NCLEX-RN
Caring for a Patient Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A client diagnosed with incurable cancer has a life expectancy of a few weeks. Which response indicates that the client's partner is reacting with an expected coping response?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Anger is a normal stage of the grieving process and is an expected coping response when facing the imminent loss of a loved one. Expressing anger toward a spiritual entity, such as God, is a common way for individuals to process their grief. Refusing to visit the client indicates avoidance or denial, which may not be constructive. Not allowing the death to occur at home or sending children to live with relatives may reflect practical decisions but do not directly indicate an expected emotional coping response related to grief.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is caring for a depressed, withdrawn client who was responsible for an automobile accident that recently resulted in the death of a child. What is the nurse's initial action?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse's initial intervention is to encourage the client to express feelings, which is facilitated by establishing a nurse-client relationship that is based upon respect. The correct option validates the perception that the client is depressed. This action also allows the nurse to assess the situation. Options 1, 2, and 4 address interventions before assessing the situation and identifying the client's actual needs.
Question 3 of 5
An older couple was emotionally despondent when their home was severely damaged by flooding. When planning for the couple's initial needs, what intervention should the community health nurse implement?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The question asks about the first thing that the nurse needs to consider when planning for the rescue and relocation of these older residents. The initial concerns of community health are always attending to people's basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing. Contacting family, addressing emotional needs, and arranging for home repairs are needs that may be addressed as needed after physiological needs are met.
Question 4 of 5
A client comes into the emergency department demonstrating manifestations indicative of a severe state of anxiety. What is the priority nursing intervention at this time?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: If the client is left alone with severe anxiety, the client may feel abandoned and become overwhelmed. Placing the client in a quiet room is also indicated, but the nurse must stay with the client. It is not possible to teach the client deep-breathing or relaxation exercises until the anxiety decreases. Encouraging the client to discuss concerns and feelings would not take place until the anxiety has decreased.
Question 5 of 5
A client and her infant have been diagnosed as being positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). When the mother is observed crying, the nurse determines that which intervention will meet the client's initial needs?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: This client has just received devastating news and needs to have someone present with her as she begins to cope with this issue. The nurse needs to sit and actively listen while the mother talks and cries. Examining the mother and describing the progression and treatment of HIV is not appropriate for this stage of coping. Calling an HIV counselor may be helpful, but it is not what the client needs initially.