Chapter 13: Care of Patients with Disorders of the Upper Respiratory System deWit: Medical-Surgical Nursing: Concepts & Practice, 3rd Edition

MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. What is the contagion period of a cold? a. 2 days b. 3 days c. 4 days d. 7 days ANS: B The contagion period of a viral cold is about 3 days. PTS:1 DIF:Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: 275 OBJ:1 (theory) TOP: Contagion of Colds KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance 2. The nurse is caring for a patient who has had a cold for 1□ week. The patient questions why the health care provider issued a prescription for an antibiotic. Which explanation is best? a. “The antibiotic will cure your cold.” b. “The antibiotic will help to reduce your symptoms.” c. “The antibiotic will treat the secondary bacterial infection that has developed.” d. “The antibiotic will decrease the amount of time for which you are contagious.” ANS: C If a cold persists for more than a week to 10 days without improvement, a bacterial infection is present and requires medical treatment. While the etiology of a cold is viral in nature, antibiotics are necessary to this secondary bacterial infection. No cure exists for a cold. Antibiotics will not reduce symptoms of a cold or decrease the contagion period for a cold. PTS:1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: 275 OBJ:1 (theory) TOP: Antibiotics KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Pharmacological Therapies 3. The nurse is caring for a patient with suspected sinusitis. Which assessment finding supports this diagnosis? a. Maxillary sinuses nontender on percussion. b. Generalized pain in the upper teeth. c. Clear drainage from the ear. d. Ear pain when lying down ANS: B Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucosal lining of the sinuses. Exudate accumulates in the sinuses and pressure builds, which causes pain. Symptoms include painful upper teeth, tenderness over the sinuses, purulent drainage from the nose, nasal obstruction, and sometimes a nonproductive cough. Drainage from the ear and ear pain when supine are findings likely consistent with an ear infection. PTS:1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: 276 OBJ:1 (theory) TOP: Sinusitis KEY: Nursing Process Step: Assessment MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance 4. The nurse is caring for a 20-year-old patient who recently underwent a tonsillectomy. The patient is fully awake andclearing his throat frequently but denies pain. Which action is most important for the nurse to take first? a. Place the patient in a sidelying position. b. Look in the patient’s mouth. c. Offer the patient a grape popsicle. d. Remove the straw from the patient’s tray.