LPN - Certified Practical Nurse Basic Care and Comfort Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client with dysphagia is placed on a modified diet. Which action by the LPN is most important to ensure the client's safety and nutritional intake?
- Encouraging the client to use a straw for all liquids.
- Ensuring the client is in an upright position during and after meals. (Correct answer)
- Offering large bites of food to speed up mealtime.
- Mixing solid foods and liquids together to make swallowing easier.
Correct answer: Ensuring the client is in an upright position during and after meals.
Positioning the client upright (High Fowler's position) during and for a period after meals uses gravity to aid in swallowing and helps prevent aspiration, which is a major risk for clients with dysphagia. Using straws can increase the risk of aspiration. Large bites are a choking hazard, and mixing solids with liquids can be inappropriate depending on the specific diet consistency ordered.
Question 2: An elderly client recovering from hip surgery is hesitant to ambulate, stating, 'It hurts too much to move.' Which of the following is the most appropriate initial action for the LPN to take?
- Telling the client they must walk to prevent complications.
- Documenting the client's refusal to ambulate.
- Administering a prescribed analgesic 30 minutes before planned ambulation. (Correct answer)
- Reassuring the client that the pain will eventually go away.
Correct answer: Administering a prescribed analgesic 30 minutes before planned ambulation.
The most appropriate action is to address the client's stated reason for not wanting to ambulate: pain. By administering a prescribed analgesic and allowing time for it to take effect, the LPN directly manages the pain, which will make ambulation more tolerable and successful for the client. This addresses the client's immediate need and promotes cooperation with the plan of care.
Question 3: Which of the following is a non-pharmacological comfort measure that an LPN can implement to assist a client with anxiety and mild pain?
- Administering a prescribed anxiolytic medication.
- Increasing the dosage of the client's pain medication.
- Applying a cold pack to the affected area. (Correct answer)
- Requesting an order for a sedative from the physician.
Correct answer: Applying a cold pack to the affected area.
Applying a cold pack (cryotherapy) is a non-pharmacological intervention used to reduce inflammation and numb a painful area. Administering medication is a pharmacological intervention. Increasing a medication dosage or requesting a new prescription is outside the LPN's scope of practice without a provider's order.
Question 4: The LPN is providing perineal care to a female client with an indwelling urinary catheter. What is the most important technique to use to prevent infection?
- Using strong, circular motions around the meatus.
- Cleaning from the rectum towards the urinary meatus.
- Washing the catheter tubing towards the body.
- Cleansing the perineal area from front to back (urinary meatus to rectum). (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Cleansing the perineal area from front to back (urinary meatus to rectum).
To prevent introducing bacteria from the rectal area into the urinary tract, it is crucial to clean from the area of least contamination (urinary meatus) to the area of most contamination (rectum). This front-to-back technique is a fundamental principle of infection control during perineal care.
Question 5: A client in a long-term care facility is having difficulty falling asleep at night. Which intervention should the LPN implement to promote rest and sleep?
- Encouraging a short nap in the late afternoon.
- Providing a large meal right before bedtime.
- Ensuring the client's room is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. (Correct answer)
- Suggesting the client watch television in bed until they feel tired.
Correct answer: Ensuring the client's room is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.
Creating a restful environment is key to promoting sleep. This includes minimizing environmental stimuli like light and noise and ensuring the room temperature is comfortable for the client. Late afternoon naps, heavy meals before bed, and screen time can all interfere with the ability to fall asleep.
Question 6: An LPN is caring for a client with a new colostomy. The client is refusing to look at the stoma or participate in its care. The LPN's most therapeutic response is:
- "You will have to learn to take care of this eventually."
- "It's important to look at it to make sure it's healthy."
- "I understand this is a difficult change. I am here to help you when you are ready." (Correct answer)
- "I will just change the bag for you so you don't have to deal with it."
Correct answer: "I understand this is a difficult change. I am here to help you when you are ready."
This response acknowledges the client's feelings and offers support without being demanding or dismissive. It validates their emotional response to a significant body image change and opens the door for future teaching and participation when the client is emotionally prepared.
LPN - Certified Practical Nurse Basic Care and Comfort Questions and Answers 1
A client with dysphagia is placed on a modified diet.
Which action by the LPN is most important to ensure the client's safety and nutritional intake?