What's that Symptom?
A patient reports a "crawling" skin sensation and intense itching, especially at night. What is the most likely symptom?
Answer: What is pruritus (itching)?
Rationale: Pruritus can present with tingling/crawling sensations and is often worse at night.
A post-op patient is anxious and hyperventilating. What should the nurse assess first?
Answer: What is oxygen saturation?Rationale: Hyperventilation may cause hypoxia or alkalosis; pulse ox helps assess severity.
What tool is best for assessing generalized anxiety in adults?
Answer: What is the GAD-7 scale?
Rationale: GAD-7 is a validated screening tool for generalized anxiety disorder.
What Tier 1 body-based therapy can reduce anxiety symptoms?
Answer: What is deep breathing?
Rationale: Deep breathing helps reduce sympathetic nervous system arousal.
A patient is started on Zoloft (sertraline) for anxiety. What education should be provided?
Answer: What is “It may take 2–4 weeks to become fully effective”?
Rationale: SSRIs require time for therapeutic onset.
A patient with anxiety presents with increased HR, rapid breathing, muscle tension, and nausea. These are:
A) Cognitive symptoms
B) Physical symptoms
C) Psychological symptoms
D) Unrelated to anxiety
Answer: What is B) Physical symptoms?
Rationale: These reflect physiologic responses to sympathetic activation during anxiety.
Which patient should the nurse see first?
A) Nausea with normal vitals
B) Severe itching with excoriations
C) Pale, vomiting patient post-chemo
D) Complains of ear ringing after loud concert
Answer: What is C) Pale, vomiting patient post-chemo?
Rationale: Chemotherapy-induced nausea can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.
What is the priority assessment before applying a topical corticosteroid for itching?
Answer: What is evaluate the integrity and condition of the skin?
Rationale: Assess for open wounds or infections before applying steroids.
A patient has nausea and prefers a non-pharmacologic approach. What Tier 1 option could the nurse suggest?
Answer: What is ginger tea or ginger candy?
Rationale: Ginger is a well-tolerated natural antiemetic for mild nausea.
A patient is taking lorazepam (Ativan) for panic attacks. What risk should the nurse monitor for?
Answer: What is dependence and sedation?
Rationale: Benzodiazepines carry addiction and CNS depression risks.
A patient in the PACU is withdrawn, pale, and has no appetite. What symptom is most likely?
Answer: What is nausea?
Rationale: Objective signs of nausea include pallor, withdrawal, and anorexia.
A patient post-cataract surgery reports sudden “curtain over vision.” What’s the priority action?
Answer: What is notify the provider immediately?
Rationale: This suggests retinal detachment, a vision-threatening emergency.
What should the nurse include in discharge teaching after cataract surgery? (Select all that apply)
A) Avoid lifting
B) Lie flat to sleep
C) Wear eye protection
D) Use prescribed drops
Answer: What are A, C, and D?
Rationale: Patients must avoid strain, protect the eye, and use medication as directed. Lying flat is discouraged.
What complementary technique helps psychogenic itching and involves focused visualization?
Answer: What is guided imagery?
Rationale: Guided imagery can help reduce itch perception in psychosomatic cases.
What medication is commonly used for chemo-induced nausea and is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist?
Answer: What is ondansetron (Zofran)?
Rationale: Zofran is a first-line antiemetic for chemo or surgical nausea.
A patient describes pain from a simple light touch. What is the term for this?
Answer: What is allodynia?
Rationale: Allodynia is pain from a non-painful stimulus, often seen in chronic pain.
A patient with anxiety is pacing and tremulous. What is the best initial nursing action?
Answer: What is remove environmental triggers and engage in calming techniques?
Rationale: Reducing stimuli helps de-escalate anxiety before pharmacologic interventions.
A nurse is using the PQRST method. What does “P” stand for?
Answer: What is Provocation/Palliation?
Rationale: P = what makes pain better or worse. Part of systematic pain assessment.
A patient with vertigo is on safety precautions. What is a non-pharmacologic strategy the nurse can teach?
Answer: What is to limit movement and reduce visual/auditory stimuli?
Rationale: Reducing sensory input minimizes vertigo triggers.
A patient is prescribed diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for itching. What side effect should be emphasized?
Answer: What is drowsiness?
Rationale: First-generation antihistamines commonly cause sedation.
A patient reports hearing ringing and buzzing noises, especially in quiet rooms.
Answer: What is tinnitus?
Rationale: Tinnitus is a perception of sound without external stimuli, often associated with hearing loss.
A patient taking opioids for post-op pain is extremely itchy but has no rash or hives. What is the nurse’s priority?
Answer: What is assess for opioid-induced pruritus and consider antihistamine?
Rationale: Pruritus is a common opioid side effect; manage without stopping pain control if safe.
What is the priority nursing action during the “time-out” phase of surgery?
Answer: What is verify the correct patient, procedure, and site?
Rationale: “Time-out” prevents wrong-site/wrong-procedure errors.
What is the purpose of incentive spirometry in post-op care?
Answer: What is to prevent atelectasis and promote lung expansion?
Rationale: IS improves ventilation and reduces respiratory complications.
A post-op patient on morphine receives naloxone. What is the priority nursing action afterward?
Answer: What is monitor respiratory rate and pain level closely?
Rationale: Naloxone reverses both analgesia and respiratory depression. Monitor for recurrence.