Mr. P, a 65-year-old man, has been referred to a home health agency after an unexplained 10-pound weight loss over the past 6 months. When assessing Mr. P, which of the following data should the nurse gather first?

Physical activity level

Recent blood albumin levels

List of current medications

Family history of chronic illness

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

Choice A reason: Physical activity level influences energy expenditure but is secondary in unexplained weight loss. Low activity may contribute to muscle loss, but it does not directly indicate nutritional status or underlying causes like malnutrition or disease, which are more urgent to assess in a 65-year-old.

Choice B reason: Blood albumin levels (3.5-5.0 g/dL) reflect protein status and nutritional health, critical in unexplained weight loss. Low albumin indicates malnutrition or illness (e.g., cancer, liver disease), which may cause weight loss in older adults, making it the priority assessment to guide diagnosis and intervention.

Choice C reason: Current medications can cause weight loss (e.g., diuretics), but their impact is secondary to nutritional status. Assessing medications provides context but does not directly measure protein deficiency or disease, which albumin levels better indicate in the context of unexplained weight loss.

Choice D reason: Family history of chronic illness informs long-term risk but is not immediate in assessing recent weight loss. It provides background for conditions like cancer but does not directly address current nutritional or metabolic status, making it less urgent than albumin levels.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Brussels sprouts cooked in butter provide minimal protein (about 3 grams per cup) and are primarily a vegetable source of fiber and vitamins. Butter adds fat but no protein, making this inadequate for post-surgery healing, which requires high-quality protein for tissue repair.

Choice B reason: Soybean-based hamburger with cheese offers complete proteins, with soy providing all essential amino acids (about 20 grams per patty) and cheese adding high-quality dairy protein (about 7 grams per ounce). This supports tissue repair and immune function critical for post-surgery recovery.

Choice C reason: Pasta with red sauce is primarily a carbohydrate source, with pasta offering about 5 grams of protein per cup. Red sauce contributes negligible protein. This combination is insufficient for meeting the elevated protein needs required for surgical wound healing and tissue regeneration.

Choice D reason: Baked potato with sour cream and broccoli provides limited protein (potato: ~4 grams, broccoli: ~3 grams per cup, sour cream: ~1 gram per tablespoon). This meal is primarily carbohydrate-based, lacking the high-quality protein needed for optimal post-surgery tissue repair and recovery.

A. Bagel with cream cheese B. Peanut butter and jelly with whole wheat bread C. Fruit salad and carrot sticks D. Baked potato with sour cream

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Choice A reason: A bagel with cream cheese provides about 10 grams of protein (cream cheese: ~2 grams per ounce, bagel: ~8 grams), with cream cheese offering complete proteins. For a vegetarian avoiding beans, this is a practical, milk-based option supporting growth and repair in adolescents.

Choice B reason: Peanut butter and jelly with whole wheat bread offer about 10 grams of protein (peanut butter: ~7 grams per tablespoon, bread: ~3 grams per slice). However, the client dislikes beans, and peanuts (legumes) may be unappealing, and the protein is incomplete, requiring complementary foods.

Choice C reason: Fruit salad and carrot sticks provide minimal protein (<2 grams per serving), primarily offering carbohydrates and vitamins. They are inadequate for meeting an adolescent’s protein needs (0.85-1.0 grams/kg daily) for growth and repair, making this an unsuitable choice for a vegetarian lunch.

Choice D reason: Baked potato with sour cream provides about 5 grams of protein (potato: ~4 grams, sour cream: ~1 gram per tablespoon). While sour cream offers complete proteins, the low protein density makes it less effective than cream cheese for meeting adolescent vegetarian protein needs.

View Question and Answer

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

Mr. P, a 65-year-old man, has been referred to a home health agency after an unexplained 10-pound weight loss over the past 6 months. When assessing Mr. P, which of the following data should the nurse gather first?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nurse is educating a patient on increasing protein intake after surgery. The patient is vegetarian but eats animal products, just not the animal itself. Which of the following foods would provide the best source of protein for healing after surgery?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

A nurse is assisting an adolescent client in the selection of complementary protein sources on the lunch menu. The client is a vegetarian who eats milk products but does not like beans. Which of the following food items should the nurse recommend?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

Proteins from most plant sources such as grains, nuts, and legumes (beans, not soybeans) are called:

A patient who likes Mexican food asks the nurse how they can eat healthier proteins. Keeping the patient’s food preference in mind, which food would the nurse most likely suggest?

A nurse is reinforcing teaching to a group of older adults about sources of complete and incomplete protein. Which of the following foods should the nurse include as a complete protein?

A patient tells the nurse they cannot afford to buy meat every day. Which of the following meals should the nurse suggest as a good source of protein that is also budget-friendly?

Which of the following is a preventative lifestyle change to help protect against heart disease?

A nurse is working in an outpatient clinic. A patient states that they have heard the best way to lose weight is with a high protein diet. The nurse’s response to this is which of the following statements?

Which of the following is considered one of the best sources of protein to include as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle?

Which of the following foods may be included in the MyPlate protein food group? (Select all that apply)