Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The most appropriate nursing action for managing a patient with dependent edema in the lower extremities is to administer diuretics as prescribed. Diuretics help the body remove excess fluid, reducing swelling and edema in the extremities. It is important to follow the healthcare provider's orders for administering diuretics to ensure the patient's fluid balance is managed effectively. While elevating the legs above heart level and applying compression stockings may provide temporary relief, addressing the underlying cause of fluid retention with diuretics is essential for long-term management of the edema in a patient with heart failure. Encouraging increased fluid intake would not be appropriate in this case, as the focus should be on reducing fluid overload rather than increasing fluid intake.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: It is important for the nurse to have a direct and easily accessible means of communication with the patient who is expected to be in and out of the hospital due to their chronic illness like leukemia. By asking for the patient's phone number, the nurse can quickly reach out to them for updates, clarification, or any urgent matters that may arise. This direct communication line helps in ensuring continuity of care and addressing the patient's needs promptly. This approach is more practical and efficient compared to options such as asking the patient to call the hospital number listed in the yellow pages or relying on chart information which may not always be up to date. Writing down the number and giving it to the ward clerk may cause unnecessary delays in communication.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The symptoms described - gradual-onset weakness, spasticity, hyperreflexia, positive Babinski sign, and demyelinating plaques in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord - are indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks the myelin sheath, leading to the formation of plaques in the central nervous system. The characteristic symptoms of MS include weakness, spasticity (stiffness in muscles), hyperreflexia (exaggerated reflex responses), and positive Babinski sign (upward movement of the big toe). While ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) presents with progressive muscle weakness and atrophy without sensory involvement and demyelinating plaques, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is typically an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy affecting peripheral nerves rather than the central nervous system, and myast

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The patient's presentation of excessive thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue align with the classic symptoms of diabetes mellitus. The laboratory findings of hypernatremia (high sodium levels), hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels), and metabolic acidosis further support this diagnosis. In diabetes mellitus, the body is unable to properly regulate blood sugar levels due to either insufficient insulin production (Type 1 diabetes) or ineffective use of insulin by the cells (Type 2 diabetes). This leads to high blood sugar levels, causing symptoms such as polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), and fatigue. The metabolic acidosis is a result of the body's breakdown of fats and proteins for energy due to the lack of glucose utilization in the cells.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The large intestine, also known as the colon, is responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes from undigested food residue that passes through the digestive system after it has been processed in the small intestine. As the waste material moves through the colon, water is absorbed, and the remaining material forms feces. The feces are then stored until they are eliminated from the body through the rectum and anus. The liver, stomach, and pancreas play important roles in digestion and nutrient absorption, but the specific function of absorbing water and forming feces is carried out by the large intestine.