OCC Patient Assessment & Monitoring 2

Question 1

A patient receiving cisplatin develops tinnitus and decreased hearing. Which assessment action should the oncology nurse prioritize?

Accepted Answer

Obtain an audiogram and notify the oncologist

Answer

Cisplatin is ototoxic, and new tinnitus or hearing changes require audiometric evaluation and immediate oncologist notification to consider dose modification.

Question 2

When assessing a patient's performance status before initiating chemotherapy, which tool uses a 0–4 scale where 0 indicates fully active?

Accepted Answer

ECOG Performance Status

Answer

The ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) Performance Status scale ranges from 0 (fully active) to 4 (completely disabled), guiding chemotherapy eligibility decisions.

Question 3

A patient on methotrexate presents with a serum creatinine that has doubled from baseline. What is the nurse's primary concern?

Accepted Answer

Delayed methotrexate clearance and toxicity accumulation

Answer

Methotrexate is renally cleared, so impaired kidney function delays drug elimination and significantly increases the risk of severe toxicity including mucositis and myelosuppression.

Question 4

Which electrolyte imbalance is most commonly monitored in patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Hypomagnesemia

Answer

Oxaliplatin-based regimens commonly cause hypomagnesemia, which must be monitored and corrected to prevent neuromuscular and cardiac complications.

Question 5

During a physical assessment, a nurse notices a patient on paclitaxel has absent deep tendon reflexes in bilateral lower extremities. This finding most likely indicates:

Accepted Answer

Taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy

Answer

Absent deep tendon reflexes are a classic sign of peripheral neuropathy, a dose-limiting toxicity of paclitaxel and other taxanes.

(OCC) Oncology Chemotherapy Certification Practice Test

(OCC) Oncology Chemotherapy Certification Practice Test

OCC Patient Assessment & Monitoring 2