A child with bacterial conjunctivitis is brought back to the clinic after taking antibiotics for 48 hours as prescribed. The mother explains that she applied warm compresses to the eyes for several hours each day. Which pathophysiological process may have contributed to the apparent persistence of the infection?
Instilling medication immediately after cleaning the child’s eyes.
Washing hands with antibacterial soap before and after eye care.
Applying warm compresses to the eyes for several hours.
Removing secretions from inner canthus by wiping downward and outward.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Instilling medication after cleaning the eyes is correct, as it ensures a clear surface for antibiotic absorption. This does not contribute to infection persistence but supports treatment efficacy. The issue lies with warm compresses, which may exacerbate bacterial growth, making this choice incorrect.
Choice B reason: Washing hands with antibacterial soap before and after eye care prevents contamination and supports infection control. This practice reduces infection spread, not persistence. Prolonged warm compresses, which promote bacterial proliferation, are the issue, making hand hygiene an incorrect contributor to the infection’s persistence.
Choice C reason: Applying warm compresses for several hours creates a moist, warm environment that may promote bacterial growth, potentially worsening conjunctivitis despite antibiotics. Brief compresses can soothe, but prolonged use counteracts treatment, aligning with microbiological evidence that warmth fosters bacterial persistence in ocular infections.
Choice D reason: Wiping secretions downward and outward from the inner canthus prevents contamination of the unaffected eye, supporting infection control. This does not contribute to infection persistence. Prolonged warm compresses are the likely cause, as they create conditions favoring bacterial growth, making this choice incorrect.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["A","C","D"]
Explanation
Choice A reason: Hypertension increases cardiac workload, causing left ventricular hypertrophy and eventual heart failure. Chronic high blood pressure impairs the heart’s pumping ability, a leading cause of HF in older adults. This history is strongly associated with HF development, per cardiovascular pathophysiology evidence.
Choice B reason: Renal lithiasis (kidney stones) causes pain or obstruction but is not directly linked to heart failure. While renal issues may complicate HF management, lithiasis itself does not strain the heart or cause HF, making it irrelevant to the client’s HF development history.
Choice C reason: Atrial fibrillation reduces cardiac efficiency by impairing atrial contraction, decreasing cardiac output, and increasing HF risk. In older adults, it can cause tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy, exacerbating HF. This arrhythmia is a significant contributor to HF, supported by cardiology evidence.
Choice D reason: Emphysema, a COPD form, causes pulmonary hypertension and right heart strain, leading to right-sided HF (cor pulmonale). Chronic hypoxia from emphysema exacerbates cardiac stress, contributing to HF in comorbid patients, making it a relevant historical factor for HF development.
Choice E reason: Gouty arthritis involves uric acid crystal deposition, causing joint inflammation but not cardiac strain. While linked to metabolic syndrome, it does not directly cause HF. Other factors like hypertension are more directly associated, making gout irrelevant to HF development in this client.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Decreased red blood cell count indicates anemia, which may cause fatigue or exacerbate ischemia but is not a direct marker of atherosclerosis. Angina results from arterial plaque buildup, driven by elevated LDL cholesterol. Low RBCs do not contribute to plaque formation, making this inconsistent with the diagnosis.
Choice B reason: Elevated LDL cholesterol is a primary risk factor for atherosclerosis, as it deposits in arterial walls, forming plaques that narrow coronary arteries, causing angina. In overweight smokers with stress, high LDL is a key driver of cardiovascular disease, directly supporting the pathophysiology of angina, per evidence-based lipid guidelines.
Choice C reason: Decreased triglycerides are not associated with atherosclerosis, which is driven by high LDL and low HDL. Triglycerides contribute to cardiovascular risk when elevated, but low levels do not cause angina. Elevated LDL is the critical lipid abnormality in this client’s angina due to coronary artery narrowing.
Choice D reason: Increased HDL cholesterol is protective against atherosclerosis, as it removes cholesterol from arteries, reducing plaque formation. Angina is associated with low HDL and high LDL. High HDL would mitigate, not cause, the client’s condition, making this inconsistent with the diagnosis of atherosclerosis-induced angina.
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