An RN begins his shift in the infusion center at the local oncology center. His first patient is a 45-year-old female who has been coming in weekly for the past month for her infusion of chemotherapy. She reports oral pain and difficulty eating that has been worsening since her last appointment. The nurse's assessment reveals a white film covering the inside of her cheeks and tongue. The RN swabs the inside of her mouth for microscopic analysis.
-After staining,the specimen is inspected.The laboratory technician identifies single-celled organisms that possess a nucleus,and many of them are undergoing the process of budding.Based on this finding,it is most likely that the patient is suffering from an infection caused by a ________.

Question

An RN begins his shift in the infusion center at the local oncology center. His first patient is a 45-year-old female who has been coming in weekly for the past month for her infusion of chemotherapy. She reports oral pain and difficulty eating that has been worsening since her last appointment.  The nurse's assessment reveals a white film covering the inside of her cheeks and tongue. The RN swabs the inside of her mouth for microscopic analysis.
-After staining,the specimen is inspected.The laboratory technician identifies single-celled organisms that possess a nucleus,and many of them are undergoing the process of budding.Based on this finding,it is most likely that the patient is suffering from an infection caused by a ________.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of a white film on the inside of the patient's mouth and the identification of single-celled organisms with nuclei and budding suggests a fungal infection. Helminths are parasitic worms, protozoans are single-celled organisms without nuclei, and most bacteria do not undergo budding. Therefore, option C, fungus, is the most likely cause of the patient's infection.

An RN Begins His Shift in the Infusion Center at the Local