NCLEX-RN
Exam Cram NCLEX RN Practice Questions Questions
Extract:
Question 1 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 2 of 5
Which of these specific measurements is the best index of a child's general health?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Height and weight are the most accurate measurements to assess a child's general health. These measurements reflect the physical growth and development of the child, indicating overall health status.
Choices C and D, head circumference and chest circumference, are important measurements for specific assessments but do not provide as comprehensive an overview of general health as height and weight. Body mass index (BMI) is a calculation based on height and weight, making height and weight more direct and primary indicators of a child's health compared to BMI.
Question 3 of 5
While measuring a patient's blood pressure, which factor influences a patient's blood pressure?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When measuring a patient's blood pressure, it is important to consider various factors that influence blood pressure. Peripheral vascular resistance plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure. The level of blood pressure is affected by factors such as cardiac output, peripheral vascular resistance, volume of circulating blood, viscosity, and elasticity of the vessel walls. Pulse rate (
Choice
A) refers to the number of heartbeats per minute and is not a primary factor influencing blood pressure. Pulse pressure (
Choice
B) is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and does not directly impact blood pressure regulation. Vascular output (
Choice
C) is not a recognized term in blood pressure regulation and is not a primary factor affecting blood pressure.
Question 4 of 5
In a patient with acromegaly, which assessment finding will the nurse expect to find?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Acromegaly is a condition characterized by excessive secretion of growth hormone in adulthood after normal body growth completion. This hormonal excess leads to overgrowth of bones in the face, head, hands, and feet; however, there is no significant change in height. Stating sternal deformity and hyperextensible joints is incorrect as they are characteristic findings of Marfan syndrome. Growth retardation and delayed onset of puberty are not typical of acromegaly but are seen in hypopituitary dwarfism. Increased height, weight, and delayed sexual development are features of gigantism, not acromegaly.
Therefore, the correct assessment finding in a patient with acromegaly would be overgrowth of bone in the face, head, hands, and feet.
Question 5 of 5
What technique would the nurse use to accurately assess a rectal temperature in an adult?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
To accurately assess a rectal temperature in an adult, a nurse should use a lubricated rectal thermometer with a short, blunt tip. The thermometer is inserted only 2 to 3 cm (1 inch) into the rectum and left in place for 2 minutes.
Choice B is incorrect as inserting the thermometer 2 to 3 inches would be too deep and inaccurate.
Choice C is incorrect as leaving the thermometer in place for up to 8 minutes is unnecessary and can cause discomfort.
Choice D is incorrect as smoking a cigarette does not impact rectal temperatures.