a secret.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Calcium channel blockers are often prescribed for the management of hypertension because they can help relax blood vessels and slow the heart rate, thus reducing blood pressure. One of the major adverse effects associated with calcium channel blockers is bradycardia (slow heart rate) or even more rarely, tachycardia (fast heart rate). Therefore, in a patient prescribed a calcium channel blocker for hypertension, the nurse should closely monitor for any signs and symptoms of tachycardia as it can be a serious adverse effect that needs prompt evaluation and intervention to prevent complications.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare blood disorder characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, fever, neurological abnormalities, and renal dysfunction. The peripheral blood smear in TTP typically shows fragmented red blood cells (schistocytes) due to mechanical destruction within small blood vessels. Laboratory findings in TTP commonly include elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), decreased haptoglobin (as it is consumed in the clearance of free hemoglobin), and increased indirect bilirubin due to increased red blood cell breakdown. This combination of clinical presentation and laboratory abnormalities is classic for TTP. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may present similarly but is more commonly associated with renal dysfunction and is often triggered by infection with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: In research involving adults who are capable of providing informed consent, such as a 21-year-old subject, the absolute way to ensure autonomy and respect for the individual's rights is to obtain informed and written consent directly from the subject herself. The subject's autonomy and right to self-determination should be respected, and obtaining consent directly from the subject ensures that they are fully informed about the research, its risks, benefits, and their rights regarding anonymity and confidentiality. In this case, Nurse Carmi must explain the research process clearly to the 21-year-old subject, obtain her informed consent in writing, and ensure that her anonymity, confidentiality, and human rights are protected throughout the study.