LVN Nutrition and Fluid Balance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient diagnosed with celiac disease must strictly avoid which dietary component?
- Lactose
- Gluten (Correct answer)
- Fructose
- Purine
Correct answer: Gluten
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, found in wheat, barley, and rye, which damages the small intestinal villi.
Question 2: A patient on warfarin therapy asks about diet. The nurse should advise consistent intake of which vitamin?
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Vitamin K
Vitamin K directly affects warfarin's anticoagulant effect; consistent (not eliminated) intake of vitamin K-rich foods keeps INR stable.
Question 3: A low-purine diet is prescribed for a patient with which condition?
- Celiac disease
- Gout (Correct answer)
- Phenylketonuria
- Lactose intolerance
Correct answer: Gout
Gout is caused by uric acid crystal deposits in joints; purines break down into uric acid, so a low-purine diet reduces gout flares.
Question 4: Which vitamin deficiency is most directly associated with night blindness?
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin A (Correct answer)
- Vitamin B1
Correct answer: Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for the synthesis of rhodopsin in retinal rods; deficiency impairs vision in low-light conditions.
Question 5: A patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis needs dietary restriction of which two nutrients?
- Iron and zinc
- Potassium and phosphorus (Correct answer)
- Sodium and calcium
- Magnesium and folate
Correct answer: Potassium and phosphorus
CKD patients cannot excrete potassium and phosphorus efficiently, leading to dangerous hyperkalemia and hyperphosphatemia.
Question 6: The nurse is teaching a patient about iron-rich foods to treat iron-deficiency anemia. Which food is the best source of heme iron?
- Spinach
- Lentils
- Lean beef (Correct answer)
- Fortified cereal
Correct answer: Lean beef
Heme iron from animal sources like lean beef is absorbed at a rate of 15–35%, significantly higher than non-heme iron from plant sources.
Question 7: Which dietary modification is most appropriate for a patient with dumping syndrome after gastric surgery?
- High-carbohydrate, low-fat meals
- Large meals three times daily with fluids
- Small, frequent meals low in simple sugars without fluids at mealtime (Correct answer)
- High-fiber diet with increased fruit intake
Correct answer: Small, frequent meals low in simple sugars without fluids at mealtime
Small frequent meals low in simple sugars and separating fluids from solids slows gastric emptying and reduces dumping syndrome symptoms.
LVN Nutrition and Fluid Balance 3
A patient diagnosed with celiac disease must strictly avoid which dietary component?