ATI RN Predictor Study Guide
1.Addison's Disease
- Is an endocrine disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce
enough of the hormone cortisol and in some cases, the hormone aldosterone.
- The disease is characterized by weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, low BP
and hyperpigmentation (darkening) of the skin in both exposed and non-exposed
parts of the body.
2.Common symptoms of Addison's Disease
- Weight loss
- Hyperpigmentation
- Weakness/fatigue
- Low BP
- Loss of Body hair
3.Cushing's Disease
- S/S: Hirsutism (excessive hair), moon face, purple striatum (typically in the skin
of the abdomen, thighs or breast), thin extremities, buffalo hump
4.Testing for TB
- A Mantoux skin test is the most accurate and valuable screening tool available
for TB. A positive result means only that the client has been exposed to TB; it does
not meant that the client has active TB.
- A sputum culture for acid fast bacillus (AFB) is used to confirm the diagnosis of
pulmonary TB after a screening test and chest x-ray come back positive.
5.Teaching instructions for the use of a cane:
(1) The cane is moved forward about 12 inches
(2) Then, the weak leg is moved even with the cane.
(3) Finally, the strong leg is brought forward and ahead of the cane and weak leg.
- Canes are held on the strong side
- The grip of the cane should be level with the trochanter of the femur
,6.Veracity
- Is truthfulness. This is the value that requires the nurse to tell the truth to every
client and to make sure that the client fully understands the message.
7.Autonomy
- Is the right to independence and personal freedom, which leads to the primacy
of self-determination
8.Fidelity
- Is the duty to keep promises. It refers to the obligation to be faithful to
agreements, commitments and responsibilities that are made.
9.Nonmaleficence
- Is the obligation and duty to do no harm.
10.Meningococcal vaccine
- Recommended that this vaccine be given to children who are 11 through 12
years of age and then given a booster dose at age 16.
11.When should the single dose of Herpes zoster vaccine be given?
- To adults 60 years or older whether or not they report a previous episode of
herpes zoster.
12.Rotavirus should be given at what age?
- During the child's first year of life.
Alendronate (Fosamax)
- This medication is used to prevent and treat postmenopausal osteoporosis and
Paget's Disease.
- Alendronate must be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
- The pt must be instructed to wait at least 30 minutes after taking Alendronate
before eating, drinking, or taking other medications.
What to expect with a pt having a chest tube?
,- Continuous gentle bubbling in the suction control chamber
- Crepitus (with a pneumothorax, this will persist for several hours depending)
- Oscillations or also called tidaling in the water seal chamber upon respiration are
also expected.
Symptoms of hypocalcemia
- Numbness and tingling in the hands, soles of the feet and around the lips.
- A nurse would assess the client for a positive reaction by eliciting the Chvostek's
sign.
What is a potential complication of a thyroidectomy?
- Hypocalcemia, which can include numbness and tingling in the hands, soles of
the feet and around the lips.
What assessment tool would a nurse use to determine hypocalcemia?
- Chvostek's sign
What is Chvostek's sign? And how is it done?
Tap on the pt's face at a point just anterior to the ear and just below the
zygomatic bone. A positive response would be twitching of the ipsilateral (same
side only) facial muscles, suggestive of neuromuscular excitability caused by
hypocalcemia.
Brudzinski's sign
- Is an indication of meningeal irritation, which may be positive with pt's with
meningitis.
- To perform this, the client needs to be supine. The nurse places one hand
behind the pt's head and places the other hand on the clients chest. The nurse
then raises the clients head (with the hand behind the head) while the hand on
the chest restrains the clients and prevents the client from rising. Flexion of the
clients lower extremities constitutes a positive sign.
Kernig's sign
- Is an indication of meningeal irritation. The maneuver is usually performed with
the client supine with hips and knees in flexion. Extension of the knees is
, attempted and the inability to extend the clients knee beyond 135 degrees w/out
causing pain constitutes a positive test.
Babinski sign
- This is used to test for brain damage or upper motor neuron damage. It is
considered positive if the toes flare up upon stroking the plantar aspect of the
foot.
Cataract surgery discharge instructions
- Do not lift anything heavier than 10lbs for at least one week
- Sleep on your back or unaffected side to lessen the pressure.
- Need to report any pain, decrease in vision or increase in discharge in the eye.
- It is normal to feel itching and mild discomfort after surgery, but the pt should
be instructed not to rub or place pressure on the eye.
Exposure or possible exposure to anthrax
- Administer an antibiotic prophylaxis to all pt's newly exposed
*Those exposed to anthrax do not require decontamination and are not
considered contagious*
Botulism treatment
- Give an antitoxin
Why would lidocaine (Xylocaine) be given to someone following cardiac arrest?
- Lidocaine is an antiarrhythmic med that is commonly used to restore a regular
heartbeat in a client who has arrhythmia. This effect is produced by delaying
abnormal nerve pulses to the heart and reducing irritability of the heart tissue.
Factors that can trigger an exacerbation of SLE?
- Infection (especially a strep or viral infection. This can be a major stressor and
can trigger an exacerbation)
- Pregnancy (due to hormonal changes. The pt should be advised of the risks and
must be monitored closely for effects on the renal and cardiovascular system if
she decides to get pregnant)
- Sunlight (Exposure to sunlight and artificial UV light is the leading cause of SLE
1.Addison's Disease
- Is an endocrine disorder that occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce
enough of the hormone cortisol and in some cases, the hormone aldosterone.
- The disease is characterized by weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, low BP
and hyperpigmentation (darkening) of the skin in both exposed and non-exposed
parts of the body.
2.Common symptoms of Addison's Disease
- Weight loss
- Hyperpigmentation
- Weakness/fatigue
- Low BP
- Loss of Body hair
3.Cushing's Disease
- S/S: Hirsutism (excessive hair), moon face, purple striatum (typically in the skin
of the abdomen, thighs or breast), thin extremities, buffalo hump
4.Testing for TB
- A Mantoux skin test is the most accurate and valuable screening tool available
for TB. A positive result means only that the client has been exposed to TB; it does
not meant that the client has active TB.
- A sputum culture for acid fast bacillus (AFB) is used to confirm the diagnosis of
pulmonary TB after a screening test and chest x-ray come back positive.
5.Teaching instructions for the use of a cane:
(1) The cane is moved forward about 12 inches
(2) Then, the weak leg is moved even with the cane.
(3) Finally, the strong leg is brought forward and ahead of the cane and weak leg.
- Canes are held on the strong side
- The grip of the cane should be level with the trochanter of the femur
,6.Veracity
- Is truthfulness. This is the value that requires the nurse to tell the truth to every
client and to make sure that the client fully understands the message.
7.Autonomy
- Is the right to independence and personal freedom, which leads to the primacy
of self-determination
8.Fidelity
- Is the duty to keep promises. It refers to the obligation to be faithful to
agreements, commitments and responsibilities that are made.
9.Nonmaleficence
- Is the obligation and duty to do no harm.
10.Meningococcal vaccine
- Recommended that this vaccine be given to children who are 11 through 12
years of age and then given a booster dose at age 16.
11.When should the single dose of Herpes zoster vaccine be given?
- To adults 60 years or older whether or not they report a previous episode of
herpes zoster.
12.Rotavirus should be given at what age?
- During the child's first year of life.
Alendronate (Fosamax)
- This medication is used to prevent and treat postmenopausal osteoporosis and
Paget's Disease.
- Alendronate must be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
- The pt must be instructed to wait at least 30 minutes after taking Alendronate
before eating, drinking, or taking other medications.
What to expect with a pt having a chest tube?
,- Continuous gentle bubbling in the suction control chamber
- Crepitus (with a pneumothorax, this will persist for several hours depending)
- Oscillations or also called tidaling in the water seal chamber upon respiration are
also expected.
Symptoms of hypocalcemia
- Numbness and tingling in the hands, soles of the feet and around the lips.
- A nurse would assess the client for a positive reaction by eliciting the Chvostek's
sign.
What is a potential complication of a thyroidectomy?
- Hypocalcemia, which can include numbness and tingling in the hands, soles of
the feet and around the lips.
What assessment tool would a nurse use to determine hypocalcemia?
- Chvostek's sign
What is Chvostek's sign? And how is it done?
Tap on the pt's face at a point just anterior to the ear and just below the
zygomatic bone. A positive response would be twitching of the ipsilateral (same
side only) facial muscles, suggestive of neuromuscular excitability caused by
hypocalcemia.
Brudzinski's sign
- Is an indication of meningeal irritation, which may be positive with pt's with
meningitis.
- To perform this, the client needs to be supine. The nurse places one hand
behind the pt's head and places the other hand on the clients chest. The nurse
then raises the clients head (with the hand behind the head) while the hand on
the chest restrains the clients and prevents the client from rising. Flexion of the
clients lower extremities constitutes a positive sign.
Kernig's sign
- Is an indication of meningeal irritation. The maneuver is usually performed with
the client supine with hips and knees in flexion. Extension of the knees is
, attempted and the inability to extend the clients knee beyond 135 degrees w/out
causing pain constitutes a positive test.
Babinski sign
- This is used to test for brain damage or upper motor neuron damage. It is
considered positive if the toes flare up upon stroking the plantar aspect of the
foot.
Cataract surgery discharge instructions
- Do not lift anything heavier than 10lbs for at least one week
- Sleep on your back or unaffected side to lessen the pressure.
- Need to report any pain, decrease in vision or increase in discharge in the eye.
- It is normal to feel itching and mild discomfort after surgery, but the pt should
be instructed not to rub or place pressure on the eye.
Exposure or possible exposure to anthrax
- Administer an antibiotic prophylaxis to all pt's newly exposed
*Those exposed to anthrax do not require decontamination and are not
considered contagious*
Botulism treatment
- Give an antitoxin
Why would lidocaine (Xylocaine) be given to someone following cardiac arrest?
- Lidocaine is an antiarrhythmic med that is commonly used to restore a regular
heartbeat in a client who has arrhythmia. This effect is produced by delaying
abnormal nerve pulses to the heart and reducing irritability of the heart tissue.
Factors that can trigger an exacerbation of SLE?
- Infection (especially a strep or viral infection. This can be a major stressor and
can trigger an exacerbation)
- Pregnancy (due to hormonal changes. The pt should be advised of the risks and
must be monitored closely for effects on the renal and cardiovascular system if
she decides to get pregnant)
- Sunlight (Exposure to sunlight and artificial UV light is the leading cause of SLE
