Deck 36: Structure and Function of the Gastrointestinal System

Question 1

New parents were just told by their physician that their son is two standard deviations above the mean. The parents later asked the nurse what that means. The nurse will explain by stating,

A) "If your child is one standard deviation from the norm that translates to mean, he will be taller than 50% of his peers."
B) "This is great news since it means you will have a larger baby than most."
C) "Being two standard deviations above the mean translates into that your child will likely be taller than 95% of children in the population."
D) "With the mean being average at 50%, two standard deviations means that your child will be at least 99.7% taller than his brother."

Answer 1

"Being two standard deviations above the mean translates into that your child will likely be taller than 95% of children in the population."

Question 2

A woman has recently determined that she is pregnant, and her clinician believes that the conception occurred around 8 weeks prior. Since the embryo is in the third stage of embryonic development, which of the following events and processes in growth and development would be expected to be taking place?

A) Transition from a morula to a blastocyst
B) Ossification of the skeleton and acceleration of body length growth
C) Rapid eye movement and early support of respiration
D) Formation of upper limbs and opening of the eyes

Answer 2

Formation of upper limbs and opening of the eyes

Question 3

A midwife who is providing care for a woman during her first pregnancy is assessing for intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) during an early prenatal checkup. Which of the following questions best addresses the risks for IUGR?

A) "What does your typical diet look like over the course of a day?"
B) "What is the highest level of education that you've finished?"
C) "Are there many people in your life that you can count on for help and support?"
D) "How would you describe your mood since you've been pregnant?"

Answer 3

"What does your typical diet look like over the course of a day?"

Question 4

Which of the following assessment findings of a male infant 14 hours postpartum would be considered abnormal and would require further assessment and possible intervention?

A) The baby's first stool appears to contain blood.
B) The child is unable to breathe through his mouth.
C) The baby's skin has a yellowish orange hue.
D) The child's suck is weak when placed at his mother's breast.

Question 5

A nurse is performing a 5-minute Apgar score on a newborn female. Which of the following characteristics of the infant's current condition would not be reflected in the child's Apgar score?

A) The baby's heart rate is 122 beats/minute.
B) The infant displays a startle reflex when the crib is accidentally kicked.
C) The child's temperature is 35.0°C (95°F) by axilla.
D) The infant's skin is pink in color.

Question 6

The nursery has just admitted a new infant born 1 hour ago. While performing an assessment, the nurse suspects the infant may have hypoglycemia based on which of the following assessment data? Select all that apply.

A) Heel stick glucose value of 50 mg/dL
B) Infant having periods of apnea requiring physical stimulation
C) Muscle twitching noted while lying in crib undisturbed by nurses
D) Hyperactive reflexes noted especially when crying
E) Poor suck reflex resulting in an inability to feed properly

Question 7

The first-time parents of an infant girl 2 days postpartum are distressed at the jaundiced appearance of her skin and are eager for both an explanation and treatment for the problem. Which of the following responses by their physician is most accurate?

A) "Your daughter's young liver is unable to get rid of the waste products from old red blood cells."
B) "Because your daughter's kidneys are so small, they have a hard time getting rid of the wastes that are always accumulating in her blood."
C) "Nearly half of all infants have this problem, and while it is distressing to look at, it is largely harmless and will resolve in time."
D) "This is a sign that your baby needs more milk than she is currently getting, and increased breast-feeding will act to flush these pigments out of her system."

Question 8

Which of the following infants most likely requires medical intervention?

A) A 2-day-old baby boy who has caput succedaneum
B) An infant 4 hours postpartum who has visible coning of his head following vaginal delivery
C) A girl 3 days postpartum with noticeable unilateral cephalhematoma
D) A male infant whose vertex delivery resulted in a brachial plexus injury

Question 9

A nurse who works in a neonatal intensive care unit is providing care for an infant born at 26 weeks' gestation. Which of the following assessments would lead the nurse to suspect that the infant has developed respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)?

A) The infant's blood pressure and temperature are normal measurements as expected.
B) Infant is grunting and has notable intercostal retractions with respirations.
C) Infant has poor motor skills and limited limb range of motion.
D) Infant has apnea lasting 5 to 10 seconds with a decrease in heart rate, which reverses with tactile stimulation.

Question 10

While assessing a premature infant born at 25 weeks' gestation, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse would suspect which diagnosis when the infant displays poor muscle tone, apnea, and a new onset of somnolence?

A) Hydrocephalus
B) Airway obstruction
C) Intraventricular hemorrhage
D) Sepsis

Question 11

A premature infant who is receiving care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has just been identified as having necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Of the following clinical manifestations, identify those most likely to contribute to the diagnosis of NEC. Select all that apply.

A) Feeding intolerance
B) Inability to pass stool within the first 10 days of life
C) Hard, taut abdomen with increasing distention
D) Blood noted in stools
E) Hypoactive bowel sounds on right lower quadrant

Question 12

The neonatologist suspects an infant has developed sepsis with multiorgan system illness. The nurse caring for this infant will note which of the assessment findings support this diagnosis. Select all that apply.

A) Decreasing BP with increase in heart rate indicative of shock
B) Prolonged PT and PTT and decrease in platelet count
C) Frequent voiding of a small amount of light-colored urine
D) Bilateral warm feet but pedal pulses hard to palpate
E) Positive Moro reflex when loud noise made at crib side

Question 13

The exasperated parents of a 4-month-old infant with colic have asked their health care provider what they can do to alleviate their child's persistent crying. Based on their concerns, the nurse should educate/discuss with the parents which of the following?

A) Encouraging them to walk away from the infant when they can no longer tolerate it
B) Recommending them to reduce the amount of commercial formula and increase breast-feeding
C) Discussing the use of prescribed antiflatulent medication that will help more than changing the formula
D) Demonstrating how to use a soothing voice and slow rocking back and forth as a way to calm the infant

Question 14

During a prenatal education class, a participant has related a story about how her friend's infant died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). What can the educator tell the group about how they can prevent SIDS when they have their babies? Select all that apply.

A) "The best sleeping position for your baby is on his back."
B) "Children are at particular risk of SIDS when they have a cold or flu, so these times require extra vigilance."
C) "Using drugs during pregnancy has been shown to be associated with SIDS after birth, which is one more reason for mothers to avoid them."
D) "It's important if anyone in your home smokes to make sure they only do it outside."
E) "The exact cause of SIDS still isn't known, so there's little that you can do to prevent this tragic event."

Question 15

Due to rapid neural growth, a child can begin to control the bowel and bladder sphincters by what age?

A) 12 months
B) 18 months
C) 2 years
D) 4 years

Question 16

What topic should health promotion initiatives emphasize if the target audience is parents of preschoolers and the goal is to minimize mortality?

A) Handwashing as an infection control measure
B) Injury prevention especially when the child is near water
C) Identifying signs of child abuse and neglect
D) The importance of good nutrition

Question 17

In the grocery store, a nurse overhears a teenage mother intentionally shaming and verbally reprimanding a child in public. The mother also grabbed the child's stuffed animal and tore the limbs off. From what the nurse remembers about abuse, this would be classified as a form of

A) physical abuse.
B) emotional abuse.
C) sexual abuse.
D) neglect.

Question 18

A 10-year-old boy has a body mass index that places him in the 96th percentile for his age and gender. While educating the parents about obesity, the nurse should emphasize that his weight may predispose him to the development of

A) scoliosis.
B) respiratory infections.
C) gastrointestinal disorders.
D) type 2 diabetes.

Question 19

A 14-year-old boy has experienced a pronounced growth spurt over the last several months. While discussing this with his parents, the nurse educates what normal male growth patterns contain. Of the following, which are accurate statements to relay to the parents? Select all that apply.

A) Most males will complete their growth spurt by age 16.
B) It is not usual for their son to gain up to 30 kg in weight.
C) With parathyroid hormone involvement, your son may be at risk for fractures.
D) Expect the thorax to become broader and for the pelvis to remain narrow.
E) Some children have stunted growth in their arms or legs.

Question 20

Which of the following statements made by parents of high schoolers would be a cause for the concern the child may be thinking about suicide?

A) "My child seems to eat all the time. He tells me that all of his friends are eating a lot as well."
B) "My child seems to go shopping at the mall every day after school with her friends. I think they hang out at the mall."
C) "My child has never had problems in school until now. He is failing classes and getting in trouble."
D) "My child used to talk to me about anything. Now she spends most of her time in her room texting friends."