Nurs 341 APEA Exam Prep Questions
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
A patient has been diagnosed with hepatitis B. The most commonly reported risk
factor is:
drinking contaminated water.
eating contaminated food.
exposure to blood.
sexual exposure.
D.
Hepatitis B is transmitted by blood and body fluids. While exposure to infected
blood or blood products would significantly increase the risk of infection in
unvaccinated people, this is much less likely than becoming infected via sexual
exposure or IV drug use. Hepatitis A is transmitted via fecal-oral routes. Drinking
contaminated water and eating contaminated food implicate hepatitis A as the
etiologic agent.
The three most common causes of bacterial diarrhea in the US are Salmonella,
Campylobacter, and:
E. coli.
Enterovirus.
Yersinia.
Shigella.
D.
Shigella will be shed continuously in the stool and should be easily identified on
stool culture. When bacterial gastroenteritis is suspected, a stool specimen could be
ordered for confirmation. Generally, these three pathogens are easily identified if
they are present. Enterovirus produces a viral form of diarrhea. Yersinia produces
the deadly disease called bubonic plague. E. coli is a typical colonic pathogen.
An 83-year-old patient is diagnosed with diverticulitis. The most common complaint
is:
rectal bleeding.
bloating and cramping.
left lower quadrant pain.
frequent belching and flatulence.
, Nurs 341 APEA Exam Prep Questions
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
C.
Diverticular disease is more common in older adults. About 70% of patients
diagnosed with diverticulitis have left lower quadrant pain. Rectal bleeding may
have varied etiologies, such as rectal carcinoma or hemorrhoids. Bloating and
cramping are often found in patients with diverticular disease (diverticulosis) but
not specifically diverticulitis. Belching and flatulence are not specifically associated
with diverticulosis.
What is true regarding older adults who are overweight?
This is clearly associated with increased mortality in older adults.
Mortality in older adults related to overweight states declines over time.
BMI is a good way to assess nutritional status in older adults.
There are no potential metabolic or functional benefits to weight loss in older adults.
B.
Overweight and obese states are not as important in predicting mortality in older
adults as they are in their younger counterparts. After age 65 years (some studies
demonstrate after age 70), weight is less significant in decreasing risk for mortality
than in younger adults. There are some benefits to weight loss in the obese older
adults. One of them is better balance and decreased risk for falls. Others include
less sleep apnea, decreased risk of diabetes, and decreased rates of shortness of
breath with respiratory and cardiac diseases.
What medication used to treat patients who have GERD provides the fastest relief of
heartburn symptoms?
Calcium carbonate
Ranitidine
Amantadine
Pantoprazole
A.
Calcium carbonate is an antacid. It provides rapid changes in gastric pH. This
provides relief that can be noticed immediately. The increase in pH lasts for about
30 minutes and corresponds with resolution of symptoms. However, as pH
decreases within 30 minutes, symptoms may return. Ranitidine is an H2 blocker. It
provides relief in 1-2 hours. This usually lasts for about 6-12 hours. Amantadine is
an antiviral not used to treat GERD. Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor. This
, Nurs 341 APEA Exam Prep Questions
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
provides relief after several hours or days of daily consumption.
An 84-year-old presents with a stated involuntary weight loss. He states that he’s
lost about 6 pounds in the last 6 or 8 weeks. What statement below is NOT part of
the assessment?
The weight loss should be measured today and again in the next few weeks.
A laboratory evaluation should be performed.
Evaluate his dietary intake.
Evaluate his upper and lower extremity muscle mass.
D.
Involuntary weight loss in older adults is often due to malignancy or disease. The
initial assessment of an older adult who reports involuntary weight loss is to
document the weight loss. If prior measurements are part of the patient’s chart, this
would be helpful. Laboratory assessment should also be performed. Consideration
should be given to performing a CBC, TSH, and metabolic panel. Also consider chest
and abdominal X-rays. If all are normal, he should be monitored and reweighed on
the same scale for comparison. A dietary consult should be ordered. However, even
with negative initial findings, a significant number of patients are later found to
have disease or malignancy
A patient has a positive hepatitis B surface antibody. This means he:
has acute hepatitis B.
has chronic hepatitis B.
is immune to hepatitis B.
needs immunization to hepatitis B.
C.
The hepatitis B surface antibody indicates immunity to hepatitis B virus. Specifically,
if this patient comes in contact with hepatitis B virus, he will not become infected
with hepatitis B. The presence of hepatitis B surface antibody indicates immunity
from immunization or actual infection. It also indicates recovery if the patient was
infected.
A patient with a suspected inguinal hernia should be examined:
in the prone position.
standing.
, Nurs 341 APEA Exam Prep Questions
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
side-lying.
with patient squatting.
B.
The patient should be examined while he is standing. He should be asked to bear
down, cough, or strain during the exam. Though hernias are far more common in
males, they can be found in females too. In males, the patient should be asked to
stand. The examiner should put his 2nd or 3rd finger through the scrotum and into
the external ring. When the patient is asked to cough, a “silky” feel will butt up
against the examiner’s finger, and the hernia can be easily felt.
A 15-year-old is about 10% below her ideal body weight. Laboratory studies were
performed. Which complaint might be common in this patient (Labs in image)?
Headaches
Dizziness with
standing Muscle
cramps
Hair loss
B.
This patient does not meet the strict criteria for an eating disorder, but it should be
suspected. The other laboratory values are not the cause of her dizziness with
standing. This is likely due to a low hemoglobin. She needs treatment for a probable
iron deficiency anemia and elicitation of history to help identify the cause of her low
hemoglobin.
A 45-year-old patient has the following laboratory values. How should they be
interpreted (Labs in image)?
The patient has hepatitis.
The patient had hepatitis.
The patient should consider immunization.
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
A patient has been diagnosed with hepatitis B. The most commonly reported risk
factor is:
drinking contaminated water.
eating contaminated food.
exposure to blood.
sexual exposure.
D.
Hepatitis B is transmitted by blood and body fluids. While exposure to infected
blood or blood products would significantly increase the risk of infection in
unvaccinated people, this is much less likely than becoming infected via sexual
exposure or IV drug use. Hepatitis A is transmitted via fecal-oral routes. Drinking
contaminated water and eating contaminated food implicate hepatitis A as the
etiologic agent.
The three most common causes of bacterial diarrhea in the US are Salmonella,
Campylobacter, and:
E. coli.
Enterovirus.
Yersinia.
Shigella.
D.
Shigella will be shed continuously in the stool and should be easily identified on
stool culture. When bacterial gastroenteritis is suspected, a stool specimen could be
ordered for confirmation. Generally, these three pathogens are easily identified if
they are present. Enterovirus produces a viral form of diarrhea. Yersinia produces
the deadly disease called bubonic plague. E. coli is a typical colonic pathogen.
An 83-year-old patient is diagnosed with diverticulitis. The most common complaint
is:
rectal bleeding.
bloating and cramping.
left lower quadrant pain.
frequent belching and flatulence.
, Nurs 341 APEA Exam Prep Questions
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
C.
Diverticular disease is more common in older adults. About 70% of patients
diagnosed with diverticulitis have left lower quadrant pain. Rectal bleeding may
have varied etiologies, such as rectal carcinoma or hemorrhoids. Bloating and
cramping are often found in patients with diverticular disease (diverticulosis) but
not specifically diverticulitis. Belching and flatulence are not specifically associated
with diverticulosis.
What is true regarding older adults who are overweight?
This is clearly associated with increased mortality in older adults.
Mortality in older adults related to overweight states declines over time.
BMI is a good way to assess nutritional status in older adults.
There are no potential metabolic or functional benefits to weight loss in older adults.
B.
Overweight and obese states are not as important in predicting mortality in older
adults as they are in their younger counterparts. After age 65 years (some studies
demonstrate after age 70), weight is less significant in decreasing risk for mortality
than in younger adults. There are some benefits to weight loss in the obese older
adults. One of them is better balance and decreased risk for falls. Others include
less sleep apnea, decreased risk of diabetes, and decreased rates of shortness of
breath with respiratory and cardiac diseases.
What medication used to treat patients who have GERD provides the fastest relief of
heartburn symptoms?
Calcium carbonate
Ranitidine
Amantadine
Pantoprazole
A.
Calcium carbonate is an antacid. It provides rapid changes in gastric pH. This
provides relief that can be noticed immediately. The increase in pH lasts for about
30 minutes and corresponds with resolution of symptoms. However, as pH
decreases within 30 minutes, symptoms may return. Ranitidine is an H2 blocker. It
provides relief in 1-2 hours. This usually lasts for about 6-12 hours. Amantadine is
an antiviral not used to treat GERD. Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor. This
, Nurs 341 APEA Exam Prep Questions
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
provides relief after several hours or days of daily consumption.
An 84-year-old presents with a stated involuntary weight loss. He states that he’s
lost about 6 pounds in the last 6 or 8 weeks. What statement below is NOT part of
the assessment?
The weight loss should be measured today and again in the next few weeks.
A laboratory evaluation should be performed.
Evaluate his dietary intake.
Evaluate his upper and lower extremity muscle mass.
D.
Involuntary weight loss in older adults is often due to malignancy or disease. The
initial assessment of an older adult who reports involuntary weight loss is to
document the weight loss. If prior measurements are part of the patient’s chart, this
would be helpful. Laboratory assessment should also be performed. Consideration
should be given to performing a CBC, TSH, and metabolic panel. Also consider chest
and abdominal X-rays. If all are normal, he should be monitored and reweighed on
the same scale for comparison. A dietary consult should be ordered. However, even
with negative initial findings, a significant number of patients are later found to
have disease or malignancy
A patient has a positive hepatitis B surface antibody. This means he:
has acute hepatitis B.
has chronic hepatitis B.
is immune to hepatitis B.
needs immunization to hepatitis B.
C.
The hepatitis B surface antibody indicates immunity to hepatitis B virus. Specifically,
if this patient comes in contact with hepatitis B virus, he will not become infected
with hepatitis B. The presence of hepatitis B surface antibody indicates immunity
from immunization or actual infection. It also indicates recovery if the patient was
infected.
A patient with a suspected inguinal hernia should be examined:
in the prone position.
standing.
, Nurs 341 APEA Exam Prep Questions
with Correct Answers and
Explanations
side-lying.
with patient squatting.
B.
The patient should be examined while he is standing. He should be asked to bear
down, cough, or strain during the exam. Though hernias are far more common in
males, they can be found in females too. In males, the patient should be asked to
stand. The examiner should put his 2nd or 3rd finger through the scrotum and into
the external ring. When the patient is asked to cough, a “silky” feel will butt up
against the examiner’s finger, and the hernia can be easily felt.
A 15-year-old is about 10% below her ideal body weight. Laboratory studies were
performed. Which complaint might be common in this patient (Labs in image)?
Headaches
Dizziness with
standing Muscle
cramps
Hair loss
B.
This patient does not meet the strict criteria for an eating disorder, but it should be
suspected. The other laboratory values are not the cause of her dizziness with
standing. This is likely due to a low hemoglobin. She needs treatment for a probable
iron deficiency anemia and elicitation of history to help identify the cause of her low
hemoglobin.
A 45-year-old patient has the following laboratory values. How should they be
interpreted (Labs in image)?
The patient has hepatitis.
The patient had hepatitis.
The patient should consider immunization.
