OCN TEST B UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. 1. A patient with breast cancer who is 14-weeks pregnant presents for teaching prior to beginning
chemotherapy. She is concerned about the potential effects of treatment on her baby. What information
should the nurse provide to the patient? Chemotherapy given after the first trimester has minimal fetal
toxicities. Doses will be decreased to ensure safety. A spontaneous abortion will most likely occur.
Treatment will be held until after the delivery of the child.
Answer:
Chemotherapy started after the first trimester has less complications, and poses less risk to the fetus.
Question:
2. 2. Which of the following is a risk factor for treatment-related pneumonitis? Less than 60 years of age
Mantle field radiation Concomitant use of steroids Oxygen therapy at low concentrations
Answer:
The risk of pneumonitis is increased when having a large volume of lung included in the treatment field.
Question:
3. 3. A patient receiving chemotherapy continues to have nausea and vomiting before each treatment,
despite the use of antiemetics. The patient is crying and wishes to stop treatment. What is an appropriate
nursing intervention? Explain that everyone experiences nausea and vomiting. Recommend that the
healthcare provider reduce the dosage. Suggest the healthcare provider stop treatment. Discuss integrative
therapy options.
Answer:
Complementary or integrative therapy, such as massage, music therapy, or acupuncture can help with
anticipatory nausea.
Question:
4. 4. A patient with intractable dyspnea at the end of life has not experienced any relief with traditional
interventions. Which of the following should the nurse next consider? Calling anesthesia to intubate the
patient Informing the patient that there is nothing else left to give them Discussing the initiating of
palliative sedation with the team Asking the physician to increase the doses of all medications
Answer:
When therapies such as IV opioids, oxygen, diuretics, and benzodiazepines fail to improve intractable
dyspnea, palliative sedation is considered in end-of-life care.
Question:
5. 5. The nurse suggests which of the following interventions to a patient experiencing dry desquamation?
A wet-to-dry dressing A moisturizing skin cream Cornstarch A hydrogel dressing
Answer:
General guidelines suggest that hydration of the skin with an emollient, such as aloe vera, is helpful in
promoting comfort and reducing pruritus.
, Question:
6. 6. A patient with an astrocytoma reports headaches, a loss of balance, fatigue, and elevated blood
pressure for four days and has not refilled a prescription for high-dose steriods. What is the patient most
likely experiencing? Withdrawal Hypertensive crisis Increased intracranial pressure Subdural hematoma
Answer:
Drowsiness, fatigue, headache, and changes in blood pressure are symptoms of worsening increased
intracranial pressure. Corticosteroids are used to decrease surrounding edema from the tumor.
Question:
7. 7. A patient had experienced a mild hypersensitivity reaction to the first dose of paclitaxel and now
arrives for the second treatment. Which of the following interventions should the nurse perform? Withhold
the medication. Slow the infusion rate of the medication. Administer prophylactic meperidine. Dilute the
medication in additional fluid.
Answer:
Many patients who have experienced only mild infusion reactions with the first administration of
paclitaxel have tolerated subsequent doses well with a decreased rate of infusion and additional
premedications.
Question:
8. 8. A patient's sister has tested positive for a BRCA mutation, but the patient has a negative result. The
patient begins to cry and says, "I was always the bad child." What is the patient most likely experiencing?
Survivor guilt Transmitter guilt Reactive depression Sibling rivalry
Answer:
Survivor guilt occurs when a person tests negative and feel guilty as to why they were fortunate enough to
test negative when a relative tested positive.
Question:
9. 9. Which medication is most likely to cause oral mucositis? Fluorouracil Rituximab Dexamethasone
Interleukin-2
Answer:
Fluorouracil increases the risk of mucositis either alone or in combination with other chemotherapy agents.
Question:
10. 10. One week after receiving chemotherapy, a patient is afebrile with generalized oral erythema,
xerostomia, white patches on the soft palate, and a lump-like sensation with swallowing. Which of the
following orders should the nurse anticipate? Fluconazole Panendoscopy Amoxicillin Allopurinol
mouthwash
Answer:
Oral candida presents with redness and a "cottage cheese" appearance, and is treated with antifungal
medications
Question:
11. 11. Which of the following offers the most likely reason that a patient with stage III cervical cancer
may defer discussions about body image alterations and sexual intimacy prior to initiating treatment?
Concern of being perceived as vain Depersonalization of the disease experience Expectation of
experiencing minimal symptoms of treatment Unrealistic expectation of outcomes
CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. 1. A patient with breast cancer who is 14-weeks pregnant presents for teaching prior to beginning
chemotherapy. She is concerned about the potential effects of treatment on her baby. What information
should the nurse provide to the patient? Chemotherapy given after the first trimester has minimal fetal
toxicities. Doses will be decreased to ensure safety. A spontaneous abortion will most likely occur.
Treatment will be held until after the delivery of the child.
Answer:
Chemotherapy started after the first trimester has less complications, and poses less risk to the fetus.
Question:
2. 2. Which of the following is a risk factor for treatment-related pneumonitis? Less than 60 years of age
Mantle field radiation Concomitant use of steroids Oxygen therapy at low concentrations
Answer:
The risk of pneumonitis is increased when having a large volume of lung included in the treatment field.
Question:
3. 3. A patient receiving chemotherapy continues to have nausea and vomiting before each treatment,
despite the use of antiemetics. The patient is crying and wishes to stop treatment. What is an appropriate
nursing intervention? Explain that everyone experiences nausea and vomiting. Recommend that the
healthcare provider reduce the dosage. Suggest the healthcare provider stop treatment. Discuss integrative
therapy options.
Answer:
Complementary or integrative therapy, such as massage, music therapy, or acupuncture can help with
anticipatory nausea.
Question:
4. 4. A patient with intractable dyspnea at the end of life has not experienced any relief with traditional
interventions. Which of the following should the nurse next consider? Calling anesthesia to intubate the
patient Informing the patient that there is nothing else left to give them Discussing the initiating of
palliative sedation with the team Asking the physician to increase the doses of all medications
Answer:
When therapies such as IV opioids, oxygen, diuretics, and benzodiazepines fail to improve intractable
dyspnea, palliative sedation is considered in end-of-life care.
Question:
5. 5. The nurse suggests which of the following interventions to a patient experiencing dry desquamation?
A wet-to-dry dressing A moisturizing skin cream Cornstarch A hydrogel dressing
Answer:
General guidelines suggest that hydration of the skin with an emollient, such as aloe vera, is helpful in
promoting comfort and reducing pruritus.
, Question:
6. 6. A patient with an astrocytoma reports headaches, a loss of balance, fatigue, and elevated blood
pressure for four days and has not refilled a prescription for high-dose steriods. What is the patient most
likely experiencing? Withdrawal Hypertensive crisis Increased intracranial pressure Subdural hematoma
Answer:
Drowsiness, fatigue, headache, and changes in blood pressure are symptoms of worsening increased
intracranial pressure. Corticosteroids are used to decrease surrounding edema from the tumor.
Question:
7. 7. A patient had experienced a mild hypersensitivity reaction to the first dose of paclitaxel and now
arrives for the second treatment. Which of the following interventions should the nurse perform? Withhold
the medication. Slow the infusion rate of the medication. Administer prophylactic meperidine. Dilute the
medication in additional fluid.
Answer:
Many patients who have experienced only mild infusion reactions with the first administration of
paclitaxel have tolerated subsequent doses well with a decreased rate of infusion and additional
premedications.
Question:
8. 8. A patient's sister has tested positive for a BRCA mutation, but the patient has a negative result. The
patient begins to cry and says, "I was always the bad child." What is the patient most likely experiencing?
Survivor guilt Transmitter guilt Reactive depression Sibling rivalry
Answer:
Survivor guilt occurs when a person tests negative and feel guilty as to why they were fortunate enough to
test negative when a relative tested positive.
Question:
9. 9. Which medication is most likely to cause oral mucositis? Fluorouracil Rituximab Dexamethasone
Interleukin-2
Answer:
Fluorouracil increases the risk of mucositis either alone or in combination with other chemotherapy agents.
Question:
10. 10. One week after receiving chemotherapy, a patient is afebrile with generalized oral erythema,
xerostomia, white patches on the soft palate, and a lump-like sensation with swallowing. Which of the
following orders should the nurse anticipate? Fluconazole Panendoscopy Amoxicillin Allopurinol
mouthwash
Answer:
Oral candida presents with redness and a "cottage cheese" appearance, and is treated with antifungal
medications
Question:
11. 11. Which of the following offers the most likely reason that a patient with stage III cervical cancer
may defer discussions about body image alterations and sexual intimacy prior to initiating treatment?
Concern of being perceived as vain Depersonalization of the disease experience Expectation of
experiencing minimal symptoms of treatment Unrealistic expectation of outcomes
