foundation of nursing practice questions

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: A nurse assessing a patient with an acoustic neuroma would likely find symptoms such as loss of hearing, tinnitus, and vertigo. Acoustic neuroma, also known as vestibular schwannoma, is a noncancerous tumor that develops on the vestibulocochlear nerve, which carries sound and balance signals from the inner ear to the brain. The most common symptoms of an acoustic neuroma include progressive hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and dizziness or imbalance (vertigo). Therefore, option A is the most appropriate choice for the symptoms that the nurse is likely to find in a patient with an acoustic neuroma.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The patient's frustration with chronic nasal congestion, anosmia, and inability to concentrate indicates difficulty coping with the long-term nature of her condition and the impact it has on her daily life. Additionally, her desire for relief suggests a need for environmental modifications to help manage her symptoms. This nursing diagnosis encompasses the patient's emotional response to her condition, as well as the potential need for changes in her surroundings to better support her health and well-being.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Challenging communication situations in nursing care typically involve patients who exhibit behaviors that make communication difficult or complex. In the given options, a child who is developmentally delayed (Option A) and an older-adult patient who is demanding (Option B) are examples of patients who may have challenging communication issues.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: External otitis, also known as swimmer's ear, is an infection of the outer ear canal. It is often characterized by aural tenderness, which means that the ear is sensitive to touch and can be painful, especially when pressure is applied to the area. This tenderness is a hallmark symptom of external otitis and helps differentiate it from other ear conditions. Other common symptoms of external otitis include ear pain, itchiness, redness, and swelling of the ear canal. External otitis is usually not accompanied by a high fever, and it is not typically related to an upper respiratory infection. Using cotton-tipped applicators to clean the ear can actually increase the risk of developing external otitis by disrupting the natural protective barrier of the ear canal.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Neoplasms can cause pathophysiologic events such as intracranial hemorrhage and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) due to expansion of the mass within the confined space of the skull. Intracranial hemorrhage can occur as the neoplasm damages blood vessels in the brain or causes them to become more fragile. Increased ICP can result from the growing mass causing compression of surrounding structures and obstructing the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, leading to symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, and changes in mental status.