Test yourself with sample NCLEX questions

Nursing, Apr 2000

PRACTICE QUESTIONS are the best way to make sure you pass the NCLEX-and they're a good test of your nursing knowledge anytime in your career.

1. What's the primary reason for administering morphine to a client with a myocardial infarction?

1. for sedation

2. to decrease pain

3. to decrease anxiety

4. to decrease oxygen demand on the heart

2. Which of the following factors makes developing a vaccine for HIV difficult?

1. HIV is a virus.

2. HIV matures early.

3. HIV mutates easily.

4. HIV spreads through body secretions.

3. Disseminated intravascular coagulation often results in complications initially associated with which of the following organs?

1. brain

2. kidney

3. lung

4. stomach

4. Giving instructions for breast self-examination is particularly important for clients with which of the following medical problems?

1. cervical dysplasia

2. a dermoid cyst

3. lung

4. stomach

5. A client has just received a renal transplant and has started cyclosporine therapy to prevent graft rejection. Which of the following is a major complication of this therapy?

1. depression

2. hemorrhage

3. infection

4. peptic ulcer disease

6. A client found unconscious at home is taken to the ED. Physical examination shows cherry-red mucous membranes, nail beds, and skin. Which of the following is the most likely cause of his condition?

1. spider bite

2. aspirin ingestion

3. hydrocarbon ingestion

4. carbon monoxide poisoning

7. Which of the following comments is typical of someone who experiences periodic panic attacks while sleeping?

1. "Yesterday, I sat up in bed and just felt so scared."

2. "I have difficulty sleeping because I'm so anxious."

3. "Sometimes I have the most wild and vivid dreams."

4. "When I drink beer, I fall asleep without any problems."

8. Which of the following instructions would you include in your discharge teaching for the parents of a newborn diagnosed with sickle-cell anemia?

1. the importance of iron supplementation

2. the importance of monthly vitamin B12 injections

3. how to palpate the abdomen and take a temperature

4. that polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine is contraindicated

9. Which of the following is the most frequent site of internal bleeding associated with hemophilia?

1. brain tissue

2. gastrointestinal (GI) tract

3. joint cavities

4. spinal cord

10. The mother of a neonate with clubfoot feels guilty because she believes she did something to cause the condition. You should explain that the cause of clubfoot is

1. unknown.

2. hereditary.

3. caused by restricted movement in utero.

4. caused by anomalous embryonic development.

11. Most cleft palates are repaired at what age?

1. immediately after birth

2. 1 to 2 months

3. 3 to 4 months

4. 1 to 2 years

12. In extreme cases of salicylate poisoning, which of the following treatments is used?

1. forced emesis

2. temperature-regulating blankets

3. peritoneal dialysis

4. vitamin K injection

ANSWERS

1. 4. Morphine is administered because it decreases myocardial oxygen demand. Morphine also decreases pain and anxiety while causing sedation, but it isn't given primarily for those reasons.

2. 3. The fact that HIV is a virus, matures early, and spreads through body secretions doesn't affect the potential for vaccine development.

3. 2. Disseminated intravascular coagulation usually affects the kidneys and extremities, but left untreated, it will affect the lungs, brain, stomach, and the adrenal and pituitary glands.

4. 4. Clients with ovarian cancer are at increased risk for breast cancer. Breast self-examination supports early detection and treatment and is very important. There's no known relationship between breast cancer and cervical dysplasia, endometrial polyps, or dermoid cysts, so breast self-examination is no more or less important for these clients.

5. 3. Infection is the major complication to watch for in clients on cyclosporine therapy because it's an immunosuppressive drug. Depression may occur posttransplantation but not because of cyclosporine. Hemorrhage is associated with anticoagulant therapy. Peptic ulcer disease is a complication of steroid therapy.

6. 4. Cherry-red skin indicates exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide. Spider bite reactions usually are localized to the area of the bite. Hydrocarbon or petroleum ingestion causes respiratory symptoms and tachycardia. Nausea and vomiting and pale skin are symptoms of aspirin ingestion.

7. 1. A person who suffers a panic attack while sleeping wakes up abruptly, feeling fearful. Many people with severe anxiety have symptoms related to a sleep disorder, but they wouldn't typically experience a sleep panic attack. A panic attack while sleeping often causes inability to remember dreams. Intake of alcohol initially produces a drowsy feeling, but after a short time, alcohol causes restless, fragmented sleep and strange dreams.

8. 3. Acute splenic sequestration is a serious complication of sickle-cell anemia. Early detection of splenomegaly by parents is an important aspect of client management. A temperature of 101.3 deg to 102.2 deg F (38.5 deg to 39 deg C) calls for emergency evaluation, even if the child appears well. The need for folic acid increases injections, so supplementation is prudent. Vitamin B12 and iron supplements aren't necessary. Pneumococcal vaccine is used because children with sickle-cell anemia are prone to infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae.