A nurse is performing an assessment on the fingers and toes of a patient.
What finding is consistent with clubbing?
Decreased angle between the cuticles and the nails.
Upward curving of the nails.
Blue nails.
Angle of nails > 160 degrees.
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A rationale
A decreased angle between the cuticles and the nails is not indicative of clubbing. In fact, it is often associated with healthy nails. Clubbing is recognized by changes that increase the angle between the nail bed and the cuticle.
Choice B rationale
An upward curving of the nails, known as koilonychia or spoon nails, is not characteristic of clubbing but is often associated with iron-deficiency anemia. Hence, this answer is incorrect for clubbing.
Choice C rationale
Blue nails indicate cyanosis, which is related to a lack of oxygen in the blood. This is distinct from clubbing, which is more about the shape and angle of the nails rather than their color.
Choice D rationale
Clubbing is recognized by an increase in the angle between the nail bed and the cuticle, often greater than 160 degrees. This is a hallmark feature and the correct indicator of clubbing.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues. While it affects the skin, it is unrelated to emphysema and bronchitis, making it an unlikely finding in this client.
Choice B rationale
Pedal erythema, or redness of the feet, can result from various causes, including infections, allergies, and circulatory issues. However, it is not commonly associated with emphysema and bronchitis, making it an unlikely finding in this client.
Choice C rationale
Anasarca is generalized body swelling due to fluid retention, often seen in severe heart failure, liver disease, and kidney failure. While this condition involves significant swelling, it is not typically linked to emphysema and bronchitis.
Choice D rationale
Clubbing of the nails is a common finding in chronic respiratory conditions like emphysema and bronchitis. It involves bulbous enlargement of the fingertips and nail curvature, resulting from prolonged low oxygen levels, making it a likely finding in this client.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
The electrical representations of the cardiac cycle that are documented by deflections on recording paper are known as an electrocardiogram (ECG). ECGs provide a visual record of the heart's electrical activity, captured through electrodes placed on the body. These deflections correspond to the depolarization and repolarization phases of the heart's muscle cells, translating into P, QRS, and T waves on the ECG strip. The primary function is to diagnose arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and other heart conditions by identifying abnormal patterns in these waves.
Choice B rationale
This choice describes cardiac output, the amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle over one minute, which is unrelated to the visual documentation of electrical activity provided by an ECG.
Choice C rationale
This choice refers to the stroke volume, the amount of blood ejected with each heartbeat, not the electrical representation of cardiac activity shown on an ECG.
Choice D rationale
This choice is partially correct but does not fully describe an ECG, which includes a detailed recording on paper rather than just visual electrical impulses on a screen.
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