The nurse is planning care for several patients in the hospital environment. Which is the greatest risk factor for a patient developing Clostridioides difficile?
Recent use of antibiotics
Prolonged rehabilitation unit stay
Current intensive care unit stay
Recent surgical procedure
The Correct Answer is A
A. Recent use of antibiotics is the greatest risk factor for developing C. difficile infection. Antibiotics disrupt the normal gut flora, allowing C. difficile to overgrow and produce toxins that cause severe diarrhea and colitis.
B. Prolonged rehabilitation stays can increase exposure to hospital-acquired infections but are not as strongly associated with C. difficile as antibiotic use.
C. Staying in the ICU can increase the risk for various infections, but it’s the antibiotic use commonly associated with ICU care that elevates C. difficile risk—not the ICU stay itself.
D. Recent surgery may raise infection risk in general, but it is not as specifically linked to C. difficile as antibiotic therapy is.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Bulimia does have long-term health effects, including electrolyte imbalances, gastrointestinal issues, and dental erosion. Saying it has no long-term effects is incorrect.
B. Eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa, can lead to amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods) due to hormonal imbalances, which is a well-established effect.
C. Eating disorders can affect the kidneys. Severe cases can lead to kidney damage due to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, or the effects of purging behaviors.
D. Anorexia typically causes hypotension (low blood pressure), not hypertension. It can also lead to bradycardia, electrolyte imbalances, and organ damage.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Parkinsonism includes motor symptoms like tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia, not sudden confusion. The presentation does not clearly indicate parkinsonism.
B. Alzheimer’s disease is progressive and develops gradually over months to years. A sudden onset of confusion suggests another cause, such as delirium, stroke, or medication-related effects, and should prompt further investigation.
C. Alzheimer’s disease does occur in African American clients, often at higher rates and with earlier onset compared to other populations. This is not a reason to question the diagnosis.
D. Liver function tests may be part of a general workup, but their absence does not specifically disqualify an AD diagnosis
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