Medical Tests CEN Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

Medical Tests CEN Online Questions & Answers

• Question 1:

  Your patient is starting on disulfiram (Antabuse) for alcohol withdrawal. What is the highest priority for this patient?

  A. Social reintegration
  B. Learning about the disease
  C. Remaining abstinent
  D. Remaining in rehab
  C. Remaining abstinent

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  The priority for the patient taking disulfiram (Antabuse) is to remain abstinent. Antabuse reacts with alcohol to cause adverse effects, which is why it is given to alcoholics. The other three options are important but can not occur without option

  C.

• Question 2:

  You are caring for a patient with Lyme disease. Which of the following would be the method that the patient contracted Lyme disease?

  A. Skin contact with an infected person.
  B. Inhalation of spores in bird droppings.
  C. Contamination from cat feces.
  D. Tick carried by deer.
  D. Tick carried by deer.

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  Lyme disease is caused by ticks carried by deer. When bitten by the tick, the patient becomes infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Histoplasmosis is contracted from inhalation of spores from bird droppings. Toxoplasmosis is contracted from contaminated cat feces.

• Question 3:

  What sign would indicate that a patient with a blunt injury to the chest has developed a pneumothorax?

  A. A sucking sound at the site of injury
  B. Diminished breath sounds
  C. A low respiratory rate
  D. Presence of a barrel chest
  B. Diminished breath sounds

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  Diminished breath sounds would indicate a pneumothorax. Other symptoms might be shortness of breath and chest pain. If it is a large pneumothorax, the nurse may see tachypnea, cyanosis and subcutaneous emphysema.

• Question 4:

  You need to read a Mantoux test on the child you are caring for. An area of induration measuring 10 mm would indicate what result?

  A. Negative
  B. Positive
  C. Inconclusive
  D. Definitive and requiring a repeat test
  B. Positive

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  An area of induration measuring 10 mm would indicate a positive result in children less than 4 years old. An area of induration 5 mm or greater would be considered positive in any high risk patients, such as those with HIV. An area of induration 15 mm or larger would be considered positive for patient four years old or older with no high risks for tuberculosis.

• Question 5:

  If you were caring for a child who had croup that had to be in a cool mist tent, what action would you need to take if the child became frightened and began crying consistently?

  A. Notify the physician and get an order for sedation.
  B. Have the mother make the child stay in the tent.
  C. Give the child a toy to play with in the tent.
  D. Place the child in mom's lap and direct cool mist over the child's face.
  D. Place the child in mom's lap and direct cool mist over the child's face.

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  The nurse would want to place the child in the mom's lap and direct cool mist over the child's face. Crying will aggravate laryngospasm and increase hypoxia. This will lead to airway obstruction so it is important to decrease crying quickly.

• Question 6:

  If your patient was taking clozapine (Clozaril), what laboratory result would you want to monitor for adverse effects?

  A. White blood cell count
  B. Platelet count
  C. Blood glucose
  D. Liver function studies
  A. White blood cell count

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  The nurse would want to monitor the patient's white blood cell count while they are taking this medication. This medication commonly causes agranulocytosis. Treatment would be interrupted if the white blood cell count drops below 3000 cells/mm. Agranulocytosis could become fatal if not detected.

• Question 7:

  You are caring for a patient with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). You have an unlicensed staff member working with you. Which activity can you delegate to the unlicensed staff?

  A. Teach the patient about weight loss.
  B. Explore any concerns about managing the disease.
  C. Explain why the patient needs eat several small meals a day.
  D. Instruct the patient to remain upright for 2 hours following a meal.
  D. Instruct the patient to remain upright for 2 hours following a meal.

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  The unlicensed staff member can instruct the patient to remain upright for 2 hours following a meal. Therapeutic counseling and communication are not within the scope of practice of unlicensed staff members. Assessment and teaching are the responsibility of the RN and can not be delegated.

• Question 8:

  You are caring for a patient who demands to be released from the hospital immediately. The patient was admitted voluntary for an anxiety disorder. What actions should the nurse take next?

  A. Tell the patient that discharge is not possible at this time.
  B. Call the patient's family.
  C. Notify the physician.
  D. Persuade the patient to stay.
  C. Notify the physician.

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  The nurse would need to notify the physician that the patient is requesting discharge. The patient came into the hospital voluntary and has the right to request discharge. The physician will need to evaluate the patient and determine if the patient can be discharged or should be converted to an involuntary admission.

• Question 9:

  You are caring for a patient who has been assaulted. The patient is agitated, trembling, and hyperventilating. What would be the priority nursing intervention?

  A. Encourage the patient to discuss the assault.
  B. Place the patient in a quiet room alone.
  C. Remain with the patient.
  D. Teach relaxation techniques.
  C. Remain with the patient.

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  Remain with the patient when they are in a severe state of anxiety. Encouraging the patient to discuss the assault will only increase the anxiety. The patient would not be able to learn relaxation techniques while in a state of severe anxiety.

• Question 10:

  You are preparing an in-service for the staff on delegation. What would you want to include on how delegation impacts safety and quality of patient care?

  A. It prevents staff from becoming ineffective and nonproductive.
  B. It utilizes appropriate resources, getting the job done in the most effective way.
  C. It gives nursing tasks to the staff members who can best understand the goals of treatment,
  D. It creates team work on the unit,
  B. It utilizes appropriate resources, getting the job done in the most effective way.

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  Delegation is a way of getting the job done in the most effective way, while utilizing appropriate resources. The job must be delegated to the staff member who can accept the responsibility of the goal and achieve it. The other three options are incorrect.