Quiz
1. The client is exposed to hepatitis A. When teaching this client about infection control, the nurse
explains that the client is most infectious to others at which of these times?
a. 7 days after exposure
b. 10 days before the onset of symptoms
c. 2 months after exposure
d. 14 days after symptoms begin
The incubation period for hepatitis A is 4 to 6 weeks in length with viral shedding highest 10 to
14 days before the onset of symptoms and during the first week of symptoms. The other options
do not fall within this time frame.
2. The client with cirrhosis of the liver asks the nurse why she has edema. The nurse would use
which of the following statements to explain how edema results from pathophysiologic
changes in cirrhosis?
a. “The edema occurs because your liver produces fewer proteins that help draw
fluid into the bloodstream.”
b. “The high osmotic pressure of proteins in your blood pushes fluid into body tissues.”
c. “Because of the liver disease, the kidneys are able to filter less fluid, so the body
cannot excrete it as urine very easily.”
d. “Your body is metabolizing sex hormones more quickly, leading to fluid retention.”
The liver is responsible for the production of albumin, which in turn is responsible for mainitaining
colloidal osmotic pressure. With less production of albumin, osmotic pressure decreases and edema
develops. The others are false statements.