A nurse is caring for a patient with thrombocytopenia.
The patient reports experiencing hematochezia, fatigue, and abdominal pain.
What should the nurse prioritize in the assessment of this patient?

Monitoring the patient's neurological status.

Checking the patient's vital signs.

Administering corticosteroids.

Preparing the patient for a splenectomy.

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A rationale:

Monitoring the patient's neurological status While monitoring neurological status is important in patient care, it is not the immediate priority when a patient with thrombocytopenia reports hematochezia (bloody stools), fatigue, and abdominal pain.

Checking vital signs helps assess the patient's overall stability and guides immediate interventions.

Choice C rationale:

Administering corticosteroids Administering corticosteroids may be a treatment option for certain types of thrombocytopenia, but it is not the initial priority in the assessment of a patient presenting with hematochezia, fatigue, and abdominal pain.

First, the nurse needs to assess the patient's condition and vital signs to determine the severity of the situation.

Choice D rationale:

Preparing the patient for a splenectomy Preparing a patient for a splenectomy is a significant intervention and should not be the initial priority in this case.

It may be considered as a treatment option in some cases of thrombocytopenia, but it should not take precedence over assessing the patient's vital signs and overall condition.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

"Spontaneous bleeding in thrombocytopenia is due to excessive clotting." Rationale: This statement is not accurate.

Thrombocytopenia is characterized by a low platelet count, which impairs the blood's ability to form clots.

Spontaneous bleeding occurs because there are not enough platelets to participate in clot formation.

Choice B rationale:

"Immune-mediated destruction of platelets leads to spontaneous bleeding." Rationale: This is the correct answer.

In thrombocytopenia, especially immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), the immune system destroys platelets, leading to a decreased platelet count.

This makes the patient more prone to spontaneous bleeding.

Choice C rationale:

"Bleeding occurs in thrombocytopenia due to increased platelet production." Rationale: This statement is incorrect.

Thrombocytopenia is characterized by a decreased platelet count, not increased production.

Choice D rationale:

"Thrombocytopenia-related bleeding is a result of heparin therapy." Rationale: This statement is inaccurate.

Thrombocytopenia related to heparin therapy is known as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and it occurs due to an immune response to heparin, not the same mechanism as in thrombocytopenia.

A. "A normal platelet count is below 50,000/uL.” B. "The normal platelet count range is 150,000/uL to 400,000/uL.” C. "Platelet counts below 10,000/uL are considered normal.” D. "A platelet count above 1,000,000/uL is typical in healthy individuals.”

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A rationale:

"A normal platelet count is below 50,000/uL." Rationale: This statement is incorrect.

A platelet count below 50,000/uL is considered low and may indicate thrombocytopenia.

However, it is not within the normal range.

The normal platelet count range is higher.

Choice B rationale:

"The normal platelet count range is 150,000/uL to 400,000/uL." Rationale: This statement is accurate.

The normal platelet count range typically falls between 150,000/uL to 400,000/uL.

Platelets play a crucial role in blood clotting, and this range reflects the normal quantity needed for proper clot formation and prevention of excessive bleeding.

Choice C rationale:

"Platelet counts below 10,000/uL are considered normal." Rationale: This statement is incorrect.

A platelet count below 10,000/uL is extremely low and indicates severe thrombocytopenia.

It is not within the normal range.

Choice D rationale:

"A platelet count above 1,000,000/uL is typical in healthy individuals." Rationale: This statement is incorrect.

A platelet count above 1,000,000/uL is considered abnormally high and can lead to an increased risk of clot formation, which is not typical in healthy individuals.

The normal range is much lower.

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A nurse is caring for a patient with thrombocytopenia.The patient reports experiencing hematochezia, fatigue, and abdominal pain.What should the nurse prioritize in the assessment of this patient?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A client with thrombocytopenia is experiencing spontaneous bleeding.Which statement best explains the potential cause of this bleeding?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A nurse is educating a patient and their family about thrombocytopenia.Which statement accurately describes the normal platelet count range?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A client with thrombocytopenia experiences prolonged bleeding even after minor trauma.What statement by the nurse accurately explains the relationship between platelet count and bleeding risk?

A nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with thrombocytopenia. What should the nurse include in the patient education regarding self-care measures?

A client with thrombocytopenia presents with schistocytes on the peripheral blood smear.What does the presence of schistocytes indicate, and how should the nurse interpret this finding?

(Select all that apply): A nurse is assessing a patient with thrombocytopenia.Which interventions are appropriate for this patient? Select all that apply.

A nurse is caring for a patient with thrombocytopenia.Which statement accurately describes the pathophysiology of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)?

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(Select all that apply):A nurse is assessing a patient with suspected thrombocytopenia.Which findings should the nurse consider as potential signs or symptoms of thrombocytopenia? Select all that apply.

A nurse is caring for a patient with thrombocytopenia.
The patient reports experiencing hematochezia, fatigue, and abdominal pain.
What should the nurse prioritize in the assessment of this patient?