GERIATRICS NCLEX PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH 100%
CORRECTLY SOLVED ANSWERS & DETAILED
RATIONALES.
1) The healthcare provider is caring for a patient with a diagnosis of hypomagnesemia and
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a QT interval of 0.50 seconds. Which of these, if noted on the cardiac monitor, is an
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
indication the patient's condition is worsening?
t t t t t
A) Premature ventricular contractions t t
B) Narrow QRS complexes t t
C) An R-R interval of 1 second
t t t t t
D) A polymorphic ventricular tachycardia -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d) A
t t t t t t t t t t
polymorphic ventricular tachycardia t t
An R-R interval of 1111 second translates to a heart rate of 60606060 beats per
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
minute, which is a normal finding. t t t t t
Narrow QRS complexes are associated with a variety of tachycardias, but is not
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
expected in this situation. t t t
The patient's history of hypomagnesemia and prolonged QT interval puts the
t t t t t t t t t t t
patient at risk of developing torsade’s de pointes, a polymorphic ventricular
t t t t t t t t t t t
tachycardia that can potentially degenerate into a ventricular fibrillation.
t t t t t t t t
2) A patient with a diagnosis of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is undergoing a
t t t t t t t t t t t
catheter ablation procedure. When caring for the patient after the procedure, which is
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
the priority intervention?
t t
A) Assist the patient to the bathroom to void t t t t t t t
, B) Auscultate apical pulse for a full minute every hour t t t t t t t t
C) Monitor insertion site and distal pulses t t t t t
D) Assess level of consciousness -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c) Monitor insertion site
t t t t t t t t t t t t
and distal pulses t t
The extremity where the catheter was inserted will be immobilized initially, so the
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
patient will not be allowed out of bed to use the bathroom.
t t t t t t t t t t t
The patient will be on a cardiac monitor so auscultation of the apical pulse for one
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
minute is not a priority. t t t t
Because the catheter may cause trauma to the vessels, the healthcare provider will
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
monitor for hematoma formation and interference of circulation distal to the
t t t t t t t t t t t
insertion site. t
3) The nurse is performing an assessment on an older client who is having difficulty
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
sleeping at night. Which statement by the client indicates the need for further teaching
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
regarding measures to improve sleep?
t t t t
A) "I swim three times a week."
t t t t t
B) "I have stopped smoking cigars."
t t t t
C) "I drink hot chocolate before bedtime."
t t t t t
D) "I read for 40 minutes before bedtime." -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c) "I drink hot
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
chocolate before bedtime." t t
Many nonpharmacological sleep aids can be used to influence sleep. However, the
t t t t t t t t t t t t
client should avoid caffeinated beverages and stimulants such as tea, cola, and
t t t t t t t t t t t t
chocolate. The client should exercise regularly, because exercise promotes sleep
t t t t t t t t t t
by burning off tension that accumulates during the day. A 20-to 30-minute walk,
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
swim, or bicycle ride three times a week is helpful. The client should sleep on a bed
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
with a firm mattress. Smoking and alcohol should be avoided. The client should
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
avoid large meals; peanuts, beans, fruit, raw vegetables, and other foods that
t t t t t t t t t t t t
produce gas; and snacks that are high in fat because they are difficult to digest.
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
- Test-Taking Strategy: Note the strategic words need for further teaching . These
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
words indicate a negative event query and ask you to select an option that is an
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
CORRECTLY SOLVED ANSWERS & DETAILED
RATIONALES.
1) The healthcare provider is caring for a patient with a diagnosis of hypomagnesemia and
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a QT interval of 0.50 seconds. Which of these, if noted on the cardiac monitor, is an
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
indication the patient's condition is worsening?
t t t t t
A) Premature ventricular contractions t t
B) Narrow QRS complexes t t
C) An R-R interval of 1 second
t t t t t
D) A polymorphic ventricular tachycardia -- Correct Answer ✔✔ d) A
t t t t t t t t t t
polymorphic ventricular tachycardia t t
An R-R interval of 1111 second translates to a heart rate of 60606060 beats per
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
minute, which is a normal finding. t t t t t
Narrow QRS complexes are associated with a variety of tachycardias, but is not
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
expected in this situation. t t t
The patient's history of hypomagnesemia and prolonged QT interval puts the
t t t t t t t t t t t
patient at risk of developing torsade’s de pointes, a polymorphic ventricular
t t t t t t t t t t t
tachycardia that can potentially degenerate into a ventricular fibrillation.
t t t t t t t t
2) A patient with a diagnosis of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is undergoing a
t t t t t t t t t t t
catheter ablation procedure. When caring for the patient after the procedure, which is
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
the priority intervention?
t t
A) Assist the patient to the bathroom to void t t t t t t t
, B) Auscultate apical pulse for a full minute every hour t t t t t t t t
C) Monitor insertion site and distal pulses t t t t t
D) Assess level of consciousness -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c) Monitor insertion site
t t t t t t t t t t t t
and distal pulses t t
The extremity where the catheter was inserted will be immobilized initially, so the
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
patient will not be allowed out of bed to use the bathroom.
t t t t t t t t t t t
The patient will be on a cardiac monitor so auscultation of the apical pulse for one
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
minute is not a priority. t t t t
Because the catheter may cause trauma to the vessels, the healthcare provider will
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
monitor for hematoma formation and interference of circulation distal to the
t t t t t t t t t t t
insertion site. t
3) The nurse is performing an assessment on an older client who is having difficulty
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
sleeping at night. Which statement by the client indicates the need for further teaching
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
regarding measures to improve sleep?
t t t t
A) "I swim three times a week."
t t t t t
B) "I have stopped smoking cigars."
t t t t
C) "I drink hot chocolate before bedtime."
t t t t t
D) "I read for 40 minutes before bedtime." -- Correct Answer ✔✔ c) "I drink hot
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
chocolate before bedtime." t t
Many nonpharmacological sleep aids can be used to influence sleep. However, the
t t t t t t t t t t t t
client should avoid caffeinated beverages and stimulants such as tea, cola, and
t t t t t t t t t t t t
chocolate. The client should exercise regularly, because exercise promotes sleep
t t t t t t t t t t
by burning off tension that accumulates during the day. A 20-to 30-minute walk,
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
swim, or bicycle ride three times a week is helpful. The client should sleep on a bed
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
with a firm mattress. Smoking and alcohol should be avoided. The client should
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
avoid large meals; peanuts, beans, fruit, raw vegetables, and other foods that
t t t t t t t t t t t t
produce gas; and snacks that are high in fat because they are difficult to digest.
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
- Test-Taking Strategy: Note the strategic words need for further teaching . These
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
words indicate a negative event query and ask you to select an option that is an
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
