NU 611 Clinical Decision Making UPDATED FINAL EXAM GUIDE 2024 1. A 68 -year-old patient with a history of COPD presents with increased dyspnea and a productive cough. The nurse notes wheezing on auscultation. Which is the most appropriate next step in clinical decision -
making? a) Initiate antibiotic therapy immediately. b) Increase the dose of the patient's inhaled corticosteroids. c) Order a chest X -ray and obta in sputum cultures. (Correct Answer : c) Rationale: Ordering diagnostic tests helps to confirm the cause of symptoms before initiating specific treatments. 2. A 72 -year-old woman with type 2 diabetes presents with a non -healing ulcer on her foot. Which dressing type would be most appropriate for this wound? a) Dry gauze b) Hydrocolloid dressing c) Transparent film (Correct Answer : b) Rationale: Hydrocolloid dressings promote a moist environment conducive to wound healing, better suited for diabetic foot ulcers. 3. Which tool would be most appropriate for assessing the risk of falls in an elderly patient? a) Mini -Mental State Examination (MMSE) b) Morse Fall Scale c) Braden Scale (Correct Answer : b) Rationale: The Morse Fall Scale specifically assesses the risk of falls. 4. What is the most important factor when deciding to initiate a statin therapy in a 65 -year-old p atient with no cardiovascular disease but with diabetes? a) LDL cholesterol level b) Blood pressure c) Age of the patient (Correct Answer : a) Rationale: LDL levels guide the initiation of statin therapy, especially in diabetic patie nts. 5. A 70 -year-old male presents with urinary incontinence. Which diagnostic test should be ordered first? a) Cystoscopy b) Urinalysis c) Uroflowmetry (Correct Answer : b) Rationale: A urinalysis is a non -invasive, simple test to rule out urinary tract infection and other causes of incontinence. ### Fill -in-the-Blank
making? a) Initiate antibiotic therapy immediately. b) Increase the dose of the patient's inhaled corticosteroids. c) Order a chest X -ray and obta in sputum cultures. (Correct Answer : c) Rationale: Ordering diagnostic tests helps to confirm the cause of symptoms before initiating specific treatments. 2. A 72 -year-old woman with type 2 diabetes presents with a non -healing ulcer on her foot. Which dressing type would be most appropriate for this wound? a) Dry gauze b) Hydrocolloid dressing c) Transparent film (Correct Answer : b) Rationale: Hydrocolloid dressings promote a moist environment conducive to wound healing, better suited for diabetic foot ulcers. 3. Which tool would be most appropriate for assessing the risk of falls in an elderly patient? a) Mini -Mental State Examination (MMSE) b) Morse Fall Scale c) Braden Scale (Correct Answer : b) Rationale: The Morse Fall Scale specifically assesses the risk of falls. 4. What is the most important factor when deciding to initiate a statin therapy in a 65 -year-old p atient with no cardiovascular disease but with diabetes? a) LDL cholesterol level b) Blood pressure c) Age of the patient (Correct Answer : a) Rationale: LDL levels guide the initiation of statin therapy, especially in diabetic patie nts. 5. A 70 -year-old male presents with urinary incontinence. Which diagnostic test should be ordered first? a) Cystoscopy b) Urinalysis c) Uroflowmetry (Correct Answer : b) Rationale: A urinalysis is a non -invasive, simple test to rule out urinary tract infection and other causes of incontinence. ### Fill -in-the-Blank
