The nurse is performing an assessment of a client admitted to the emergency department with respiratory distress. The nurse should carefully inspect which part of the body to identify central cyanosis?
Oral mucosa
Palms
Sclera
Nail beds
The Correct Answer is A
A. Oral mucosa is correct. Central cyanosis occurs when oxygen saturation is significantly reduced and is best assessed in areas with rich vascular supply, such as the oral mucosa, lips, and tongue.
B. Palms are incorrect because peripheral cyanosis (often due to cold exposure or poor circulation) can cause blue-tinged extremities, but this does not indicate central cyanosis.
C. Sclera is incorrect because cyanosis does not affect the sclera; however, jaundice does.
D. Nail beds are incorrect because, like the palms, they are more indicative of peripheral cyanosis, which can result from localized poor perfusion rather than central oxygenation problems.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. A papule is a small, raised lesion that is solid and does not contain fluid, which is not characteristic of shingles.
B. A crust forms as a lesion heals but is not the primary lesion seen in shingles.
C. A bulla is a large, fluid-filled lesion seen in conditions like burns or insect bites, but shingles lesions are typically smaller.
D. A vesicle is correct. Shingles (herpes zoster) presents with clusters of vesicles on an erythematous base, typically in a unilateral, dermatomal pattern. These vesicles are filled with clear fluid and become pustular before crusting over.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Clubbing of the fingers is a chronic finding associated with long-term hypoxia from respiratory diseases such as chronic lung disease or cystic fibrosis, not acute heart failure.
B. Bilateral crepitus suggests air trapping or alveolar collapse, which is more indicative of pneumonia or emphysema, rather than a primary cardiac cause.
C. Bilateral peripheral edema is correct. Dyspnea that worsens when lying flat (orthopnea) and the need for multiple pillows to sleep comfortably are signs of heart failure. Peripheral edema indicates fluid overload due to poor cardiac function.
D. Increased anteroposterior diameter is associated with chronic respiratory conditions like COPD, where lung hyperinflation leads to a "barrel chest" appearance. This is not a typical finding in heart failure.
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