A nurse is caring for an adolescent.
Complete the following sentence by using the lists of options.
The adolescent is at risk for developing
The Correct Answer is {"dropdown-group-1":"C","dropdown-group-2":"C"}
Rationale for correct choices
• Compartment syndrome: The adolescent demonstrates escalating pain despite repeated opioid administration, along with moderate edema, delayed capillary refill, and numbness/tingling in the affected limb. These signs indicate increased pressure within the casted compartment, which can compromise circulation and nerve function.
• Increasing capillary refill times: Capillary refill has lengthened from 3 to 4 seconds, suggesting impaired peripheral perfusion in the affected extremity. This change indicates vascular compromise and aligns with the pathophysiology of compartment syndrome. Monitoring these subtle vascular changes helps identify early ischemia before permanent damage occurs.
Rationale for incorrect choices
• Pneumonia: Shallow respirations and a slightly increased respiratory rate are present but are mild and likely related to pain or anxiety. Breath sounds remain clear, and oxygen saturation is slightly decreased but not critically low. There is no productive cough, fever spikes, or infection in the lungs, making pneumonia less likely.
• Infection: While the adolescent’s temperature has risen slightly, there is no redness, drainage, or local signs at the surgical site. White blood cell counts are not provided, and systemic signs of infection are minimal. The mild fever could be due to stress or inflammation from surgery rather than infection. Current symptoms points toward neurovascular compromise rather than infection.
• Shallow respirations: Although respirations are shallow at times, this finding alone is more consistent with pain or guarding from the femur injury than with a systemic complication. Respiratory assessment does not demonstrate adventitious sounds or significant hypoxia. Shallow breathing is not the primary indicator of compartment syndrome.
• Increasing respiratory rate: The rise in respiratory rate is minor and likely a response to pain, stress, or mild hypoxia, not the early sign of compartment syndrome. Tachypnea without other systemic signs does not reliably indicate limb vascular compromise. While important to monitor, it is not specific to the identified risk.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["A","B","C","D","E","F"]
Explanation
Rationale for correct choices
• Fatigue lasting longer than 4 months: Persistent fatigue can indicate an underlying chronic condition, autoimmune disorder, or neurological disease. Because it has lasted longer than several months, it warrants further assessment to rule out systemic or neurological causes. Chronic fatigue can significantly impair quality of life and functional capacity.
• Struggling to remember things and feeling depressed: Cognitive changes and mood disturbances may reflect neurological involvement, medication side effects, or comorbid depression. Memory issues combined with fatigue and mood changes require follow-up to assess for conditions affecting the central nervous system or systemic illness.
• Intermittent hand tremors: Hand tremors can indicate neurological disorders such as myasthenia gravis, Parkinsonism, or other neuromuscular conditions. Intermittent tremors, especially alongside muscle weakness and visual disturbances, warrant evaluation to determine the underlying etiology.
• Sudden episodes of leg weakness causing loss of balance and gait changes: Episodes of acute limb weakness with balance problems indicate potential neuromuscular dysfunction or demyelinating disease. These transient episodes impair safety and functional mobility, requiring further neurological evaluation to prevent injury.
• Intermittent muscle spasms: Muscle spasms are concerning when combined with other neuromuscular symptoms. They may indicate electrolyte imbalance, neuromuscular junction disorders, or early signs of autoimmune or neurological disease. Tracking frequency and triggers helps guide diagnosis.
• Occasional double vision: Intermittent diplopia may indicate cranial nerve involvement or neuromuscular junction pathology, such as myasthenia gravis. Even if infrequent, visual disturbances in combination with muscle weakness are red flags requiring neurological assessment.
• Genitourinary spasms: Spasms in the urinary tract may reflect neurological involvement or early autonomic dysfunction. Although infrequent, these symptoms can signal progression of a neuromuscular condition affecting bladder control and require follow-up to prevent complications.
Rationale for Incorrect findings
• Vital signs within normal limits: Temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation are all within normal ranges and do not currently indicate acute illness. No immediate intervention is required based on these values.
• Last bowel movement 1 day ago: Having a bowel movement within the last 24 hours is normal and does not indicate constipation or gastrointestinal dysfunction. No immediate follow-up is needed for bowel habits at this time.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Bulging fontanel: A bulging fontanel typically indicates increased intracranial pressure, not dehydration. In dehydration, the fontanel is more likely to appear sunken in infants, making this an incorrect finding to monitor for fluid loss.
B. Weight loss: Weight loss is a key indicator of fluid loss in infants. Monitoring daily weight provides an objective measure of dehydration severity and effectiveness of rehydration interventions, making it a critical finding for the nurse to track.
C. Distended jugular vein: Jugular vein distention is associated with fluid overload or cardiac issues, not dehydration. This finding would be unlikely in a 3-month-old infant with gastroenteritis.
D. Bradycardia: Dehydration in infants typically presents with tachycardia as the body compensates for decreased fluid volume. Bradycardia is not a common sign of dehydration and may indicate another underlying condition.
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