A client who experienced whole-body radiation exposure 6 hours ago is brought to the emergency department with radiation sickness. On assessment, the nurse would expect the client to report:

Question

1. bleeding from the gums and nose.
2. bruises on skin not covered by clothing.
3. nausea and vomiting.
4. hair loss.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: Bleeding from the gums and nose is not an initial symptom of radiation sickness.
Rationale 2: Bruises on the skin are not an initial symptom of radiation sickness.
Rationale 3: Radiation sickness occurs after exposure to ionizing radiation and can last from hours to days. The initial symptoms include nausea and vomiting.
Rationale 4: Hair loss is not an initial symptom of radiation sickness.
Global Rationale: Radiation sickness occurs after exposure to ionizing radiation and can last from hours to days. The initial symptoms include nausea and vomiting. Hair loss, bleeding, and bruising may occur due to effects of radiation sickness, but are not immediate findings.