A 60-year-old male patient has been treated for pneumonia for the past 6 weeks. He is seen today in the clinic for an "unexplained" weight loss of 10 pounds over the last 6 weeks. The nurse knows that:
a. Weight loss is probably the result of unhealthy eating habits.
b. Chronic diseases such as hypertension cause weight loss.
c. Unexplained weight loss often accompanies short-term illnesses.
d. Weight loss is probably the result of a mental health dysfunction.
ANS: C
An unexplained weight loss may be a sign of a short-term illness or a chronic illness such as endocrine disease, malignancy, depression, anorexia nervosa, or bulimia.
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The nurse is assessing the oral cavity of a client and notes a blackish, furry-looking coating on the tongue. Which question to the client is most appropriate based on this initial data?
1. "Have you eaten licorice lately?" 2. "How often do you brush your tongue?" 3. "Have you recently taken antibiotics?" 4. "Have you ever had this happen before?"
A patient reports to the emergency department with complaints of scrotal swelling. During the nursing assessment, the patient reports his pain level at "2."
When asked to discuss the characteristics of his pain, he reports feeling a dull ache associated with prolonged standing or walking. The physical assessment reveals a "bag of worms" appearance to the scrotum. Which of the following disorders is likely presented? 1. Varicocele 2. Hydrocele 3. Prostatitis 4. Testicular torsion
A registered nurse (RN) who works on the night shift enters the medication room and finds a co-worker with a tourniquet wrapped around the upper arm
The co-worker is about to insert a needle, attached to a syringe containing a clear liquid, into the antecubital area. The most appro-priate initial action by the RN is which of the following? 1. Call security. 2. Call the police. 3. Call the nursing supervisor. 4. Lock the co-worker in the medication room until help is obtained.
The biological theory of aging uses a genetic perspective and suggests that aging is a programmed process in which:
a. each person will age exactly like those in the previous generation. b. a "biological clock" ticks off a predetermined number of cell divisions. c. genetic traits can overcome environmental influences. d. age-related physical changes are controlled only by genetic factors.