CLEX-PN® Review: Comprehensive Practice Questions
N
with Rationales for Nursing Students
his document contains 30 nursing practice questions covering
T
key topics for the NCLEX-PN exam, includingmedical-surgical,
pediatric,maternity,mental health, andpharmacology. Each
question includes the correct answer and a detailed rationale to
explain the reasoning, making it an excellent study resource.
1 . The parent of a preschooler with chickenpox asks the nurse about
measures to make the child comfortable. The nurse instructs the parent
to avoid administering aspirin or any other product that contains
salicylates. When given to children with chickenpox, aspirin has been
linked to which disorder?
. Guillain-Barré syndrome
1
2. Rheumatic fever
3. Reye's syndrome
4. Scarlet fever
,Correct Answer:3
ATIONALES:Research shows a correlation between the use of aspirin during
R
chickenpox and the development ofReye's syndrome(a disorder
characterized by brain and liver toxicity). Therefore, the nurse should instruct
the parents to avoid administering aspirin or other products that contain
salicylates and to consult the physician or pharmacist before administering any
medication to a child with chickenpox. No research has found a link between
aspirin use, chickenpox, and the development of Guillain-Barré syndrome,
rheumatic fever, or scarlet fever.
. A client is to have an epidural block to relieve labor pain. The nurse
2
anticipates that the anesthesiologist will inject the anesthetic agent into
the:
. subarachnoid space.
1
2. area between the subarachnoid space and the dura mater.
3. area between the dura mater and the ligamentum flavum.
4. ligamentum flavum.
Correct Answer:3
ATIONALES:For an epidural block, the nurse should anticipate that the
R
anesthesiologist will inject a local anesthetic agent into theepidural space,
located between the dura mater and the ligamentum flavum in the lumbar
region of the spinal column. When administering a spinal block, the
anesthesiologist injects the anesthetic agent into the subarachnoid space. The
ligamentum flavum and the area between the subarachnoid space and the dura
mater are inappropriate injection sites.
. The physician prescribes penicillin potassium oral suspension 56
3
mg/kg/day in four divided doses for a client with anorexia nervosa who
weighs 25 kg. The medication dispensed by the pharmacy contains a
dosage strength of 125 mg/5 ml. How many milliliters of solution should
the nurse administer with each dose?
,Correct Answer:14 mL
RATIONALES:
1. Calculate the total daily dosage:
25 kg×56 mg/kg=1,400 mg/day
2. Divide the daily dosage by the number of doses per day:
1,400 mg÷4 doses=350 mg/dose
3. Calculate the volume for each dose using the medication's concentration:
125 mg5 mL=350 mgX mL
125X=5×350
125X=1750
X=14 mL
. The nurse must irrigate a gaping abdominal incision with sterile normal
4
saline, using a piston syringe. How should the nurse proceed?
1. Irrigate continuously until the solution becomes clear or all of the solution
has been used.
2. Moisten the area around the wound with normal saline after the irrigation.
3. Apply a wet-to-dry dressing to the wound after the irrigation.
4. Rapidly instill a stream of irrigating solution into the wound.
Correct Answer:1
ATIONALES:To wash away tissue debris and drainage effectively, the nurse
R
shouldirrigate the wound until the solution becomes clearor all of the
solution has been used. After the irrigation, the nurse should dry the area
around the wound; moistening it promotes microorganism growth and skin
irritation. When the area is dry, the nurse should apply a sterile dressing, rather
than a wet-to-dry dressing. The nurse always should instill the irrigating
solution gently; rapid or forceful instillation can damage tissues.
. As an adolescent is receiving care, he's inadvertently injured with a
5
warm compress. The nurse completes an incident report based on the
knowledge that identification of which of the following is a goal of the
report?
, . To reprimand the involved staff members for their actions
1
2. To identify the learning needs of staff to prevent incident recurrences
3. To reprimand the nurse-manager responsible for the unit
4. To hold people accountable for their actions
Correct Answer:2
ATIONALES:The purpose of an incident report is threefold: toidentify ways
R
to prevent incident recurrences, to identify patterns of care problems, and to
identify facts surrounding each incident. Incident reports aren't used to hold
people accountable for their actions, to punish those involved in the incident,
or to punish the nurse-manager responsible for the unit.
. As a client progresses through pregnancy, she develops constipation.
6
What is the primary cause of this problem during pregnancy?
. Decreased appetite
1
2. Inadequate fluid intake
3. Prolonged gastric emptying
4. Reduced intestinal motility
Correct Answer:4
ATIONALES:During pregnancy, hormonal changes and mechanical pressure
R
reduce motility in the small intestine, enhancing water absorption and
promoting constipation. Although decreased appetite, inadequate fluid intake,
and prolonged gastric emptying may contribute to constipation, they aren't the
primary cause.
. An adolescent with type 1 diabetes mellitus is experiencing a growth
7
spurt. Which treatment approach would be most effective for this client?
. Administering insulin once per day
1
2. Administering multiple doses of insulin
3. Limiting dietary fat intake
4. Substituting an oral antidiabetic agent for insulin
N
with Rationales for Nursing Students
his document contains 30 nursing practice questions covering
T
key topics for the NCLEX-PN exam, includingmedical-surgical,
pediatric,maternity,mental health, andpharmacology. Each
question includes the correct answer and a detailed rationale to
explain the reasoning, making it an excellent study resource.
1 . The parent of a preschooler with chickenpox asks the nurse about
measures to make the child comfortable. The nurse instructs the parent
to avoid administering aspirin or any other product that contains
salicylates. When given to children with chickenpox, aspirin has been
linked to which disorder?
. Guillain-Barré syndrome
1
2. Rheumatic fever
3. Reye's syndrome
4. Scarlet fever
,Correct Answer:3
ATIONALES:Research shows a correlation between the use of aspirin during
R
chickenpox and the development ofReye's syndrome(a disorder
characterized by brain and liver toxicity). Therefore, the nurse should instruct
the parents to avoid administering aspirin or other products that contain
salicylates and to consult the physician or pharmacist before administering any
medication to a child with chickenpox. No research has found a link between
aspirin use, chickenpox, and the development of Guillain-Barré syndrome,
rheumatic fever, or scarlet fever.
. A client is to have an epidural block to relieve labor pain. The nurse
2
anticipates that the anesthesiologist will inject the anesthetic agent into
the:
. subarachnoid space.
1
2. area between the subarachnoid space and the dura mater.
3. area between the dura mater and the ligamentum flavum.
4. ligamentum flavum.
Correct Answer:3
ATIONALES:For an epidural block, the nurse should anticipate that the
R
anesthesiologist will inject a local anesthetic agent into theepidural space,
located between the dura mater and the ligamentum flavum in the lumbar
region of the spinal column. When administering a spinal block, the
anesthesiologist injects the anesthetic agent into the subarachnoid space. The
ligamentum flavum and the area between the subarachnoid space and the dura
mater are inappropriate injection sites.
. The physician prescribes penicillin potassium oral suspension 56
3
mg/kg/day in four divided doses for a client with anorexia nervosa who
weighs 25 kg. The medication dispensed by the pharmacy contains a
dosage strength of 125 mg/5 ml. How many milliliters of solution should
the nurse administer with each dose?
,Correct Answer:14 mL
RATIONALES:
1. Calculate the total daily dosage:
25 kg×56 mg/kg=1,400 mg/day
2. Divide the daily dosage by the number of doses per day:
1,400 mg÷4 doses=350 mg/dose
3. Calculate the volume for each dose using the medication's concentration:
125 mg5 mL=350 mgX mL
125X=5×350
125X=1750
X=14 mL
. The nurse must irrigate a gaping abdominal incision with sterile normal
4
saline, using a piston syringe. How should the nurse proceed?
1. Irrigate continuously until the solution becomes clear or all of the solution
has been used.
2. Moisten the area around the wound with normal saline after the irrigation.
3. Apply a wet-to-dry dressing to the wound after the irrigation.
4. Rapidly instill a stream of irrigating solution into the wound.
Correct Answer:1
ATIONALES:To wash away tissue debris and drainage effectively, the nurse
R
shouldirrigate the wound until the solution becomes clearor all of the
solution has been used. After the irrigation, the nurse should dry the area
around the wound; moistening it promotes microorganism growth and skin
irritation. When the area is dry, the nurse should apply a sterile dressing, rather
than a wet-to-dry dressing. The nurse always should instill the irrigating
solution gently; rapid or forceful instillation can damage tissues.
. As an adolescent is receiving care, he's inadvertently injured with a
5
warm compress. The nurse completes an incident report based on the
knowledge that identification of which of the following is a goal of the
report?
, . To reprimand the involved staff members for their actions
1
2. To identify the learning needs of staff to prevent incident recurrences
3. To reprimand the nurse-manager responsible for the unit
4. To hold people accountable for their actions
Correct Answer:2
ATIONALES:The purpose of an incident report is threefold: toidentify ways
R
to prevent incident recurrences, to identify patterns of care problems, and to
identify facts surrounding each incident. Incident reports aren't used to hold
people accountable for their actions, to punish those involved in the incident,
or to punish the nurse-manager responsible for the unit.
. As a client progresses through pregnancy, she develops constipation.
6
What is the primary cause of this problem during pregnancy?
. Decreased appetite
1
2. Inadequate fluid intake
3. Prolonged gastric emptying
4. Reduced intestinal motility
Correct Answer:4
ATIONALES:During pregnancy, hormonal changes and mechanical pressure
R
reduce motility in the small intestine, enhancing water absorption and
promoting constipation. Although decreased appetite, inadequate fluid intake,
and prolonged gastric emptying may contribute to constipation, they aren't the
primary cause.
. An adolescent with type 1 diabetes mellitus is experiencing a growth
7
spurt. Which treatment approach would be most effective for this client?
. Administering insulin once per day
1
2. Administering multiple doses of insulin
3. Limiting dietary fat intake
4. Substituting an oral antidiabetic agent for insulin
