A 75-year-old female patient presented to the office for an annual wellness visit. During the nurse's assessment, the patient explains she has been experiencing bilateral knee pain for the past eleven months. Based on the duration of the patient's symptoms, how would the nurse categorize the patient's pain?

Acute Pain

Intermittent Pain

Chronic Pain

Idiopathic Pain

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is C

Choice A reason:
Acute pain is typically sudden in onset and is usually the result of a specific injury or illness. It is characterized by its sharp quality and tends to last for a short duration, generally not longer than six months. Since the patient's knee pain has persisted for eleven months, it does not fall under the category of acute pain.
Choice B reason:
Intermittent pain is pain that comes and goes at intervals. Although the patient's pain could be intermittent, the classification based on duration would not be described as intermittent. This term refers more to the pattern of the pain rather than its chronicity or cause.
Choice C reason:
Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for longer than six months, often continuing even after the injury or illness that caused it has healed. The patient's bilateral knee pain has been present for eleven months, which exceeds the six-month threshold, thus categorizing it as chronic pain.
Choice D reason:
Idiopathic pain refers to pain that arises without a clear cause. It is not categorized based on the duration of the pain but rather on the absence of an identifiable underlying reason. Since the patient's pain has a specific duration, it is not appropriate to classify it as idiopathic without further information regarding its cause.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason:
A formal hearing test, or audiometry, is the most comprehensive method for assessing hearing loss, which can be a side effect of ototoxic medications. These tests can detect both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, providing a detailed profile of hearing function across different frequencies. For clients receiving ototoxic antibiotics, regular monitoring through formal hearing tests is recommended to detect any early signs of hearing impairment and to implement timely interventions.
Choice B reason:
The rubbing fingers test is a rudimentary hearing screening method where the examiner rubs their fingers together near the patient's ear, asking them to indicate when they hear the sound. While this test can be used as a quick check for hearing loss, it is not as sensitive or specific as formal audiometry and may not detect early or mild hearing loss caused by ototoxic drugs.
Choice C reason:
Tuning fork tests, such as the Weber and Rinne tests, are used to differentiate between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. These tests can be useful in a clinical setting to provide immediate information about the type of hearing loss; however, they are not as comprehensive as formal hearing tests and may not be sufficient for monitoring ototoxicity.
Choice D reason:
The whisper hearing test involves the examiner whispering words or numbers and asking the patient to repeat them. This test can be useful for detecting significant hearing loss but may not be sensitive enough to detect the early stages of ototoxicity. Moreover, the test's accuracy can be affected by the examiner's voice level and the testing environment.

A. Penlight B. Gloves C. Gauze pad D. Tongue blade

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice a reason:
A penlight is used to provide illumination during an examination, not to move the tongue. It helps the nurse to visualize the mouth floor and other areas by casting light, but it does not have the physical structure to manipulate the tongue.

Choice b reason:
Gloves are worn by healthcare professionals to maintain hygiene and protect both the patient and the nurse from the transmission of infectious agents. They are not used to move the tongue to one side during an examination.

Choice c reason:
A gauze pad is the correct tool to use when the nurse needs to move the tongue to one side during an examination of the mouth floor. The nurse can wrap the gauze pad around the tongue for a better grip, which allows for safe and effective retraction of the tongue without causing discomfort to the patient.

Choice d reason:
A tongue blade, also known as a tongue depressor, is typically used to depress the tongue to examine the back of the throat, not to move the tongue to one side. It is used to hold the tongue down so that the nurse can inspect the oropharynx and other structures.

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Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A client has been receiving intravenous antibiotics (ototoxic) for several weeks. Which prevention strategy would be best for the nurse to recommend for this client?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

The nurse is preparing to examine a client's mouth floor. To move the tongue to one side for this examination, which tool should the nurse use?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

During the physical examination of the mouth, the nurse identifies vesicular eruptions along the client's lips and surrounding skin. Which problem should the nurse document?

A nurse is assessing a client who has hypothyroidism. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

A nurse is assessing a client who has asthma. Which of the following areas should the nurse evaluate as the most reliable indicator of central cyanosis?

A 45-year-old African-American client comes to the clinic complaining of fatigue, thirst, and frequent urination. During the physical exam, the nurse notices areas of linear hyperpigmentation around the neck and in the axillae (Acanthosis Nigricans). What would the nurse do next?

The nurse working in an outpatient GI clinic is conducting a physical examination of the abdomen. What is the nurse's best action to ensure she can hear bowel sounds?

What cranial nerve is responsible for the taste sensation of the posterior third of the tongue?

During an assessment of the ear structures, the nurse would expect to identify which structure as part of the middle ear?

While conducting the health assessment, the nurse instructs the client about secondary prevention activities. What information did the nurse most likely provide to this client?