NR 228 Week 5: Clinical Nutrition & Therapeutic Diets
Additional Practice Questions
Topic 1: Therapeutic Diet Fundamentals
Q1. A nurse is caring for a patient newly diagnosed with dysphagia following a stroke. Which dietary
modification is most appropriate?
A) NPO status indefinitely until swallowing returns
B) Clear liquid diet to prevent aspiration
C) Thickened liquids and pureed or mechanically altered foods
D) High-fiber diet to promote bowel regularity
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Dysphagia management requires texture modification to reduce aspiration risk. Thickened
liquids slow swallowing and improve airway protection, while pureed or mechanically soft foods are
easier to control in the mouth. NPO is not appropriate long-term (A), clear liquids are actually high
aspiration risk due to thin consistency (B), and high fiber is irrelevant to swallowing safety (D). Additional
interventions include upright positioning (90 degrees), small bites, minimizing distractions, and allowing
adequate time for meals.
Q2. Which statement best describes the purpose of a therapeutic diet?
A) To promote rapid weight loss in obese patients
B) To restrict all nutrients that may worsen disease progression
C) A modification of a normal diet to meet the changing nutritional needs related to a specific
disease condition
D) To eliminate all foods that the patient dislikes
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A therapeutic diet is not about weight loss alone (A) or eliminating all potentially harmful
nutrients (B) — it is a tailored modification (quantitative or qualitative) of a basic nutritious diet to
address the body's altered ability to digest, absorb, metabolize, or excrete nutrients in the presence of
disease. Patient preferences are considered but not the primary driver (D).
, Topic 2: Cardiovascular Disease
Q3. A client with newly diagnosed hypertension asks the nurse about dietary changes. Which response
by the nurse is most accurate?
A) "You should follow a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet."
B) "The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and limits sodium to about 2,300
mg or less per day."
C) "A ketogenic diet is the first-line recommendation for lowering blood pressure."
D) "You only need to avoid adding salt at the table."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is the evidence-based, first-line
dietary therapy for hypertension. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-
fat dairy while reducing sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. Sodium restriction is comprehensive
— not just table salt (D) — and includes avoiding processed foods, canned goods, fast food, and
restaurant meals. Low-carb (A) and ketogenic (C) diets are not recommended for hypertension
management.
Q4. A nurse is educating a client with congestive heart failure (CHF) about dietary sodium restriction.
Which client statement indicates understanding?
A) "I can eat canned soups as long as I don't add extra salt."
B) "I should avoid processed cheese, canned vegetables, and fast food."
C) "A little soy sauce on my rice won't hurt my heart."
D) "Sea salt is healthier than table salt, so I can use more of it."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CHF management requires strict sodium restriction (typically <2,000 mg/day) to reduce fluid
retention and decrease cardiac workload. Processed cheese, canned vegetables, fast food, snack foods,
soy sauce, and deli meats are all high in hidden sodium and must be avoided. Sea salt and table salt
contain comparable sodium content (D). Canned soups are extremely high in sodium even without
added salt (A).
Additional Practice Questions
Topic 1: Therapeutic Diet Fundamentals
Q1. A nurse is caring for a patient newly diagnosed with dysphagia following a stroke. Which dietary
modification is most appropriate?
A) NPO status indefinitely until swallowing returns
B) Clear liquid diet to prevent aspiration
C) Thickened liquids and pureed or mechanically altered foods
D) High-fiber diet to promote bowel regularity
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Dysphagia management requires texture modification to reduce aspiration risk. Thickened
liquids slow swallowing and improve airway protection, while pureed or mechanically soft foods are
easier to control in the mouth. NPO is not appropriate long-term (A), clear liquids are actually high
aspiration risk due to thin consistency (B), and high fiber is irrelevant to swallowing safety (D). Additional
interventions include upright positioning (90 degrees), small bites, minimizing distractions, and allowing
adequate time for meals.
Q2. Which statement best describes the purpose of a therapeutic diet?
A) To promote rapid weight loss in obese patients
B) To restrict all nutrients that may worsen disease progression
C) A modification of a normal diet to meet the changing nutritional needs related to a specific
disease condition
D) To eliminate all foods that the patient dislikes
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A therapeutic diet is not about weight loss alone (A) or eliminating all potentially harmful
nutrients (B) — it is a tailored modification (quantitative or qualitative) of a basic nutritious diet to
address the body's altered ability to digest, absorb, metabolize, or excrete nutrients in the presence of
disease. Patient preferences are considered but not the primary driver (D).
, Topic 2: Cardiovascular Disease
Q3. A client with newly diagnosed hypertension asks the nurse about dietary changes. Which response
by the nurse is most accurate?
A) "You should follow a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet."
B) "The DASH diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and limits sodium to about 2,300
mg or less per day."
C) "A ketogenic diet is the first-line recommendation for lowering blood pressure."
D) "You only need to avoid adding salt at the table."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is the evidence-based, first-line
dietary therapy for hypertension. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-
fat dairy while reducing sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. Sodium restriction is comprehensive
— not just table salt (D) — and includes avoiding processed foods, canned goods, fast food, and
restaurant meals. Low-carb (A) and ketogenic (C) diets are not recommended for hypertension
management.
Q4. A nurse is educating a client with congestive heart failure (CHF) about dietary sodium restriction.
Which client statement indicates understanding?
A) "I can eat canned soups as long as I don't add extra salt."
B) "I should avoid processed cheese, canned vegetables, and fast food."
C) "A little soy sauce on my rice won't hurt my heart."
D) "Sea salt is healthier than table salt, so I can use more of it."
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CHF management requires strict sodium restriction (typically <2,000 mg/day) to reduce fluid
retention and decrease cardiac workload. Processed cheese, canned vegetables, fast food, snack foods,
soy sauce, and deli meats are all high in hidden sodium and must be avoided. Sea salt and table salt
contain comparable sodium content (D). Canned soups are extremely high in sodium even without
added salt (A).
