Free CPNRE Basic Care Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Japanese Canadian client receiving terminal care is being cared for by a practical nurse; many emotional family members visit multiple times a day. For this client, what nursing intervention would be most appropriate?
- Speak with the client's doctor about the family members' actions.
- Advise the family to refrain from having emotional outbursts.
- Make the required preparations so that family members can visit. (Correct answer)
- Limit the number of family members that can visit at once.
Correct answer: Make the required preparations so that family members can visit.
In many cultures, including Japanese Canadian, family presence and emotional expression are vital during end-of-life care. The nurse's role is to facilitate and support these cultural practices, ensuring the family has the space and opportunity to be with their loved one. Limiting visits or advising against emotional outbursts would be culturally insensitive and detrimental to the client and family's coping process.
Question 2: A client with chronic lung illness who is getting oxygen through a nasal cannula is being cared for by a practical nurse. Which of the following outcomes is the nurse expected to expect?
- Three L/minute or fewer will be the oxygen flow rate. (Correct answer)
- Every two hours, arterial blood gases will be obtained.
- Oral intake for the client will be limited.
- The patient will remain bedridden.
Correct answer: Three L/minute or fewer will be the oxygen flow rate.
Clients with chronic lung diseases, such as COPD, often rely on a hypoxic drive to breathe. Administering high flow rates of oxygen can suppress this drive, leading to hypoventilation and increased carbon dioxide retention. Therefore, a low oxygen flow rate (typically 3 L/minute or less) is crucial to maintain adequate oxygenation without compromising the client's respiratory effort.
Question 3: A group of recently graduated practical nurses are participating in an educational session led by nurse educator Anne. Clinical decision-making at the hospital is guided by evidence-informed practice, as explained by Anne. Which of the following sums up this kind of behavior the best?
- An opportunity to receive government funding
- A chance to implement study findings into practice (Correct answer)
- A means of encouraging improved assessment abilities
- An opportunity for experts to test unproven research claims
Correct answer: A chance to implement study findings into practice
Evidence-informed practice involves integrating the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and client values to guide healthcare decisions. It provides a structured approach for nurses to use current, high-quality research findings to improve patient care and outcomes. This process ensures that nursing interventions are based on scientific evidence rather than tradition or anecdote.
Question 4: At a nursing home, there is a practical nurse employed. When the nurse walks into the client's room, she observes the client trying to get himself up off the floor where he is sitting. The nurse asks the patient about what transpired. The customer answers, "I slipped." Which of the following details have to be included in the incident report by the nurse?
- Instead of recording the incident in an incident report, the nurse should just note it in the client's medical file.
- It is recommended that the nurse record the incident with the notes, "client slipped and fell, no injury noted."
- "Client found on floor and stated 'I slipped'. Physician notified, assessment completed, no injury noted" is how the incident report should be filed by the nurse. (Correct answer)
- An incident report with the description "client slipped and fell to the floor" should be filed by the nurse.
Correct answer: "Client found on floor and stated 'I slipped'. Physician notified, assessment completed, no injury noted" is how the incident report should be filed by the nurse.
An incident report must be objective, factual, and comprehensive, detailing only what was observed and stated, along with actions taken. Stating 'client found on floor and stated 'I slipped'' accurately reflects the observation and the client's direct quote without making assumptions about the cause of the fall. Including 'Physician notified, assessment completed, no injury noted' documents the appropriate follow-up care and assessment, which is crucial for legal and clinical purposes.
Question 5: Nicole works as a public health nurse and is in charge of locating the contacts of people who have been linked to proven instances of STDs. Nicole gives a call to the person that the infected client has identified. The caller demands to know the name of the person who added him as a contact right away. Which of the following describes Nicole's proper response?
- The person who provided your name requested anonymity.
- I have a duty to respect everyone's privacy, including yours. (Correct answer)
- If you agree to treatment, then I can reveal the identity.
- I'll let you know if the person you had sex with is the same person who identified you if you give me their name.
Correct answer: I have a duty to respect everyone's privacy, including yours.
Nurses have a professional and ethical obligation to maintain client confidentiality, especially in sensitive situations like STD contact tracing. Revealing the identity of the person who provided the contact's name would violate privacy principles and could deter individuals from seeking testing or providing necessary information in the future. The nurse's duty is to protect everyone's privacy, including the contact's and the original client's.
Question 6: A female patient, age 68, is brought to the hospital due to a stage III decubitus ulcer located above her right ischial tuberosity. There are multiple instances of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the client's past medical history. For the client, the following is the best position:
- With a cushion beneath the client's knees, recline
- Lying on one's right side with cushions between the knees
- Lie on one's left side with cushions in between the knees (Correct answer)
- Lying down with cushions beneath the knees
Correct answer: Lie on one's left side with cushions in between the knees
A stage III decubitus ulcer over the right ischial tuberosity means there is significant tissue damage in that area. Positioning the client on their left side with cushions between the knees effectively redistributes pressure away from the affected right side. This helps prevent further skin breakdown and promotes healing by avoiding direct pressure on the ulcerated area.
Question 7: A client starts breathing quickly. Which of the following would be the most suitable course of action for the practical nurse?
- Get the client's apical pulse rate using auscultation.
- Take the client's pulse and blood pressure measurements.
- Find out the oxygen saturation level of the client. (Correct answer)
- Notify the incorrect doctor
Correct answer: Find out the oxygen saturation level of the client.
Rapid breathing (tachypnea) can indicate various underlying issues, including respiratory distress, hypoxia, or anxiety. The most immediate and crucial action for a practical nurse is to assess the client's oxygen saturation level using a pulse oximeter. This provides objective data about the client's oxygenation status, which is essential for determining the severity of the problem and guiding subsequent interventions.
Question 8: A doctor gives the order to bandage a patient's left leg from the toes to the mid-thigh using an elastic wrap. Which of the following tasks should the practical nurse perform?
- Put the left leg in an abduction position.
- Only expose a tiny amount of the extremity's distal end. (Correct answer)
- Boost the amount of friction between the bandage surfaces and the skin
- To secure the bandage incorrectly, use numerous pins.
Correct answer: Only expose a tiny amount of the extremity's distal end.
When applying an elastic wrap, it is essential to leave a small portion of the extremity's distal end (e.g., toes) exposed. This allows the nurse to regularly assess for signs of impaired circulation, such as pallor, cyanosis, coolness, numbness, or tingling. Monitoring these indicators ensures the bandage is not applied too tightly, which could compromise blood flow and lead to tissue damage.
Question 9: Raki comes from a cultural background where mental and emotional disorders are seen as out-of-control behavior that puts the family in disgrace. Given his cultural perspective, which of the following reactions to psychological anguish would Raki be most likely to experience?
- Compulsive-obsessive behavior
- Depression
- Phobias incorrect
- Somatization disordercorrect (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Somatization disordercorrect
In cultures where mental and emotional disorders carry significant stigma and shame, individuals may express psychological distress through physical symptoms rather than openly acknowledging mental health issues. Somatization disorder involves experiencing physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition, often as a way to cope with or express underlying emotional distress in a culturally acceptable manner. This is a common presentation in such cultural contexts.
Question 10: An interview with a client receiving treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is being conducted by a nurse. The nurse should ask the customer which of the following questions is the most crucial?
- Do you become anxious when you're in a closed space?
- Do you often find yourself forgetting basic information?
- Do you have trouble focusing on a single task?
- Do you find it difficult to stop worrying thoughts? (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Do you find it difficult to stop worrying thoughts?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is primarily characterized by persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) performed to reduce anxiety. Asking if the client finds it difficult to stop worrying thoughts directly assesses the presence of obsessions, which is a core diagnostic criterion for OCD. The other options relate to different mental health conditions.
Question 11: A practical nurse pays a visit to a northern Ontario home for senior citizens. What crucial safety measure must the practical nurse to recommend to the residents?
- Erroneously place an area rug on bare floors
- Instead of using a microwave oven to reheat meals, use a stove.
- Spend chilly winter days inside. (Correct answer)
- When a chest cold first appears, take an over-the-counter cough medication.
Correct answer: Spend chilly winter days inside.
Senior citizens in northern Ontario are at increased risk for hypothermia and falls due to cold weather and icy conditions. Spending chilly winter days indoors significantly reduces their exposure to extreme temperatures and minimizes the risk of slipping on ice or snow. This is a crucial preventative measure to protect their health and safety.
A Japanese Canadian client receiving terminal care is being cared for by a practical nurse; many emotional family members visit multiple times a day.
For this client, what nursing intervention would be most appropriate?