Free Licensed Practical Nurse Question and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 5-year-old girl with a fever, chills, and trouble walking is taken to the emergency room by her grandmother. The nurse makes an effort to undress the infant but finds it difficult. The nurse also discovered bruising near the vaginal region after conducting a thorough examination. Which of the following should the nurse start with?
- Inform the law enforcement for a possible child abuse (Correct answer)
- Record all the findings
- Collect the clothing and underwear of the child
- Provide privacy and disregard the behavior of the child
Correct answer: Inform the law enforcement for a possible child abuse
The nurse's immediate priority is the child's safety. Bruising near the vaginal region, difficulty undressing, and the child's age are strong indicators of potential child abuse, specifically sexual abuse. Nurses are mandated reporters and have a legal and ethical obligation to report suspected abuse to law enforcement or child protective services to ensure the child's protection.
Question 2: A patient using hydrochlorothiazide is told to eat more potassium in her diet. The best treat for a patient who needs more potassium is:
- Apple
- Avocado (Correct answer)
- Pear
- Orange
Correct answer: Avocado
Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic that can cause potassium loss, leading to hypokalemia. Patients on this medication need to increase their dietary potassium intake. Avocados are an excellent source of potassium, containing significantly more per serving than apples, pears, or oranges, making them the best choice among the options to replenish potassium levels.
Question 3: After the thyroid was removed, the patient is being treated by the nurse. Following surgery, the nurse should:
- Encourage the client to turn her head side to side, to promote drainage of oral secretions
- Maintain the client in a supine position with sandbags placed on either side of the head and neck
- Encourage the client to cough and breathe deeply every 2 hours, with the neck in a flexed position
- Maintain the client in a semi-Fowler’s position with the head and neck supported by pillows (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Maintain the client in a semi-Fowler’s position with the head and neck supported by pillows
After a thyroidectomy, maintaining a semi-Fowler's position with head and neck support is crucial. This position helps reduce swelling and tension on the incision site, promotes venous drainage, and facilitates respiratory effort. Supporting the head and neck with pillows prevents hyperextension or flexion, which could strain the surgical site and compromise airway patency.
Question 4: A patient with persistent dyspepsia who was admitted to the hospital is found to have gastric cancer. Which of the following is linked to a higher incidence of stomach cancer?
- Carbonated beverages
- Refined sugars
- Luncheon meats (Correct answer)
- Dairy products
Correct answer: Luncheon meats
Processed meats, such as luncheon meats, are linked to a higher incidence of stomach cancer. These foods often contain nitrates and nitrites, which can form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds in the stomach. A diet rich in these processed foods is considered a significant risk factor for gastric cancer.
Question 5: After being accused of setting a fire, a patient is sent to the psychiatric ward for a forensic assessment. The antisocial personality disorder is his preliminary diagnosis. The nurse would anticipate discovering after looking through the client's file
- A history of cruelty to animals (Correct answer)
- An expression of remorse for his actions
- A history of consistent employment
- A below-average intelligence
Correct answer: A history of cruelty to animals
Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive disregard for and violation of the rights of others, often with a history of conduct disorder in childhood. A history of cruelty to animals is a common and significant diagnostic criterion for conduct disorder, reflecting a lack of empathy and a precursor to adult antisocial behaviors.
Question 6: A patient's primary care cannot be assumed by a registered vocational nurse:
- With bipolar disorder
- In the fourth stage of labor
- Two days post-appendectomy
- With a venous access device (Correct answer)
Correct answer: With a venous access device
The scope of practice for a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) generally does not include the initiation or management of complex intravenous therapies, especially those involving central venous access devices (CVADs). Managing a patient with a venous access device often requires advanced assessment, medication administration, and complication management skills that typically fall within the Registered Nurse (RN) scope of practice.
Question 7: The doctor has prescribed Sulfamylon cream dressings for a patient who has full-thickness burns on his or her hands and arms. The following should come first for the nurse when changing dressings:
- Checking the adequacy of urinary output
- Requesting a daily complete blood count
- Obtaining a blood glucose by finger stick
- Administering pain medication (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Administering pain medication
Changing dressings for full-thickness burns is an extremely painful procedure. The nurse's priority before starting the dressing change should be to administer adequate pain medication. This ensures patient comfort, reduces anxiety, and allows for better cooperation during the procedure, which is essential for effective wound care.
Question 8: A normal blood sugar range is 80 to 180. False or true?
- TRUE
- FALSE (Correct answer)
Correct answer: FALSE
A normal fasting blood sugar range is typically considered to be 70 to 99 mg/dL. A range of 80 to 180 mg/dL is too broad and includes levels that would be considered prediabetic or diabetic, especially the upper end. Therefore, the statement that 80 to 180 is a normal range is false.
Question 9: What exactly are gonads?
- Sexual hormones
- Testis and Ovaries (Correct answer)
- Adrenal glands
- Thyroid Glands
Correct answer: Testis and Ovaries
Gonads are the primary reproductive organs responsible for producing gametes (sperm or eggs) and sex hormones. In males, the gonads are the testes, and in females, they are the ovaries. These organs are essential for sexual reproduction and the development of secondary sexual characteristics.
Question 10: During uterine contractions, moms create the hormone _________, which causes nursing mothers to expel milk.
- Angiotensin
- Minotocin
- Oxytocin (Correct answer)
- None of the above
Correct answer: Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary gland. During breastfeeding, suckling stimulates oxytocin release, which causes the myoepithelial cells in the mammary glands to contract, leading to the 'milk ejection reflex' or 'let-down.' It also plays a crucial role in uterine contractions during labor.
Question 11: Vasopressin _____________ urine production.
- Decreases (Correct answer)
- Intensify
- Increases
- Stops
Correct answer: Decreases
Vasopressin, also known as antidiuretic hormone (ADH), is a hormone that regulates the body's water balance. It acts on the kidneys to increase water reabsorption from the renal tubules back into the bloodstream. This action decreases the amount of water excreted in the urine, thereby decreasing urine production and concentrating the urine.
Question 12: Due to the maturity of ________________, WBCs in children aid in the battle against infection.
- Oxytocin
- Thymosin (Correct answer)
- Nemoacid
- None of the above
Correct answer: Thymosin
Thymosin is a hormone produced by the thymus gland, which is crucial for the development and maturation of T-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) during childhood. These T-cells are vital components of the adaptive immune system, helping the body fight off infections and providing immunity.
Question 13: Which glands control hormone levels by negative feedback?
- Pituitary
- Hypothalumus
- Both A and C (Correct answer)
- Adrenal gland
- Exocrine gland
Correct answer: Both A and C
The hypothalamus and pituitary gland work together as the main control centers for the endocrine system, regulating hormone levels through negative feedback loops. The hypothalamus controls the pituitary, which in turn regulates other endocrine glands, ensuring hormone levels are maintained within a narrow physiological range for proper body function.
Question 14: The inappropriate rise in growth hormones is the cause of ____________ and __________.
- Gigantism (Correct answer)
- Dwarfism (Correct answer)
- Blindness
- All of the above
Correct answer: Gigantism
An inappropriate rise in growth hormone (GH) during childhood, before the epiphyseal plates have fused, leads to gigantism. This condition is characterized by excessive growth in height and overall body size. Dwarfism, conversely, is caused by a deficiency in growth hormone.
Question 15: For the thyroid hormone to work effectively, ____________ is required.
- Calcium
- Iodine (Correct answer)
- Vitamin
- None of the above
Correct answer: Iodine
Iodine is an essential trace element crucial for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, specifically thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). The thyroid gland actively takes up iodine from the bloodstream to produce these hormones, which are vital for regulating metabolism, growth, and development. Without sufficient iodine, the thyroid cannot function effectively.
Question 16: Your body's ______________ levels are controlled by the parathyroid.
- Vitamin
- Iodine
- Calcium (Correct answer)
- Blood sugar
Correct answer: Calcium
The parathyroid glands primarily regulate calcium and phosphate levels in the blood. They secrete parathyroid hormone (PTH), which increases blood calcium by stimulating its release from bones, increasing absorption in the intestines, and promoting reabsorption in the kidneys, thereby maintaining calcium homeostasis.
Free Licensed Practical Nurse Question and Answers
A 5-year-old girl with a fever, chills, and trouble walking is taken to the emergency room by her grandmother.
The nurse makes an effort to undress the infant but finds it difficult.
The nurse also discovered bruising near the vaginal region after conducting a thorough examination.
Which of the following should the nurse start with?