Question 1

What can a nursing assistant recommend to a client as the most effective means to decrease risks for lung cancer?

Accepted Answer

The best way to decrease risks for lung cancer from the ones listed is smoking cessation. Cigarettes have carcinogens that can lead to lung cancer, especially in persons with a family history. The rest of the options do help decrease risks for cancer, but not as much as smoking cessation. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants and vitamins A, D, and E. Exercise helps to maintain the normal basal metabolic index (BMI), and avoiding foods high in fats will decrease risks for cancer as well.

Question 2

The process by which cancer cells spread from their original location in the body to a new location is called:

Accepted Answer

The process by which cancer cells spread from their original location in the body to a new location (which may be quite distant from the first) is called metastasis. Malignant is used to describe a cancerous tumor.

Question 3

Which factor(s) affect a person's risk for developing cancer? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

Whether or not a person develops cancer may be related to a combination of many factors, including inheritance, environmental factors, and lifestyle. Blood pressure is not included as a factor.

Question 4

What is an example of an environmental factor that could increase a person's risk of developing cancer?

Accepted Answer

Exposure to tobacco smoke is an environmental factor that can increase a person's risk of developing cancer. Having family members who died of the disease is an example of heredity as a risk factor. Eating a diet high in fat and leading a sedentary life are examples of lifestyle factors.

Question 5

Which is known to best improve a person's chance of surviving cancer?

Accepted Answer

Early detection of cancer can lead to early treatment, which greatly improves a person's chances of surviving cancer. The other options have not been proven to be as useful as the correct option.

Question 6

The nursing assistant caring for a resident should report which findings immediately to the nurse?

Accepted Answer

The nursing assistant should immediately report the change in the stool because the two warning signs strongly suggest the possibility for bowel cancer. The resident needs further investigation. The rest of the observations should be reported in shift report to the nurse, but do not warrant immediate report and action. It is not unusual to have indigestion after eating a gas-producing food such as cabbage. The nurse is more concerned if the resident gains 2 or more pounds in a day. A virus may cause slight vocal hoarseness.

Question 7

The purpose of a screening test is to:

Accepted Answer

Many cancers are detected during routine physical examinations or by screening tests that are done on a regular basis. These tests can help to detect cancer long before the person develops noticeable signs or symptoms of the disease. The other options would not allow for early detection of the cancer.

Question 8

It is true that hair loss caused by chemotherapy:

Accepted Answer

Chemotherapy works by killing cells that divide rapidly, such as cancer cells. Unfortunately, some types of normal cells in the body also divide rapidly, such as the cells in the hair follicles. Therefore, people who are receiving chemotherapy often lose their hair. Cancer is not the cause of the hair loss. When the therapy is finished, the hair will usually grow back. The medication causes the hair loss and so it is not an indication of the treatment's success or failure.

Question 9

What might be a side effect of the pain medication given to a client with advanced cancer?

Accepted Answer

The pain medication that a client receives may cause constipation. The other side effects are likely a result of chemotherapy.

Question 10

What can the nursing assistant do to help a client diagnosed with stomatitis as a result of chemotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Offering drinks blended with ice or ice cream can help soothe the mouth and provide much-needed nutrition. Oral care provided appropriately will help soothe and heal the mouth sores. The nurse will be responsible for determining the need for additional pain medication if appropriate. Skin care, although appropriate, will have little impact on the oral sores.

Question 11

The nursing assistant is caring for a resident recently diagnosed with cancer. How can the nursing assistant best meet the resident's emotional needs?

Accepted Answer

In this situation, the best thing a nursing assistant can do is be available to listen to the person's fears and concerns. The assistant should never promise the person a cure; this is not something the assistant can control. Be aware that there may be times the resident wishes privacy, but the assistant should not avoid the resident altogether. Changing the subject will make it seems like the assistant does not want to listen.

Question 12

When assisting a resident who is being treated for cancer with chemotherapy with mouth care, the nursing assistant is watching for side effects of the treatment such as:

Accepted Answer

Pain or sores in the mouth resulting from an inflammation caused by the chemotherapy should be reported to the nurse immediately. The other options are not usually associated with chemotherapy.

Question 13

A client receiving chemotherapy has developed alopecia. The nursing assistant prepares to meet a physical need resulting from this condition by:

Accepted Answer

Alopecia, the loss of hair, can result from chemotherapy. A hat or scarf can be used to keep the head warm. Oral care and frequent snacks will help address stomatitis and anorexia. A call bell will help minimize the risk of the falling if the resident attempts to get up alone since fatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy.

Question 14

When a client is ordered a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of cancer, the nursing assistant caring for the client will prepare to:

Accepted Answer

If cancer is suspected, the doctor might order follow-up tests (such as imaging studies, endoscopic studies, or biopsy). The nursing assistant may be responsible for helping to prepare a client or resident for one of these studies or even taking the client to where the test will be done. The other options are not tasks the nursing assistant is prepared to do.

Question 15

The biggest concern about a sore on a resident's lip is that it:

Accepted Answer

A sore in or on the mouth that does not heal can indicate oral cancer. The other options are important but are not necessarily indications of possible cancer.

Question 16

The nursing assistant observes the mole on the resident's arm has recently changed. The mole was round, brown, and small. Now it appears irregular, brown, black, red, and larger. What action should the nursing assistant take?

Accepted Answer

The best action of the nursing assistant is to report the changes of shape, color, and size of a mole to the nurse immediately. The nurse will perform a thorough assessment and report the findings to the physician for follow-up and treatment. It is beyond the scope of practice for the nursing assistant to decide if changes to a mole are benign or malignant. Waiting for another nursing assistant who has taken care of the resident to ask about the recent changes or only charting the new appearance could delay proper diagnosis and treatment.

Question 17

The nursing assistant is caring for a client with cancer receiving chemotherapy who has stomatitis. What is the best method for the nursing assistant to use when providing oral care?

Accepted Answer

A client with mouth sores caused by chemotherapy should be provided with a soft oral care swab and the ordered oral rinse. The physician may order a saltwater and sodium bicarbonate rinse or other rinse for regular oral care. The soft toothbrush and regular toothpaste will increase pain in the client's mouth and may make the sores worse. Warm water rinses alone will not help heal the sores and may also irritate and cause discomfort. The oral rinse should be kept at room temperature.

Question 18

The nursing assistant is caring for a client diagnosed with cancer who has constipation because of the around-the-clock narcotic analgesics the client needs to take to relieve pain. The client has no dietary restrictions. What intervention should the nursing assistant provide?

Accepted Answer

The nursing assistant should offer 2 to 3 L of fluid per day of noncaffeinated drinks of the client's choice to help keep adequate fluid in the bowels to prevent the stool from becoming too dry. The nurse, with a physician's order, may provide a laxative of choice or encourage the additional use of non-narcotic analgesics in between doses of narcotics to help decrease the number of narcotic dosage, which slow bowel motility. Applesauce, tea, and white toast are used when a client has diarrhea to decrease bowel motility.

Question 19

What is the best action(s) for the nursing assistant to take to care for a client experiencing bouts of vomiting after chemotherapy? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

When caring for a client with frequent bouts of vomiting, the nursing assistant should place the emesis basin and supplies within close reach so the client may use them whenever needed. Providing oral care after each episode and measuring the intake and output accurately are also the necessary interventions. The nursing assistant should report the frequent bouts of vomiting and the intake and output so the nurse may assess the client and develop a plan to replenish lost fluids and curb the nausea and vomiting. It is not in the scope of practice for the nursing assistant to determine the effectiveness of an antiemetic medication. As the client vomits fluids and electrolytes are being lost, so replenishing with water alone would lead to serious or life-threatening electrolyte imbalances.

Question 20

A client has received chemotherapy intravenous (IV), and the nursing assistant observes the IV site as being red and puffy and warm to touch. What action should the nursing assistant take?

Accepted Answer

The nursing assistant should report the observations of the swelling, redness, and warmth at the IV insertion site to the nurse. The administration of the chemo has led to inflammation or phlebitis in the vein, which is not a normal finding to be charted and ignored. The IV site should not look like this, so asking the client how long it has been this way is not relevant. It is not in the nursing assistant's scope of practice to apply heat or cold therapy (see Chapter 27).

Quiz 30: Caring for People With Cancer