Foundations and Adult Health Nursing Study Guide Answers

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The nurse should prioritize positioning the patient in a left lateral decubitus position during gastric lavage to ensure procedural effectiveness. This position helps to promote optimal drainage of fluid and gastric contents. Placing the patient in a left lateral position allows gravity to assist in the passage of fluid and prevents the risk of aspiration. It also helps to minimize the risk of complications such as reflux of lavage fluid into the respiratory tract. Proper positioning is essential in enhancing the success of the gastric lavage procedure and promoting patient safety.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Population structure is a diagram that presents the distribution of a population based on age and sex. It is typically displayed in a pyramid-like style format, with the horizontal axis showing the age groups and the vertical axis showing the percentage or number of individuals in each age group, divided by sex. This helps to visualize how the population is distributed in terms of age and sex, providing important insights into demographic trends, such as age dependency ratio and potential future trends in population growth or decline. Age and sex are the key demographic variables used to construct a population structure diagram.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Dental caries, commonly known as tooth decay, is characterized by the irreversible demineralization of the enamel and dentin due to acids produced by bacterial activity. This process leads to cavitation and destruction of the tooth structure, ultimately resulting in the formation of a cavity. Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, periodontitis is inflammation and infection of the supporting structures of the teeth (gums, bone, and ligaments), and a dental abscess is a collection of pus in the tissues surrounding the tooth, none of which are specifically related to the irreversible demineralization of enamel and dentin seen in dental caries.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The presentation of a painful, vesicular rash in a dermatomal distribution on the left thorax, specifically in a patient with a history of chickenpox, is most suggestive of herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles. Herpes zoster is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the nerve cells and can reactivate years later to cause shingles. The rash in herpes zoster typically progresses through different stages, including red patches leading to fluid-filled blisters. The characteristic rash typically appears unilaterally and is usually preceded by pain, burning, or tingling in the affected area. Unlike herpes simplex virus infection, which can cause similar lesions but is not typically localized to a specific dermatome, herpes zoster presents as a distinct unilateral cluster of vesicles along

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: When a patient with terminal cancer experiences dyspnea (difficulty breathing) and anxiety, opioid medications are often prioritized by palliative care providers for symptom management. Opioids are effective in relieving dyspnea by acting as respiratory depressants and reducing the feeling of air hunger. Additionally, opioids have sedative effects that can help alleviate anxiety and promote relaxation. Therefore, in this situation, prescribing opioid medications would be the most appropriate intervention to address both the dyspnea and anxiety symptoms simultaneously. Oxygen therapy, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises may also be useful adjunctive interventions, but opioid medications are typically prioritized for immediate symptom relief in this context.