The family of an older adult client brings him to the emergency department after finding him wandering outside. During the initial assessment, the nurse notes that the client flinches when she palpates his abdomen yet responds to questions only by nodding and smiling.

Which of the following factors should the nurse identify as a likely explanation for the client's behavior?

He is hard of hearing.

Confusion

Pain

Language barrier

None

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

A. He is hard of hearing:
This is unlikely. While hearing impairment could explain some difficulty in communication, it would not explain the flinching upon abdominal palpation or the wandering behavior. Hearing-impaired clients typically respond to nonverbal cues or attempt to communicate their understanding in other ways.

B. Confusion:
This is correct. The client's wandering behavior, lack of verbal response, and smiling/nodding without clear understanding are indicative of confusion, which is common in older adults experiencing delirium, dementia, or other cognitive impairments. The flinching during abdominal palpation suggests a physical issue, but the client's inability to articulate his discomfort further supports confusion as a contributing factor.

C. Pain:
While pain could explain the flinching during palpation, it does not account for the wandering behavior or the lack of meaningful verbal communication. Pain may coexist with confusion but is not the primary explanation for his overall behavior.

D. Language barrier:
A language barrier could explain difficulty in verbal communication, but it does not account for the wandering behavior or the flinching upon palpation. Additionally, the family’s ability to communicate with the healthcare team suggests this is not the most likely factor

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A. Irrigating the wound with an antiseptic prior to obtaining the specimen can introduce substances that may interfere with the accuracy of the culture results. Sterile saline is the preferred solution for wound irrigation.
B. Intact skin at the wound edges should not be included in the culture. The specimen should be obtained directly from the wound bed or drainage.
C. Swabbing an area of skin away from the wound to identify the usual flora is not appropriate for obtaining a wound drainage specimen. The culture should be taken directly from the wound site.
D. Before obtaining a wound-drainage specimen for culture, it is important to cleanse the wound with a sterile solution, such as 0.9% sodium chloride saline irrigation. This helps remove debris and contaminants from the wound site, providing a more accurate specimen for culture.

A. RBC count B. WBC count C. Potassium D. BUN

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A. An elevation in the red blood cell (RBC) count is not a specific indication of infection. It primarily reflects oxygen-carrying capacity.
B. An elevation in the white blood cell (WBC) count is an indication of infection. When the body is fighting an infection, the number of white blood cells increases as part of the immune response.
C. Potassium is an electrolyte and is not a specific marker for infection. Abnormal potassium levels may indicate a variety of conditions, but they do not directly indicate infection.
D. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is a marker of kidney function and is not a specific indicator of infection. Elevated BUN levels can be seen in various kidney and non-kidney-related conditions.

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nurse is caring for a client who has a wound infection. Which of the following actions should the nurse take when obtaining a wound-drainage specimen for culture?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has a pressure ulcer. The nurse should identify an elevation in which of the following laboratory values as an indication that the client has developed an infection?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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