Healthcare and Nursing Nutrition & Dietary Management in Healthcare 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) should be educated to limit which of the following nutrients?
- Vitamin C and folate
- Potassium, phosphorus, and sodium (Correct answer)
- Iron and calcium
- Vitamin D and magnesium
Correct answer: Potassium, phosphorus, and sodium
CKD patients must restrict potassium, phosphorus, and sodium to prevent dangerous electrolyte imbalances and fluid overload.
Question 2: Which vitamin deficiency is most commonly associated with impaired wound healing?
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C (Correct answer)
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
Correct answer: Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis; its deficiency impairs wound healing and can lead to scurvy-like symptoms.
Question 3: A patient with heart failure is placed on a 2-gram sodium-restricted diet. Which food should the nurse instruct the patient to AVOID?
- Fresh apples
- Canned chicken noodle soup (Correct answer)
- Plain oatmeal
- Steamed broccoli
Correct answer: Canned chicken noodle soup
Canned soups are high in sodium and must be avoided on a sodium-restricted diet to prevent fluid retention and exacerbation of heart failure.
Question 4: Which nutritional assessment tool uses four criteria — weight loss, food intake, functional capacity, and disease severity — to screen for malnutrition risk?
- Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)
- Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) (Correct answer)
- Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)
- Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002)
Correct answer: Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)
The Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) evaluates weight loss, dietary intake, functional capacity, and disease severity to classify nutritional status.
Question 5: A patient receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) suddenly develops tremors, confusion, and seizures. The nurse suspects which electrolyte imbalance?
- Hyperkalemia
- Hypophosphatemia (refeeding syndrome) (Correct answer)
- Hypercalcemia
- Hypernatremia
Correct answer: Hypophosphatemia (refeeding syndrome)
Refeeding syndrome causes hypophosphatemia as glucose infusion drives phosphate into cells, leading to neurological symptoms such as tremors and seizures.
Question 6: A patient with Type 2 diabetes asks about carbohydrate counting. What is the recommended gram range of carbohydrates per meal according to general US dietary guidelines for diabetics?
- 10–20 grams
- 45–60 grams (Correct answer)
- 80–100 grams
- 120–140 grams
Correct answer: 45–60 grams
Most US dietary guidelines for diabetics recommend 45–60 grams of carbohydrates per meal, though individual targets vary based on metabolic goals.
A patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) should be educated to limit which of the following nutrients?