A nurse is caring for a 54-year-old male client in the oncology unit who is undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. The nurse must evaluate the client’s condition based on provided exhibits to determine which assessments indicate an improvement in the client’s condition.
Which of the following assessments indicates an improvement in the client’s condition?
Oral health
Bleeding episodes
Weight change
WBC count
Platelet count
Correct Answer : B,D,E
Choice A rationale: Oral health indicates the absence of mucositis or other oral complications, which is good, but it doesn't necessarily reflect overall improvement in the client's cancer or chemotherapy response.
Choice B rationale: The absence of bleeding episodes is significant. This suggests that the client's platelet count has improved, reducing the risk of bleeding, which is an important indicator of recovery.
Choice C rationale: While weight maintenance or gain can be an indicator of health improvement, the slight decrease in weight from January to February (70.5 kg to 69 kg) does not suggest an improvement.
Choice D rationale: An increase in the WBC count to within the normal range (4.2 x 10⁹/L) is a positive sign. It indicates that the client’s immune system is recovering, which is crucial during chemotherapy.
Choice E rationale: The improvement in platelet count to within the normal range (150 x 10⁹/L) suggests a reduced risk of bleeding and reflects better bone marrow function, which is a positive outcome of the treatment.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Restricting activities that could result in bleeding is important for patients with thrombocytopenia, which is different from neutropenia; neutropenic precautions focus on infection prevention.
Choice B rationale
Restricting all visitors might be overly restrictive; instead, visitors should be screened for infections, and hand hygiene should be emphasized to prevent infection transmission.
Choice C rationale
Fresh flowers and potted plants can harbor bacteria and fungi that pose an infection risk to immunocompromised clients, such as those with neutropenia, making this restriction important.
Choice D rationale
Restricting oral fluid intake to between meals only is not necessary for managing neutropenia; maintaining good hydration is important, and there are no specific fluid timing restrictions.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
A child with rheumatic fever could carry infectious agents that might pose a risk to a child with severe immunocompromise such as low WBC.
Choice B rationale
A child recovering from a ruptured appendix might have residual infection or be at higher risk of infection, which could be dangerous for a child with very low WBC count.
Choice C rationale
A child with cystic fibrosis has a risk of respiratory infections, posing a threat to a child with a compromised immune system like severe neutropenia.
Choice D rationale
A child with nephrotic syndrome does not typically carry infectious risks and would be a safer roommate for a child with a compromised immune system due to low WBC count.
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