NCLEX RN Practice Questions Free
Question 1 of 5.
At 30 weeks' gestation, a client is admitted to the unit in premature labor. Her contractions are every 5 minutes and last 60 seconds, her cervix is closed, and the suture placed around her cervix during her 16th week of gestation, when she had the MacDonald procedure, can still be felt by the physician. The amniotic sac is still intact. She is very concerned about delivering prematurely. She asks the RN, 'What is the greatest risk to my baby if it is born prematurely?' The RN's answer should be:
A. Hyperglycemia
B. Hypoglycemia
C. Lack of development of the intestines
D. Lack of development of the lungs
Explanation: Any infant would be at risk for hyperglycemia because the infant's liver is missing the islets of Langerhans, which secrete insulin to break down glucose for cellular use. Prematurity is not an added risk for hyperglycemia. Both premature and mature infants can be at risk for hypoglycemia if their mother had gestational diabetes during pregnancy or entered the pregnancy with diabetes mellitus. These infants are exposed to high levels of maternal glucose while in utero, which causes the islets of Langerhans in the infant's liver to produce insulin. After birth when the umbilical cord is severed, the generous amount of maternal blood glucose is eliminated; however, there is continued islet cell hyperactivity in the infant's liver, which can lead to excessive insulin levels and depleted blood glucose. Mature infants are born with an immature GI system. The nervous control of the stomach is incomplete at birth, salivary glands are immature at birth, and the intestinal tract is sterile. This is not the greatest risk to a premature infant. The greatest risk to a premature infant is the lack of development of the lungs, which can lead to respiratory distress syndrome due to insufficient surfactant production.
Question 2 of 5.
A client is admitted with disseminated herpes zoster (shingles). According to the Centers for Disease Control Guidelines for Infection Control:
A. Airborne precautions will be needed.
B. No special precautions will be needed.
C. Only contact precautions will be needed.
D. Droplet precautions will be needed.
Explanation: Disseminated herpes zoster requires airborne precautions because the varicella-zoster virus can spread through respiratory droplets in immunocompromised patients.
Question 3 of 5.
The nurse is caring for an adolescent with a five-year history of bulimia. A common clinical finding in the client with bulimia is:
A. Extreme weight loss
B. Dental caries
C. Hair loss
D. Decreased temperature
Explanation: Frequent vomiting in bulimia exposes teeth to stomach acid, leading to dental caries (tooth decay), a common clinical finding.
Question 4 of 5.
The nurse is providing dietary teaching for a client with hypertension. Which food should be avoided by the client on a sodium-restricted diet?
A. Dried beans
B. Swiss cheese
C. Peanut butter
D. Colby cheese
Explanation: Colby cheese is high in sodium, which should be avoided on a sodium-restricted diet to manage hypertension, unlike the other options, which are lower in sodium.
Question 5 of 5.
The nurse caring for a client with closed chest drainage notes that the collection chamber is full.
A. Add more water to the suction-control chamber.
B. Remove the drainage using a 60 mL syringe.
C. Milk the tubing to facilitate drainage.
D. Prepare a new unit for continuing collection.
Explanation: A full collection chamber requires replacing the chest drainage unit to maintain effective drainage and prevent complications like tension pneumothorax.