Med Surg HESI Questions and Answers with Rationale

Which description of symptoms is characteristic of a client diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux)? A) Tinnitus, vertigo, and hearing difficulties. B) Sudden, stabbing, severe pain over the lip and chin. C) Facial weakness and paralysis. D) Difficulty in chewing, talking, and swallowing. - ans ----B) Sudden, stabbing, severe pain over the lip and chin. Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by paroxysms of pain, similar to an electric shock, in the area innervated by one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve (5th cranial) (B). (A) would be characteristic of Méniére's disease (8th cranial nerve). (C) would be characteristic of Bell's palsy (7th cranial nerve). (D) would be characteristic of disorders of the hypoglossal cranial nerve (12th). A 67-year-old woman who lives alone is admitted after tripping on a rug in her home and fractures her hip. Which predisposing factor probably led to the fracture in the proximal end of her femur? A) Failing eyesight resulting in an unsafe environment. B) Renal osteodystrophy resulting from chronic renal failure. C) Osteoporosis resulting from hormonal changes. D) Cardiovascular changes resulting in small strokes which impair mental acuity. - ans ----C) Osteoporosis resulting from hormonal changes. The most common cause of a fractured hip in elderly women is osteoporosis, resulting from reduced calcium in the bones as a result of hormonal changes in later life (C). (A) may or may not have contributed to the accident, but it had nothing to do with the hip being involved. (B) is not a common condition of the elderly; it is common in chronic renal failure. (D) may occur in some people, but does not affect the fragility of the bones as osteoporosis does. The nurse is assisting a client out of bed for the first time after surgery. What action should the nurse do first? A) Place a chair at a right angle to the bedside. B) Encourage deep breathing prior to standing. C) Help the client to sit and dangle legs on the side of the bed.