NR 443 CHAPTER 13: IMMUNITY,
INFLAMMATION, AND INFECTION
Chapter 13: Immunity, Inflammation, and Infection
Linton: Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing, 6th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient in early labor says to the nurse, “I will pass on protection from diseases, and the baby
will not ever need any shots.” What is the best response by the nurse?
a. “Babies are born with innate (natural) immunity at birth.”
b. “Babies are born with immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody that crosses the placenta, but it only
briefly protects the baby.”
c. “Yes, immediate antibody immunity from the mother is the first line of defense against disease for
babies.”
d. “Yes, the mother passes on cell-mediated immunity.”
ANS: B
Infants acquire antibodies from the mother, but they only last a few months.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 169-170 OBJ: 2 | 4
TOP: Newborn Immunity KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Prevention and Early Detection of Disease
2. A school nurse starts a clean-up campaign at a local elementary school in an effort to combat
allergens. What is the most common allergic response disorder?
a. Anaphylaxis
b. Asthma
c. Contact dermatitis
d. Urticaria
ANS: B
Fungi are principle allergens that can trigger respiratory allergic responses such as asthma.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 186-187 OBJ: 18
TOP: Reduction of Allergens KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Prevention and Early Detection of Disease
3. A nurse is discussing the body’s first and second lines of defense against infection with a
community group. What does the body’s first line of defense include?
a. Teeth
b. Sweat
c. White blood cells
d. T lymphocytes
ANS: B
The sweat glands excrete an antimicrobial enzyme.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 168 OBJ: 1
TOP: Lines of Defense KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
, 4. A nurse explains that a medication given to a patient with a severe inflammatory response mimics
a hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex. To what hormone is the nurse referring?
a. Aldosterone
b. Testosterone
c. Histamine
d. Cortisol
ANS: D
Cortisol slows the release of antihistamine and stabilizes lysosomal membranes.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 170 OBJ: 5
TOP: Antiinflammatory Agents KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
5. With the exposure to an antigen, a nurse explains that the initiator of the inflammatory response is
the presence of histamine. What is responsible for releasing histamine?
a. Neutrophils
b. Eosinophils
c. Basophils
d. Monocytes
ANS: C
Basophils release histamine.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 168 OBJ: 5
TOP: Inflammatory Response KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
6. A nurse is bathing a patient who is immunodeficient and has a Cryptococcus infestation. What is
the classification of this organism?
a. Bacterium
b. Virus
c. Fungus
d. Protozoa
ANS: C
Cryptococcus fungal infections can be life threatening.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 173 OBJ: 9
TOP: Fungi KEY: Nursing Process Step: Knowledge
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
7. A mosquito or a fly carries an organism that infects another living organism. What is this mode of
transmission of infection?
a. Common vehicle
b. Direct excretion
c. Ingestion
d. Vector
ANS: D
Vector-borne diseases are carried from one host to another. Part of the life cycle of the pathogen
occurs in the body of the fly, mosquito, or tick.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 174 OBJ: 10
TOP: Vector Transmission KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
INFLAMMATION, AND INFECTION
Chapter 13: Immunity, Inflammation, and Infection
Linton: Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing, 6th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient in early labor says to the nurse, “I will pass on protection from diseases, and the baby
will not ever need any shots.” What is the best response by the nurse?
a. “Babies are born with innate (natural) immunity at birth.”
b. “Babies are born with immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody that crosses the placenta, but it only
briefly protects the baby.”
c. “Yes, immediate antibody immunity from the mother is the first line of defense against disease for
babies.”
d. “Yes, the mother passes on cell-mediated immunity.”
ANS: B
Infants acquire antibodies from the mother, but they only last a few months.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 169-170 OBJ: 2 | 4
TOP: Newborn Immunity KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Prevention and Early Detection of Disease
2. A school nurse starts a clean-up campaign at a local elementary school in an effort to combat
allergens. What is the most common allergic response disorder?
a. Anaphylaxis
b. Asthma
c. Contact dermatitis
d. Urticaria
ANS: B
Fungi are principle allergens that can trigger respiratory allergic responses such as asthma.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 186-187 OBJ: 18
TOP: Reduction of Allergens KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Prevention and Early Detection of Disease
3. A nurse is discussing the body’s first and second lines of defense against infection with a
community group. What does the body’s first line of defense include?
a. Teeth
b. Sweat
c. White blood cells
d. T lymphocytes
ANS: B
The sweat glands excrete an antimicrobial enzyme.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 168 OBJ: 1
TOP: Lines of Defense KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
, 4. A nurse explains that a medication given to a patient with a severe inflammatory response mimics
a hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex. To what hormone is the nurse referring?
a. Aldosterone
b. Testosterone
c. Histamine
d. Cortisol
ANS: D
Cortisol slows the release of antihistamine and stabilizes lysosomal membranes.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 170 OBJ: 5
TOP: Antiinflammatory Agents KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
5. With the exposure to an antigen, a nurse explains that the initiator of the inflammatory response is
the presence of histamine. What is responsible for releasing histamine?
a. Neutrophils
b. Eosinophils
c. Basophils
d. Monocytes
ANS: C
Basophils release histamine.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 168 OBJ: 5
TOP: Inflammatory Response KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
6. A nurse is bathing a patient who is immunodeficient and has a Cryptococcus infestation. What is
the classification of this organism?
a. Bacterium
b. Virus
c. Fungus
d. Protozoa
ANS: C
Cryptococcus fungal infections can be life threatening.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 173 OBJ: 9
TOP: Fungi KEY: Nursing Process Step: Knowledge
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
7. A mosquito or a fly carries an organism that infects another living organism. What is this mode of
transmission of infection?
a. Common vehicle
b. Direct excretion
c. Ingestion
d. Vector
ANS: D
Vector-borne diseases are carried from one host to another. Part of the life cycle of the pathogen
occurs in the body of the fly, mosquito, or tick.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 174 OBJ: 10
TOP: Vector Transmission KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
