Medical Tests CEN Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

Medical Tests CEN Online Questions & Answers

• Question 91:

  Your patient has been admitted to the hospital following a suicide attempt by hanging. What would be important to include in this patient plan of care to maintain patient safety?

  A. Assign a staff member to the patient at all times.
  B. Place the patient in a seclusion room.
  C. Place the patient in a hospital gown.
  D. Have another patient stay with the patient.
  A. Assign a staff member to the patient at all times.

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  A staff member would need to be assigned to stay with the patient at all times. The plan of care for this patient must reflect the seriousness of the attempt to commit suicide. The staff member must be within arm's reach at all times. All other options are insufficient to keep the patient from harm.

• Question 92:

  Which of the following assessments by the nurse would indicate a possible manifestation of dementia?

  A. Presence of personal hygienic care
  B. Improvement in sleeping
  C. Absence of sundown syndrome
  D. Confabulation
  D. Confabulation

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  Confabulation is when a patient fabricates events or experiences to fill in the gaps in memory. This is common with dementia patients. Dementia varies from the development of mild cognitive symptoms to more severe alterations in neurological functions. These more severe alterations can become life-threatening.

• Question 93:

  You are caring for a patient who has been sexually assaulted. The patient has become quiet and calm. What defense mechanism does this indicate to the nurse?

  A. Denial
  B. Projection
  C. Rationalization
  D. Intellectualization
  A. Denial

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  The defense mechanism that the patient is displaying is denial. Denial is a way for the patient to refuse to admit to a painful. The other three defense mechanisms do not apply in this situation.

• Question 94:

  You are caring for a patient in shock. Which parameter would you want to monitor to determine if treatment is effective?

  A. Cardiac output
  B. Respiratory rate
  C. Peripheral pulse rate
  D. Central venous pressure
  A. Cardiac output

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  The nurse needs to monitor the cardiac output to determine if treatment is effective. The cardiac output monitors the left ventricular function of the heart. The peripheral pulses and respiratory rate may remain within normal, so they are not the best indicators of treatment effectiveness.

• Question 95:

  Which finding would make you suspect that your patient might be in cardiogenic shock?

  A. Decreased or muffled heart sounds
  B. A cardiac index greater than 2.2 L/min
  C. Bounding pulses
  D. Increased cardiac output
  A. Decreased or muffled heart sounds

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  In cardiogenic shock the patient heart sounds will become decreased or muffled. This is caused by the myocardium's decreased ability to pump due to weakening by blood or fluid. This would cause a decreased cardiac index, decreased cardiac output and weak, thready pulses.

• Question 96:

  You began administering blood to a patient 45 minutes ago. You enter the room to assess the patient and find the patient flushed and dyspneic. On auscultation the patient has crackles in the bases of both lungs. What complication of blood transfusion therapy is the patient most likely experiencing?

  A. Hypovolemia
  B. Transfusion reaction
  C. Fluid overload
  D. Bacteremia
  C. Fluid overload

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  The patient is displaying all the symptoms of fluid overload. If the patient were experiencing a transfusion reaction, there would also be itching and a rash. Bacteremia would lead to the patient having a fever. Fluid overload is the best answer due to the crackles in the lungs indicating fluid has become a problem.

• Question 97:

  You have assisted the physician with insertion of a chest tube. As you monitor the fluid level in the water seal chamber you notice fluctuations in the fluid. What is the appropriate action?

  A. Notify the physician.
  B. Encourage the patient to deep breathe.
  C. This is a normal finding.
  D. Reinforce the dressing.
  C. This is a normal finding.

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  Fluctuations of the fluid in the water seal chamber is a normal finding and the nurse should do nothing at this point. The water levels will rise and fall with the patient's breathing pattern. The fluctuations will stop if the tube is obstructed, if suction is not working or if the lung is reexpanded.

• Question 98:

  You are preparing to give a patient a transfusion. The patient states that in previous transfusions he has always developed a rash. What medication do you suspect the physician will order prior to the transfusion?

  A. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
  B. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, aspirin)
  C. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  D. Ibuprofen (Motrin)
  A. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

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  The patient should receive a dose of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) prior to the transfusion to decrease the chances of an allergic reaction. Acetylsalicylic acid and acetaminophen are analgesics. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

• Question 99:

  Which of the following patients would the nurse want to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel?

  A. A patient whose husband died and needs to talk
  B. A patient with a nasogastric feedings and foley catheter
  C. A patient with leakage from an ostomy
  D. An ambulatory patient who has been on the unit for 3 days
  D. An ambulatory patient who has been on the unit for 3 days

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  The unlicensed assistive personnel should be assigned to the ambulatory patient who has been on the unit 3 days. The patient in D is the least complicated patient and does not have procedures that require licensed staff to complete. The other three patients require a high level of care and need a licensed staff member to provide this care.

• Question 100:

  You will be working with an unlicensed staff member this shift. Which of the following should be priority before delegating care to the staff member?

  A. Assessing whether the staff member is competent to perform the skill
  B. Preparing written instructions on how to perform skill
  C. Gathering supplies
  D. Informing the patient that an unlicensed staff member will perform the care
  A. Assessing whether the staff member is competent to perform the skill

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  The RN should assess the unlicensed staff member's competency to complete the task assigned to them before delegating. Written instructions are not necessary if the staff is competent to complete the skill. Supplies will need to be gathered once an assignment is made. The staff member performing the procedure needs to give his or her name and title to the patient before performing the task.