Which patient statement supports a history of intermittent claudication?
I get short of breath when I climb a lot of stairs.
My fingers hurt when I go outside in cold weather.
My legs cramp when I walk more than a block.
When I stand too long, my feet start to swell.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Shortness of breath on stairs suggests cardiopulmonary issues, not intermittent claudication. Claudication is leg pain from arterial insufficiency during activity, not dyspnea, which reflects lung or heart strain.
Choice B reason: Finger pain in cold weather points to Raynaud’s or vasospasm, not claudication. Intermittent claudication affects lower limbs from arterial occlusion, not upper extremities or temperature-related vasomotor changes.
Choice C reason: Leg cramping after walking a block is classic intermittent claudication, from reduced blood flow in peripheral artery disease. Pain with activity, relieved by rest, matches its ischemic pathophysiology perfectly.
Choice D reason: Foot swelling from standing suggests venous stasis or edema, not claudication. Claudication involves arterial insufficiency causing pain with exertion, not fluid accumulation from prolonged static posture.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Assessing pain requires subjective interpretation and clinical judgment to gauge severity and response. This nursing task can’t be delegated, as assistants lack training to evaluate pain’s impact on respiratory status or intervention needs.
Choice B reason: Checking the water-seal chamber involves understanding pneumothorax mechanics and system integrity. This technical skill exceeds an assistant’s scope, requiring a nurse to ensure proper function and detect complications like air leaks.
Choice C reason: Documenting drainage volume is a routine task after RN measurement, involving recording observed data. It fits an assistant’s role, as it requires no analysis or intervention, making it a safe delegation for tracking output.
Choice D reason: Obtaining drainage samples involves sterile technique and system manipulation, risking infection or disruption. This skilled procedure remains a nursing duty, as assistants aren’t trained to handle invasive equipment safely.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Mantoux induration of 10 mm indicates TB exposure, not active infection status. It’s a diagnostic tool, not a marker for contagiousness, so it doesn’t guide discontinuation of airborne precautions in treatment.
Choice B reason: Six months of TB meds suggests treatment progress, but contagiousness persists until sputum clears. Duration alone isn’t enough; microbiologic evidence is required to lift precautions, per infection control standards.
Choice C reason: Negative sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli (three consecutive) confirm non-infectiousness in TB. This microbiological clearance allows discontinuation of airborne precautions, as the patient no longer spreads viable bacteria via droplets.
Choice D reason: Clear x-ray (no infiltrates) shows healing, but sputum can remain infectious. Radiologic improvement lags behind contagiousness, so negative smears, not imaging, determine when precautions can safely end.
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