Deck 34: Diagnostic Testing

Question 1

The nurse is caring for a diabetic patient who will be doing fingerstick blood glucose testing at home. What is the best way for the nurse to ensure that the patient can perform the procedure correctly?

A) Quiz the patient on the steps of the procedure.
B) Have the patient perform the procedure in front of the nurse.
C) Ask the patient if he has any questions about the test.
D) Use terminology that the patient can easily understand.

Answer 1

Have the patient perform the procedure in front of the nurse.

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a patient who will be undergoing flexible sigmoidoscopy testing to screen for colon cancer. What goal will the nurse include in the patient's plan of care?

A) Patient will verbalize understanding of pre-procedure preparation to be completed at home the day before the test.
B) Patient will feel comfortable about the upcoming test and have trust in the health care providers.
C) Patient will learn common side effects of the medications used to prepare the GI tract for endoscopy testing.
D) Patient will realize how important regular sigmoidoscopy testing is in the prevention of colon cancer.

Answer 2

Patient will verbalize understanding of pre-procedure preparation to be completed at home the day before the test.

Question 3

The nurse is caring for a patient who will be receiving iodine-based contrast medium for a CT scan. Which allergy should be reported to the technician and radiologist before the test is performed?

A) Gluten and lactose
B) Strawberries
C) Peanuts and cashews
D) Shrimp and scallops

Answer 3

Shrimp and scallops

Question 4

The nurse is caring for a patient whose immune system is destroying red blood cells at a very rapid rate. Which test result will the nurse expect to see in the patient's chart as a result?

A) Bilirubin level 4 mg/dL
B) Platelet count 450,000/mm $^{3}$
C) Serum uric acid level 1.7 mg/dL
D) Partial thromboplastin time 45 seconds

Question 5

The nurse is caring for a patient who is to collect a 24-hour urine specimen. Which statement by the patient indicates that additional teaching is required?

A) "I will keep the urine container on ice to keep it chilled until I bring it to the lab."
B) "I will start the test over if I forget and urinate into the toilet during the testing time."
C) "I will start the test tomorrow after I urinate first thing in the morning."
D) "I will drink extra fluids so that the lab will have an extra large specimen to test."

Question 6

The nurse is caring for a patient who states that he has been taking his medications and following his diabetic diet carefully. Which test result indicates to the nurse that the patient has not been compliant with the treatment plan?

A) Hemoglobin A_ ${1C}$ 16%
B) Random blood sugar (RBS) 112 mg/dL
C) Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 55 units/L
D) Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) 14 mm/hr

Question 7

The nurse is caring for a patient with a urinary tract infection. Which test will indicate which antibiotics will be effective to treat the infection?

A) Complete blood count (CBC)
B) Culture and sensitivity (C&S)
C) Renal scan and angiography
D) Radioreceptor assay for HCG

Question 8

The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for a needle aspiration and biopsy to rule out cancer. Which nursing diagnosis is appropriate and important for this patient?

A) Fear related to potential for cancer diagnosis depending on biopsy results
B) Ineffective health maintenance related to delayed insurance coverage for procedure
C) Powerlessness related to patient must wait approximately 4 to 5 days to learn of test results
D) Ineffective coping related to patient stated she is a little nervous about the test results

Question 9

The nurse is caring for a patient who recently had a liver biopsy. To whom must the nurse give the results?

A) The patient
B) The patient's physician
C) The patient's insurance provider
D) The patient's spouse

Question 10

The nurse is caring for a patient who is having blood drawn as part of preoperative testing. Which step is the most important to ensure the safety of the patient and the nurse?

A) Ensuring that the tourniquet is not left in place for too long
B) Using the smallest possible needle for venipuncture
C) Properly disposing of the needle after the specimen is obtained
D) Making sure that all of the collection tubes are filled completely

Question 11

The nurse is caring for a patient who has had severe acid reflux. Which test will allow the physician to directly check for damage to the esophagus?

A) Upper GI endoscopy
B) MRI scan with contrast
C) Abdominal ultrasound
D) Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Question 12

The nurse is caring for a patient who has just undergone bronchoscopy. The patient states that she is thirsty and requests a drink of water. What is the nurse's best action?

A) Provide ice chips.
B) Check the patient for a gag reflex.
C) Provide a small cup of ice water with a straw.
D) Keep the patient NPO.

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a patient who is to have a noncontrast MRI scan performed. Which assessment finding leads the nurse to report that the patient may not be able to have the test?

A) The patient has an implanted insulin pump.
B) The patient is breastfeeding her newborn infant.
C) The patient is severely allergic to iodine and latex.
D) The patient has profound hearing loss.

Question 14

The nurse is caring for a patient who will be undergoing bone marrow biopsy. Which statement by the patient indicates that additional teaching is needed?

A) "I will count the ceiling tiles when the doctor inserts the numbing medicine."
B) "I will take acetaminophen (Tylenol) later today if the site becomes uncomfortable."
C) "I will squeeze your hand to help calm my fears about the test."
D) "I will keep the biopsy site clean and dry for the next 24 hours."

Question 15

The nurse is caring for a patient who is sedated following a colonoscopy. Which is the priority action of the nurse?

A) Provide a quiet, dark environment so that the patient can rest comfortably.
B) Monitor the patient's pulse oximetry and respirations closely.
C) Inform the patient that the procedure has been completed.
D) Assess the patient's bowel sounds and passage of flatus.

Question 16

The nurse is caring for a woman who has a cyst in her breast that was found at her recent mammogram. The physician wants to make sure that the cyst is not malignant. Which test will be used to determine this?

A) Needle aspiration with biopsy
B) Paracentesis
C) Thoracentesis
D) Fiberoptic endoscopy

Question 17

The nurse is caring for a patient who has just undergone paracentesis. For which complication will the nurse carefully monitor?

A) Collapse of the lung with shortness of breath
B) Fecal impaction from retained barium in the colon
C) Cerebrospinal fluid leak resulting in severe headache
D) Perforation of the bowel resulting in abdominal infection

Question 18

The nurse is caring for an elderly patient with dementia. Which laboratory finding indicates to the nurse that that patient is often forgetting to eat meals?

A) Serum bilirubin 0.4 mg/dL
B) PLT (platelet count) 425,000/mm $^{3}$
C) Serum cholesterol 175 mg/dL
D) Albumin 1.4 g/dL

Question 19

The nurse is caring for a patient who has a bleeding gastric ulcer. How will the nurse expect the patient's stool to appear?

A) Soft and formed with bright red streaks
B) Watery with particles of undigested food
C) Sticky and black with strong foul odor
D) Hard lumps that are difficult to pass

Question 20

The nurse is caring for a patient who has a deep leg wound that is badly infected. Which laboratory test results will the nurse expect to find in the patient's chart?

A) C-reactive protein (CRP) 6.5 mg/dL
B) Serum creatinine 0.8 mg/dL
C) Serum bilirubin 0.5 mg/dL
D) Prothrombin time (PT) 11.5 sec

Question 21

The nurse is caring for a patient who is undergoing a liver biopsy. Which interventions will be included in the patient's care plan for the diagnosis of Risk for infection: r/t invasive diagnostic procedure? (Select all that apply.)

A) Monitor for and report redness, warmth, discharge, or fever promptly to the physician.
B) Carefully maintain the sterile field during the biopsy procedure.
C) Teach patient how to care for the biopsy site when procedure is completed.
D) Provide a supportive, caring presence to minimize patient anxiety.
E) Provide information about the pathophysiology and treatment options for liver cancer.
F) Consider using healing touch and other mind-body-spirit interventions.

Question 22

The nurse is caring for a patient who needs to collect a 24-hour urine specimen at home. Which steps of specimen collection may be delegated to the assistant? (Select all that apply.)

A) Label the urine container and lab slips with the patient's name and information.
B) Assess the patient's ability to collect the specimen as required.
C) Explain the procedure to the patient.
D) Obtain the urine container from the utility room or laboratory.
E) Transport the specimen to the laboratory once it is collected.
F) Ensure that the correct test is ordered and collected.

Question 23

The nurse is caring for a patient who is anemic. Which CBC test results demonstrate that the patient's treatment plan is effective and the anemia is resolving? (Select all that apply.)

A) Red blood cell count (RBC) 5.8 million/mm $^{3}$
B) Hematocrit (HCT) 25%
C) Hemoglobin (HGB) 14 g/dL
D) White blood cell count (WBC) 4500/mm $^{3}$
E) Platelet count (PLT) 255,000/mm $^{3}$

Question 24

The nurse is caring for a patient who has been having abdominal pain. The doctor suspects that the patient may have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Which tests would confirm the doctor's suspicion? (Select all that apply.)

A) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
B) Needle aspiration with biopsy
C) Fiberoptic endoscopy
D) Computed tomography (CT) scan
E) Flexible sigmoidoscopy
F) Thoracentesis

Question 25

The nurse is caring for a patient who is taking medication that is toxic to the liver. Which laboratory test results will be reviewed by the nurse to ensure that the patient's liver is tolerating the medication without damage to the organ? (Select all that apply.)

A) Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
B) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
C) Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
D) Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA)
E) Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
F) Fibrin degradation products (FDP)