The nurse identifies that which patient with a burn injury most likely require endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy tube? The patient with:
chemical burns to the posterior neck, chest, and back
radiation burns to shoulder and bridge of nose
electrical burns to the hands causing dysrhythmias
thermal burns to the head, neck, face, and airway.
The Correct Answer is D
A) Chemical burns to the posterior neck, chest, and back:
Chemical burns primarily affect the skin and underlying tissues where the chemicals have come into contact. Although chemical burns can cause significant damage, particularly to the respiratory system if inhaled, chemical burns to the posterior neck, chest, and back would not typically require endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy unless there is evidence of inhalation injury or airway compromise.
B) Radiation burns to shoulder and bridge of nose:
Radiation burns, such as those from sunburn or therapeutic radiation, generally do not cause immediate airway compromise or respiratory distress unless the radiation exposure has affected the lungs or upper respiratory tract.
C) Electrical burns to the hands causing dysrhythmias:
Electrical burns can cause significant tissue damage, especially if there is a deep tissue injury and potential for electrical burns to the internal organs. They can lead to dysrhythmias, but these burns are more related to cardiac complications rather than direct airway injury. Endotracheal intubation may be required if there are signs of airway compromise or respiratory failure, but the primary concern with electrical burns would be cardiac monitoring and fluid resuscitation.
D) Thermal burns to the head, neck, face, and airway:
The upper airway (including the mouth, throat, and vocal cords) is particularly vulnerable to thermal injury from inhaling hot gases, smoke, or steam. This can lead to edema and airway obstruction, which can rapidly progress to respiratory failure. Endotracheal intubation or even a tracheostomy may be required to secure the airway and prevent suffocation. Inhalation injury is a significant concern in thermal burns involving the head, neck, and face.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A) Mask-like face and shuffling gait:
While the mask-like face and shuffling gait are common clinical features of Parkinson's Disease (PD), they do not directly explain the fever or the patchy infiltrates seen on the chest x-ray. The mask-like face is due to reduced facial muscle activity and is associated with the motor symptoms of PD, while the shuffling gait results from bradykinesia (slowness of movement).
B) Lack of arm swing and bradykinesia:
Lack of arm swing and bradykinesia are motor symptoms of PD that are indicative of decreased movement and muscle rigidity. While they impact a patient’s mobility and dexterity, they are not directly associated with lung infiltrates or fever.
C) Pill rolling of fingers and flat affect:
Pill rolling (a characteristic tremor where patients move their fingers as if rolling a pill) and flat affect (a reduced emotional expression) are hallmark features of Parkinson's Disease, but again, they do not explain the fever or lung infiltrates.
D) Difficulty swallowing and immobility:
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is a common and serious symptom in patients with Parkinson's Disease. Due to the loss of control over the muscles involved in swallowing, patients with PD are at high risk for aspiration (food, liquids, or saliva entering the lungs), which can lead to aspiration pneumonia. This condition often presents with fever, chest infiltrates, and respiratory distress, which directly correlates with the patient's fever and lung infiltrates seen on the chest x-ray.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A) Painful areas on the affected side following 3 branches of the nerve:
This is not typically a feature of Bell's Palsy. Bell's Palsy is primarily a motor dysfunction of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), leading to facial weakness. The pain associated with Bell's Palsy, if present, is usually mild and localized to the jaw, behind the ear, or along the jawline rather than along all three branches of the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V), which controls sensation in the face. Therefore, this choice is not consistent with the typical presentation of Bell's Palsy.
B) Decreased visual acuity when tested with Snellen Chart:
Decreased visual acuity is not a primary feature of Bell's Palsy. This condition specifically affects facial nerve function, which controls the muscles of facial expression, including those responsible for closing the eyes tightly. However, Bell's Palsy does not typically result in visual changes such as decreased visual acuity or problems with vision itself. Decreased vision would be more indicative of an issue with the optic nerve (cranial nerve II) or other eye-related conditions.
C) Unilateral upper and lower facial weakness including forehead:
This is the hallmark sign of Bell's Palsy. The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) controls the muscles of the face, and when it becomes affected by Bell's Palsy, both the upper and lower parts of the face on one side can be weak or paralyzed. Importantly, Bell's Palsy causes inability to wrinkle the forehead, which distinguishes it from stroke, where the forehead is typically spared because the upper part of the facial muscles receives bilateral input from the brain. Thus, both upper and lower facial weakness, including inability to raise the eyebrow (forehead), is characteristic of Bell's Palsy.
D) Facial dropping, with arm and leg weakness on the affected side:
Facial drooping is a common symptom of Bell's Palsy, but arm and leg weakness is not associated with it. Arm and leg weakness on the same side would be more suggestive of a stroke affecting the cerebrovascular system, rather than a peripheral nerve issue like Bell's Palsy. Bell's Palsy is confined to facial nerve dysfunction and does not cause weakness in the limbs.
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