A 12-year-old male client tells the nurse that he is happy to be taking growth hormones
because now he can grow to be as tall as his friends. What response is best for the nurse to
provide?
a. "You must remember that this treatment regimen is not always effective."
b. "Although being tall is important to you, remember there are far more important
characteristics than height."
c. You will grow with this medicine, and are likely to be taller than anyone in your family."
d. "Being taller is important to you and taking your injections will help achieve that goal." -
CORRECT ANSWER - d. "Being taller is important to you and taking your injections will help
achieve that goal."
,A 14-year-old is brought to the emergency department after a biking accident. How should
the nurse interact with the adolescent?
a. Furnish rewards for cooperation during procedures.
b. Have the parents remain with the adolescent at all times.
c. Provide clear explanations while encouraging questions.
d. Limit the number of choices to be made by the adolescent. - CORRECT ANSWER - c.
Provide clear explanations while encouraging questions.
Adolescents are capable of abstract thinking and understand explanations, so the
opportunity to ask questions should be provided. Since an adolescent's modesty should be
respected, the presence of the parents at the bedside should be a choice made by the
adolescent. An adolescent's ability to think abstractly engages problem-solving, therefore
the 14-year-old should be allowed to verbalize decisions about their care.
,A 14-year-old returns to the pediatric unit after corrective surgery for scoliosis. In the
immediate postoperative period, the nurse should include which action in this client's plan of
care? (Select all that apply.)
a. Record intake and output every 8 hours.
b. Elevate the head of the bed 30 degrees.
c. Assess bowel sounds every 4 hours.
d. Initiate a logrolling schedule every 2 hours.
e. Ambulate for 5 minutes, 12 hours postoperative.
f. Give morphine sulfate, 2 mg IV every 4 hours PRN. - CORRECT ANSWER - a. Record
intake and output every 8 hours.
c. Assess bowel sounds every 4 hours.
d. Initiate a logrolling schedule every 2 hours.
, f. Give morphine sulfate, 2 mg IV every 4 hours PRN.
Recording intake and output and assessing bowel sounds are critical when determining if the
body systems are recovering from the effects of anesthesia. Using a logrolling technique to
turn the client maintains spinal alignment postoperatively and prevents complications of
immobility. Since this is a painful surgery, the nurse should maintain pain control as
prescribed. The pain associated is not just due to the incisions of surgery, but also to the
manipulation and placement of the spinal hardware and muscular pain as the involved
muscles adjust to the corrective realignment of the spine. Following corrective surgery for
scoliosis, a client should be immobilized without spinal flexion for 24 to 48 hours, and then
ambulated by the physical therapist.
A 15-year-old girl tells the school nurse that she wants to have a baby. How should the nurse
respond?
a. "Will you be able to support the baby?"
because now he can grow to be as tall as his friends. What response is best for the nurse to
provide?
a. "You must remember that this treatment regimen is not always effective."
b. "Although being tall is important to you, remember there are far more important
characteristics than height."
c. You will grow with this medicine, and are likely to be taller than anyone in your family."
d. "Being taller is important to you and taking your injections will help achieve that goal." -
CORRECT ANSWER - d. "Being taller is important to you and taking your injections will help
achieve that goal."
,A 14-year-old is brought to the emergency department after a biking accident. How should
the nurse interact with the adolescent?
a. Furnish rewards for cooperation during procedures.
b. Have the parents remain with the adolescent at all times.
c. Provide clear explanations while encouraging questions.
d. Limit the number of choices to be made by the adolescent. - CORRECT ANSWER - c.
Provide clear explanations while encouraging questions.
Adolescents are capable of abstract thinking and understand explanations, so the
opportunity to ask questions should be provided. Since an adolescent's modesty should be
respected, the presence of the parents at the bedside should be a choice made by the
adolescent. An adolescent's ability to think abstractly engages problem-solving, therefore
the 14-year-old should be allowed to verbalize decisions about their care.
,A 14-year-old returns to the pediatric unit after corrective surgery for scoliosis. In the
immediate postoperative period, the nurse should include which action in this client's plan of
care? (Select all that apply.)
a. Record intake and output every 8 hours.
b. Elevate the head of the bed 30 degrees.
c. Assess bowel sounds every 4 hours.
d. Initiate a logrolling schedule every 2 hours.
e. Ambulate for 5 minutes, 12 hours postoperative.
f. Give morphine sulfate, 2 mg IV every 4 hours PRN. - CORRECT ANSWER - a. Record
intake and output every 8 hours.
c. Assess bowel sounds every 4 hours.
d. Initiate a logrolling schedule every 2 hours.
, f. Give morphine sulfate, 2 mg IV every 4 hours PRN.
Recording intake and output and assessing bowel sounds are critical when determining if the
body systems are recovering from the effects of anesthesia. Using a logrolling technique to
turn the client maintains spinal alignment postoperatively and prevents complications of
immobility. Since this is a painful surgery, the nurse should maintain pain control as
prescribed. The pain associated is not just due to the incisions of surgery, but also to the
manipulation and placement of the spinal hardware and muscular pain as the involved
muscles adjust to the corrective realignment of the spine. Following corrective surgery for
scoliosis, a client should be immobilized without spinal flexion for 24 to 48 hours, and then
ambulated by the physical therapist.
A 15-year-old girl tells the school nurse that she wants to have a baby. How should the nurse
respond?
a. "Will you be able to support the baby?"
