Deck 11: Nursing Care of Patients With Cancer

Question 1

A patient develops fatigue related to radiation therapy. Which intervention is the most appropriate for this patient?

A)Discuss the patient's views concerning blood transfusion.
B)Encourage moderate exercise between radiation treatments.
C)Encourage larger portions of foods rich with calories and protein.
D)Encourage the patient to prioritize activities around frequent rest periods.

Answer 1

Encourage the patient to prioritize activities around frequent rest periods.

Question 2

A patient on chemotherapy after surgery develops thrombocytopenia. Which manifestation should the nurse report immediately to the physician?

A)Headache
B)Tarry stools
C)Pain at the surgical site
D)Blood pressure 136/88 mm Hg

Answer 2

Tarry stools

Question 3

The nurse is providing education to a patient taking tamoxifen (Nolvadex). Which topic should the nurse include in the teaching?

A)Avoid antacids within 2 hours of tamoxifen.
B)Take with mesna (Mesnex) to protect the bladder.
C)Monitor daily weights.
D)Watch for changes in neurologic status.

Answer 3

Avoid antacids within 2 hours of tamoxifen.

Question 4

A patient is diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the bone. Which term should the nurse consider when documenting this patient's health problem?

A)Sarcoma
B)Osteoma
C)Adenoma
D)Carcinoma

Question 5

The nurse is reviewing orders for a patient with suspected cancer. The nurse notes an order for a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). For which cancer does this test?

A)Breast cancer
B)Liver cancer
C)Colon cancer
D)Ovarian cancer

Question 6

The nurse is caring for a patient with lung cancer who reports chest pain, dyspnea, facial redness, and swollen neck veins. Which oncological emergency does the nurse suspect this patient is experiencing?

A)Thrombocytopenia
B)Spinal cord compression
C)Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS)
D)Hypercalcemia

Question 7

The nurse is planning care for a patient with leukopenia caused by chemotherapy. Which nursing intervention is most important for the nurse to include in this patient's plan of care?

A)Protect the patient from injury.
B)Observe for bruising or bleeding.
C)Ensure that staff members practice good hand washing.
D)Assist the patient with activities of daily living (ADLs).

Question 8

A patient who has been treated for breast cancer is undergoing routine laboratory work. Which laboratory finding would cause the nurse to be most concerned about metastasis?

A)Elevated serum calcium
B)Decreased serum calcium
C)Elevated serum potassium
D)Decreased serum potassium

Question 9

The nurse is reviewing orders for a patient receiving doxorubicin (Adriamycin). Which order should the nurse anticipate implementing before starting the chemotherapy?

A)A positron emission tomography (PET) scan
B)Kidney function tests
C)A chest x-ray
D)An echocardiogram

Question 10

The nurse is providing teaching for a patient with thrombocytopenia. Which statement made by the patient indicates a need for further teaching?

A)"I should avoid taking my daily aspirin while my platelets are low."
B)"I should use an electric razor instead of a regular one."
C)"I will be careful when I blow my nose."
D)"I need to be sure and floss every day."

Question 11

Which is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tumors or malignancies?

A)Cardiology
B)Podiatry
C)Oncology
D)Endocrinology

Question 12

When inspecting the IV site of a patient receiving a vesicant chemotherapy agent, the licensed practical nurse (LPN) notes a small area of swelling. What should the LPN do first?

A)Check the site every hour.
B)Document the finding in the chart.
C)Discontinue the infusion and notify the registered nurse (RN).
D)No action is needed; this is an expected finding.

Question 13

A patient with prostate cancer asks the nurse the meaning of his high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Which response by the nurse is correct?

A)"PSA is a tumor marker that is elevated in patients with prostate cancer."
B)"PSA levels are done routinely to determine whether your prostate cancer has spread to a new site."
C)"The doctor orders PSA measurements to monitor the level of chemotherapy medication in your blood."
D)"A PSA test allows the pathologist to view the cancer cells under the microscope to monitor the progression of cancer."

Question 14

A patient asks the nurse what is meant by the term benign. Which response by the nurse is best?

A)"Benign tumors spread to other organs and lymph nodes."
B)"An organ with a benign tumor will continue to function normally"
C)"It is a cluster of cells not normal to the body and is cancerous."
D)"These types of tumors grow much quicker than cancer cells."

Question 15

A patient with cancer is scheduled for palliative surgery. Which explanation should the nurse use to describe the purpose of this surgery?

A)Palliative surgery is done to reconstruct tissues damaged by the cancer.
B)Palliative surgery is done to increase the patient's comfort when cure is not possible.
C)Palliative surgery is done to remove a cancer completely and increase the chances for cure.
D)Palliative surgery is done to remove surrounding lymph nodes, reducing the risk for spread of the primary tumor.

Question 16

The nurse is caring for a group of patients. Which patient should the nurse see first?

A)A patient with a calcium level of 9.2 mg/dL
B)A patient with a platelet level of 250,000/mm³
C)A patient with a white blood cell count of 2,000 cells/µL
D)A patient with a hemoglobin of 14.5g/dL

Question 17

The IV line of a patient receiving a vesicant chemotherapy agent has disconnected and is lying on the floor. The medication is dripping all over the floor. Which action should the nurse take first?

A)Reconnect the IV tubing immediately.
B)Wipe it up as quickly as possible with disposable cloths.
C)No special precautions are needed for vesicant drug cleanups.
D)Use gloves and a protective gown to clean the spill according to agency policy.

Question 18

The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer and states she is too nauseated to eat. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

A)Prepare to start the patient on total parenteral nutrition (TPN).
B)Encourage the patient to brush her teeth before eating.
C)Administer promethazine (Phenergan) 1 hour before meals as ordered.
D)Bring the patient food she enjoys eating.

Question 19

The nurse is caring for a patient receiving chemotherapy who is in the nadir period. For which complication is the nurse at risk?

A)Infection
B)Stomatitis
C)Alopecia
D)Diarrhea

Question 20

The nurse is caring for a patient with cancer of the lymph tissue. What is the correct term for this cancer?

A)Melanoma
B)Sarcoma
C)Lymphoma
D)Carcinoma

Question 21

The nurse is caring for a patient who is prescribed cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Which medication should the nurse expect to administer to protect the bladder?

A)Dexrazoxane (Zinecard)
B)Mesna (Mesnex)
C)Filgrastim (Neupogen)
D)Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)

Question 22

The nurse is reviewing laboratory results and becomes concerned about one patient being treated for cancer. Which patient does the nurse suspect is in need of nutritional support?

A)An 18-year-old with an albumin of 2.5 g/dL
B)A 60-year-old with a calcium level of 8 mg/dL
C)A 43-year-old with a platelet level of 180,000/mm³
D)A 56-year-old with a white cell count of 6,000/mm³

Question 23

The nurse is planning a teaching seminar for members of a Native American tribal community on ways to prevent the development of cancer. What should the nurse include in this teaching? (Select all that apply.)

A)Encourage traditional customs of physical fitness and exercise.
B)Provide teaching materials in the participants' native language.
C)Identify healing practices that can be incorporated into tribal customs.
D)Emphasize the use of same-sex caregivers when seeking preventive care.
E)Discuss the importance of dietary portion control and healthy food preparation.

Question 24

The nurse is preparing to administer ondansetron (Zofran) 4 mg intravenously. The available dose is 2mg/mL. How many mL will the nurse administer? Enter the numeral only.

Question 25

The nurse is preparing an oral chemotherapeutic medication for a patient's cancer treatment. What should the nurse do to ensure personal safety when preparing this medication?

A)Wear gloves while preparing.
B)Wash hands before administering.
C)Apply a lead apron when providing.
D)Crush the medication before providing.

Question 26

The nurse is providing dietary teaching to help a patient reduce the risk of cancer. Which foods should the nurse instruct the patient to avoid? (Select all that apply.)

A)Alcohol
B)Whole grains
C)Smoked meats
D)Root vegetables
E)Charbroiled meat 6.Cruciferous vegetables

Question 27

The nurse is providing education regarding skin care to a patient undergoing radiation therapy. Which statement made by the patient indicates a need for further teaching?

A)"I should wear tight clothing to protect my skin."
B)"I will wear a hat and use sunscreen when going outside."
C)"I need to be careful to not wash off the radiation markings."
D)"I will avoid using baby powder after my shower."

Question 28

The nurse is preparing to administer epoetin alfa (Procrit) to a patient with anemia. The prescribed dose is 50 units/kg to a patient who weighs 60 kg. The available dose is 3,000 units/mL. How many mL will the nurse administer? Enter the numeral only.

Question 29

The nurse is caring for a group of patients. Place in order, from 1 to 5, the nurse should see the patients. ___

A) A patient who underwent a mastectomy awaiting discharge teaching ___
B) A patient with multiple myeloma who just received a blood transfusion ___
C) A patient with neutropenia who has a fever of 102.8°F ___
D) A patient with thrombocytopenia who received two units of platelets ___
E) A patient with colon cancer reporting level 6 pain on a 0-to-10 scale

Question 30

The nurse is preparing to administer D₅W 500 mL over 8 hours to a patient receiving chemotherapy experiencing nausea. The nurse is using a 15 gtt/mL set. Calculate the flow rate. Enter the numeral only. Round to the nearest whole number.