A nurse is collecting data from a client who is experiencing delirium. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
Echopraxia
Aphasia
Acute onset of confusion
Inability to read
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Echopraxia, mimicking movements, is linked to psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, not delirium. Delirium features disordered cognition from physiological causes (e.g., infection), not motor imitation. Scientifically, this lacks relevance to delirium’s acute, fluctuating mental state driven by underlying medical issues.
Choice B reason: Aphasia, a language deficit, stems from brain damage (e.g., stroke), not delirium’s reversible cognitive disruption. Delirium affects attention and awareness, not specific linguistic skills. Scientifically, this is distinct from delirium’s diffuse, temporary confusion tied to systemic or metabolic disturbances.
Choice C reason: Acute onset of confusion defines delirium, a sudden cognitive decline from causes like infection or drugs. It’s reversible with treatment, featuring inattention and disorientation, aligning with scientific criteria as a hallmark symptom distinguishing it from chronic conditions like dementia.
Choice D reason: Inability to read relates to literacy or focal brain injury, not delirium. Delirium impairs global cognition—attention and memory—not specific skills like reading unless confusion interferes indirectly. Scientifically, this isn’t a core feature, as delirium’s impact is broader and transient.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Dry mucous membranes signal dehydration, not hyperkalemia directly. High potassium affects cardiac and nerve function, not mucosal hydration status in renal failure.
Choice B reason: Hyperactive reflexes occur in hypocalcemia, not hyperkalemia. Excess potassium depresses nerve and muscle activity, often reducing reflexes instead of enhancing them.
Choice C reason: Trousseau’s sign indicates hypocalcemia, with carpal spasm from cuff pressure. Hyperkalemia in renal failure doesn’t trigger this; it’s a calcium issue.
Choice D reason: Irregular heart rate, like bradycardia or arrhythmias, stems from hyperkalemia’s effect on cardiac conduction. In renal failure, potassium excess disrupts rhythms critically.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Recurring UTIs are physical health issues, not external stressors. They’re internal consequences, not environmental triggers, though stress may exacerbate them indirectly.
Choice B reason: A recent move is an external stressor, disrupting routine and social ties. It’s an environmental change, directly causing stress per psychological models.
Choice C reason: Feeling depressed is an internal emotional response, not an external stressor. It’s a symptom, not the originating environmental or situational cause.
Choice D reason: Nutritional knowledge lack is internal, a cognitive deficit. It’s not an external event or pressure, unlike a move’s tangible stress impact.
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