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NCLEX-RN Exam Questions - Part 48

Jenny Clarke

Mon, 24 Mar 2025

1. A male client has asthma and his physician has prescribed beclomethasone (Vanceril) 3 puffs tid in addition to his other medications. After taking his beclomethasone, the client should be instructed to:

A) Clean his inhaler with warm water and soak it in a10% bleach solution
B) Drink a glass of water
C) Sit and rest
D) Use his bronchodilator inhaler



2. A 70-year-old client has pneumonia and has just had a respiratory arrest. He has just been intubated with an 8- mm endotracheal tube. During auscultation of his chest, breath sounds were found to be absent on the left side. The nurse identifies the most likely cause of this as:

A) Inappropriate endotracheal tube size
B) Left-sided pneumothorax
C) Right mainstem bronchus intubation
D) Pneumonia



3. A 55-year-old client is unconscious, and his physician has decided to begin tube feeding him using a smallbore silicone feeding tube (Keofeed, Duo-Tube). After the tube is inserted, the nurse identifies the most reliable way to confirm appropriate placement is to:

A) Aspirate gastric contents
B) Auscultate air insufflated through the tube
C) Obtain a chest x-ray
D) Place the tip of the tube under water and observe for air bubbles



4. A 70-year-old client is almost finished receiving her second unit of packed red blood cells. The client, who weighs 80 lb, has started complaining of being short of breath and now has crackles in the bases of her lungs. After slowing or stopping the transfusion, the most appropriate initial nursing action would be to:

A) Raise the client - s head and place her feet in a dependent position
B) Notify the physician
C) Place the client on 2 liters of O2 via nasal cannula
D) Administer furosemide (Lasix) 20 mg IV push



5. A 52-year-old clients abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptured. She received rapid massive blood transfusions for bleeding. One potential complication of blood administration for which she is especially at risk is:

A) Air embolus
B) Circulatory overload
C) Hypocalcemia
D) Hypokalemia



1. Right Answer: B
Explanation: (A) Inhalers should be cleaned once a day. They should be taken apart, washed in warm water, and dried according to manufacturers instructions. Soaking in bleach is inappropriate. (B) A common side effect of inhaled steroid preparations is oral candidal infection. This can be prevented by drinking a glass of water or gargling after using a steroid inhaler. (C) There is nothing wrong with sitting and resting after using a steroid inhaler, but it is not necessary. (D) If a person is using a steroid inhaler as well as a bronchodilator inhaler, the bronchodilator shouldalways be used first. The reason for this is that the bronchodilator opens up the persons airways so that when the steroid inhaler is used next, there will be better distribution of medication.

2. Right Answer: C
Explanation: (A) Appropriate endotracheal tube sizes for adults range from 7.08.5 mm. (B) Pneumothorax could be indicated by an absence of breath sounds on the affected side. However, in a recently intubated client, the first priority would be to consider tube malposition. (C) During intubation, the right mainstem bronchus can be inadvertently entered if the endotracheal tube is inserted too far. Left mainstem bronchus intubation almost never occurs because of the angle of the left mainstem bronchus. (D) Breath sounds for someone with pneumonia may be decreased over the areas of consolidation. However, in a recently intubated client, the first priority would be to consider tube malposition.

3. Right Answer: C
Explanation: (A) Aspiration of gastric contents is usually a reliable way to verify tube placement. However, if the client has dark respiratory secretions from bleeding, tube feedings could be mistaken for respiratory secretions; in other words, aspirating an empty stomach is less reliable in this instance. In addition, it is common for small-bore feeding tubes to collapse when suction pressure is applied. (B) Insufflation of air into large-bore nasogastric tubes can usually be clearly heard. In small-bore tubes, it is more difficult to hear air, and it is difficult to distinguish between air in the stomach and air in the esophagus. (C) A chest x-ray is the most reliable means to determine placement of small-bore nasogastric tubes. (D) Observing for air bubbles when the tip is held under water is an unreliable means to determine correct tube placement for all types of nasogastric tubes. Air may come from both the respiratory tract and the stomach, and the client who is breathing shallowly may not force air out of the tube into the water.

4. Right Answer: A
Explanation: (A) Raising the clients head and placing her feet in a dependent position is an independent nursing action that can be taken to decrease venous return and to reduce pulmonary congestion. (B) Notifying the physician is an appropriate action that should be taken after the client is positioned to maximize her respiratory status. (C) Placing the client on O2may be done with a physicians order or according to an institutions standing orders; however, other actions should be taken first. (D) Furosemide 20 mg IV push is an appropriate medication for the client, but it must be ordered by her physician.

5. Right Answer: C
Explanation: (A) Air embolism is a potential complication of blood administration, but it is fairly rare and can be prevented by using good IV technique. (B) Circulatory overload is a potential complication of blood administration, but because this client is actively bleeding, she is not at high risk for overload. (C) Hypocalcemia is a potential complication of blood administration that occurs in situations where massive transfusion has occurred over a short period of time. It occurs because the citrate in stored blood binds with the clients calcium. Another potential complication for which this client is especially at risk is hypothermia, which can be prevented by using a blood warmer to administer the blood. (D) Hypokalemia is not a complication of blood administration.

80% DISCOUNT: NCLEX-RN PRACTICE EXAMS

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