A client with heart failure is receiving intravenous fluids at 125 mL/hour. The nurse observes an increase in jugular vein distention (JVD) and pedal edema. Which additional assessment should the nurse make before reporting to the healthcare provider?

Observe for change in breathing pattern.

Palpate the volume of pedal pulses.

Assess for inflammation of the calves.

Inspect for distention of peripheral veins.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

Choice A reason: Increased JVD and pedal edema indicate fluid overload in heart failure, where reduced cardiac output causes venous congestion. Assessing breathing for dyspnea or crackles detects pulmonary edema, as fluid backs into alveoli, impairing gas exchange. This urgent finding guides interventions like diuretics, critical before reporting.

Choice B reason: Palpating pedal pulses assesses arterial flow, not fluid overload causing JVD and edema, which are venous issues in heart failure. Pulses may be normal despite congestion. Breathing changes indicate pulmonary edema, a life-threatening complication, making this assessment more critical for detecting acute decompensation.

Choice C reason: Assessing calf inflammation may detect thrombosis, a heart failure risk, but JVD and edema suggest fluid overload, not clotting. Breathing changes are more urgent, indicating pulmonary edema from alveolar fluid, requiring immediate intervention to prevent respiratory failure, unlike inflammation, which is less immediate.

Choice D reason: Inspecting peripheral vein distention confirms venous congestion but is less critical than breathing assessment. In heart failure, fluid overload risks pulmonary edema, where alveolar fluid causes dyspnea. Monitoring breathing detects this severe complication, prioritizing intervention to ensure oxygenation over additional venous assessment.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: Thick, dry, dark areas on heels suggest chronic skin changes, not early pressure ulcers. Persistent redness over bone is the earliest sign (Stage 1). This indicates later damage, per pressure injury staging and prevention protocols in nursing care for immobile clients.

Choice B reason: Broken skin indicates a Stage 2 pressure ulcer, beyond the earliest stage. Persistent redness (Stage 1) signals initial tissue compromise. Broken skin requires intervention but is not the earliest sign, per pressure ulcer assessment and prevention standards in nursing practice.

Choice C reason: Persistent redness over bone is the earliest sign of a Stage 1 pressure ulcer, indicating tissue compromise due to pressure. Early intervention prevents progression in bedrest clients with heart failure, per pressure injury prevention and skin assessment protocols in nursing care.

Choice D reason: A superficial sacral ulcer (Stage 2) is more advanced than persistent redness (Stage 1), the earliest sign. Redness allows earlier intervention to prevent ulceration. Ulcers indicate progression, per pressure ulcer staging and prevention guidelines for immobile clients in nursing.

A. Yellow purulent drainage. B. Pink granulation tissue. C. Serosanguineous fluid. D. Approximated wound edges.

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: Yellow purulent drainage indicates wound infection, likely from bacterial proliferation (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) causing pus. This serious complication risks delayed healing, abscess, or sepsis, necessitating provider notification for cultures, antibiotics, or surgical intervention. Infection disrupts tissue repair, requiring urgent management to prevent systemic spread or wound dehiscence.

Choice B reason: Pink granulation tissue is normal in wound healing, reflecting angiogenesis and fibroblast activity during the proliferative phase. It indicates healthy tissue formation, not requiring notification. Purulent drainage, however, signals infection, a critical issue disrupting healing and risking complications, making it the priority finding for reporting.

Choice C reason: Serosanguineous fluid, a mix of serum and blood, is expected in early surgical wounds as capillaries heal. It does not indicate infection unless excessive. Purulent drainage is more urgent, directly suggesting bacterial infection, which can lead to serious complications like sepsis, requiring immediate provider attention.

Choice D reason: Approximated wound edges indicate proper closure and healing, reducing scarring and infection risk. This positive finding does not warrant notification. Yellow purulent drainage, conversely, signals infection, a critical complication requiring urgent intervention to prevent further tissue damage or systemic infection, making it the priority.

View Question and Answer

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

A client with heart failure is receiving intravenous fluids at 125 mL/hour. The nurse observes an increase in jugular vein distention (JVD) and pedal edema. Which additional assessment should the nurse make before reporting to the healthcare provider?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A client who has been hospitalized with an exacerbation of heart failure experiences severe dyspnea with activity and remains on bedrest. Which assessment finding provides the nurse with the earliest indication that the client is developing a pressure ulcer?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

The nurse is changing a client’s abdominal surgical dressing. Which finding warrants notification to the healthcare provider?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A client with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is prescribed a low-potassium diet. Which food choice indicates to the nurse that the client understands the dietary restrictions?

On the second postoperative day, a client reports increasing abdominal pain. Assessment findings include a distended abdomen with absent bowel sounds. Which intervention should the nurse anticipate implementing?

An older adult male client with schizophrenia is found smearing feces on the bathroom walls of the chronic mental health unit where he resides. Which action should the nurse implement?

Which action should the nurse implement when inserting an indwelling catheter for an uncircumcised male client?

The nurse is developing a teaching plan for a client with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) who has a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and smokes two packs of cigarettes daily. Which instruction has the highest priority?

An older male client reports nocturia with difficulty starting his urine stream. Which additional assessment should the nurse perform to obtain further data related to this information?

A client has begun a long-term maintenance therapy with lithium, which has a narrow therapeutic index. Which adverse effect is most important for the nurse to include in the teaching plan?

The nurse is reviewing the recommended preventative care for clients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Which health care measure is most important for the nurse to recommend to these clients?