Question 1

A 56-yr-old patient who has no previous history of hypertension or other health problems suddenly develops a blood pressure (BP)of 198/110 mm Hg. After reconfirming the BP,it is appropriate for the nurse to tell the patient that

Accepted Answer

A)  a BP recheck should be scheduled in a few weeks.
B)  dietary sodium and fat content should be decreased.
C)  diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing monitoring will be needed.
D)  there is an immediate danger of a stroke, requiring hospitalization. C

Question 2

The nurse has just finished teaching a hypertensive patient about the newly prescribed drug,ramipril (Altace). Which patient statement indicates that more teaching is needed?

Accepted Answer

A)  "The medication may not work well if I take aspirin."
B)  "I can expect some swelling around my lips and face."
C)  "The doctor may order a blood potassium level occasionally."
D)  "I will call the doctor if I notice that I have a frequent cough." B

Question 3

A patient has just been diagnosed with hypertension and has been started on captopril . Which information is most important to include when teaching the patient about this drug?

Accepted Answer

A)  Include high-potassium foods such as bananas in the diet.
B)  Increase fluid intake if dryness of the mouth is a problem.
C)  Change position slowly to help prevent dizziness and falls.
D)  Check blood pressure (BP)  in both arms before taking the drug. C

Question 4

The nurse is reviewing the laboratory test results for a patient who has recently been diagnosed with hypertension. Which result is most important to communicate to the health care provider?

Accepted Answer

A)  Serum creatinine of 2.8 mg/dL
B)  Serum potassium of 4.5 mEq/L
C)  Serum hemoglobin of 14.7 g/dL
D)  Blood glucose level of 96 mg/dL

Question 5

Which action will the nurse in the hypertension clinic take to obtain an accurate baseline blood pressure (BP)for a new patient?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deflate the BP cuff at a rate of 5 to 10 mm Hg per second.
B)  Have the patient sit in a chair with the feet flat on the floor.
C)  Assist the patient to the supine position for BP measurements.
D)  Obtain two BP readings in the dominant arm and average the results.

Question 6

Which assessment finding for a patient who is receiving IV furosemide (Lasix)to treat stage 2 hypertension is most important to report to the health care provider?

Accepted Answer

A)  Blood glucose level of 175 mg/dL
B)  Serum potassium level of 3.0 mEq/L
C)  Orthostatic systolic BP decrease of 12 mm Hg
D)  Most recent blood pressure (BP)  reading of 168/94 mm Hg

Question 7

The nurse on the intermediate care unit received change-of-shift report on four patients with hypertension. Which patient should the nurse assess first?

Accepted Answer

A)  48-yr-old with a blood pressure of 160/92 mm Hg who reports chest pain
B)  52-yr-old with a blood pressure of 198/90 mm Hg who has intermittent claudication
C)  50-yr-old with a blood pressure of 190/104 mm Hg who has a creatinine of 1.7 mg/dL
D)  43-yr-old with a blood pressure of 172/98 mm Hg whose urine shows microalbuminuria

Question 8

Which action will be included in the plan of care when the nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving nicardipine (Cardene)to treat a hypertensive emergency?

Accepted Answer

A)  Organize nursing activities so that the patient has undisturbed sleep for 8 hours at night.
B)  Keep the patient NPO to prevent aspiration caused by nausea and possible vomiting.
C)  Assist the patient up in the chair for meals to avoid complications associated with immobility.
D)  Use an automated noninvasive blood pressure machine to obtain frequent measurements.

Question 9

The nurse obtains a blood pressure of 176/82 mm Hg for a patient. What is the patient's mean arterial pressure (MAP)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse obtains a blood pressure of...

Question 10

The nurse obtains the following information from a patient newly diagnosed with prehypertension. Which finding is most important to address with the patient?

Accepted Answer

A)  Low dietary fiber intake
B)  No regular physical exercise
C)  Drinks a beer with dinner every night
D)  Weight is 5 pounds above ideal weight

Question 11

Which information is most important for the nurse to include when teaching a patient with newly diagnosed hypertension?

Accepted Answer

A)  Most people are able to control BP through dietary changes.
B)  Annual BP checks are needed to monitor treatment effectiveness.
C)  Hypertension is usually asymptomatic until target organ damage occurs.
D)  Increasing physical activity alone controls blood pressure (BP)  for most people.

Question 12

The charge nurse observes a new registered nurse (RN)doing discharge teaching for a patient with hypertension who has a new prescription for enalapril (Vasotec). The charge nurse will need to intervene if the new RN tells the patient to

Accepted Answer

A)  increase the dietary intake of high-potassium foods.
B)  make an appointment with the dietitian for teaching.
C)  check the blood pressure (BP)  at home at least once a day.
D)  move slowly when moving from lying to sitting to standing.

Question 13

The nurse is assessing a patient who has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU)with a hypertensive emergency. Which finding is most important to report to the health care provider?

Accepted Answer

A)  Urine output over 8 hours is 250 mL less than the fluid intake.
B)  The patient cannot move the left arm and leg when asked to do so.
C)  Tremors are noted in the fingers when the patient extends the arms.
D)  The patient complains of a headache with pain at level 7 of 10 (0 to 10 scale) .

Question 14

A patient with hypertension who has just started taking atenolol (Tenormin)returns to the health clinic after 2 weeks for a follow-up visit. The blood pressure (BP)is unchanged from the previous visit. Which action should the nurse take first?

Accepted Answer

A)  Tell the patient why a change in drug dosage is needed.
B)  Ask the patient if the medication is being taken as prescribed.
C)  Inform the patient that multiple drugs are often needed to treat hypertension.
D)  Question the patient regarding any lifestyle changes made to help control BP.

Question 15

An older patient has been diagnosed with possible white coat hypertension. Which planned action by the nurse best addresses the suspected cause of the hypertension?

Accepted Answer

A)  Instruct the patient about the need to decrease stress levels.
B)  Teach the patient how to self-monitor and record BPs at home.
C)  Schedule the patient for regular blood pressure (BP)  checks in the clinic.
D)  Inform the patient and caregiver that major dietary changes will be needed.

Question 16

Which blood pressure (BP)finding by the nurse indicates that no changes in therapy are needed for a 48-yr-old patient with newly diagnosed hypertension?

Accepted Answer

A)  98/56 mm Hg
B)  128/76 mm Hg
C)  128/92 mm Hg
D)  142/78 mm Hg

Question 17

The registered nurse (RN)is caring for a patient with a hypertensive crisis who is receiving sodium nitroprusside . Which nursing action can the nurse delegate to an experienced licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN)?

Accepted Answer

A)  Evaluate effectiveness of nitroprusside therapy on blood pressure (BP) .
B)  Assess the patient's environment for adverse stimuli that might increase BP.
C)  Titrate nitroprusside to decrease mean arterial pressure (MAP)  to 115 mm Hg.
D)  Set up the automatic noninvasive BP machine to take readings every 15 minutes.

Question 18

Which nursing action should the nurse take first to assist a patient with newly diagnosed stage 1 hypertension in making needed dietary changes?

Accepted Answer

A)  Collect a detailed diet history.
B)  Provide a list of low-sodium foods.
C)  Help the patient make an appointment with a dietitian.
D)  Teach the patient about foods that are high in potassium.

Question 19

After the nurse teaches the patient with stage 1 hypertension about diet modifications that should be implemented,which diet choice indicates that the teaching has been most effective?

Accepted Answer

A)  The patient avoids eating nuts or nut butters.
B)  The patient restricts intake of chicken and fish.
C)  The patient drinks low-fat milk with each meal.
D)  The patient has two cups of coffee in the morning.

Question 20

Which action should the nurse take when giving the initial dose of oral labetalol to a patient with hypertension?

Accepted Answer

A)  Encourage the use of hard candy to prevent dry mouth.
B)  Teach the patient that headaches often occur with this drug.
C)  Instruct the patient to call for help if heart palpitations occur.
D)  Ask the patient to request assistance before getting out of bed.

Exam 32: Hypertension

A 56-yr-old patient who has no previous history of hypertension or other health problems suddenly develops a blood pressure (BP) of 198/110 mm Hg. After reconfirming the BP,it is appropriate for the nurse to tell the patient that

The nurse has just finished teaching a hypertensive patient about the newly prescribed drug,ramipril (Altace) . Which patient statement indicates that more teaching is needed?

A patient has just been diagnosed with hypertension and has been started on captopril . Which information is most important to include when teaching the patient about this drug?

The nurse is reviewing the laboratory test results for a patient who has recently been diagnosed with hypertension. Which result is most important to communicate to the health care provider?

Which action will the nurse in the hypertension clinic take to obtain an accurate baseline blood pressure (BP) for a new patient?

Which assessment finding for a patient who is receiving IV furosemide (Lasix) to treat stage 2 hypertension is most important to report to the health care provider?

The nurse on the intermediate care unit received change-of-shift report on four patients with hypertension. Which patient should the nurse assess first?

Which action will be included in the plan of care when the nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving nicardipine (Cardene) to treat a hypertensive emergency?

The nurse obtains a blood pressure of 176/82 mm Hg for a patient. What is the patient's mean arterial pressure (MAP)?

The nurse obtains the following information from a patient newly diagnosed with prehypertension. Which finding is most important to address with the patient?

Which information is most important for the nurse to include when teaching a patient with newly diagnosed hypertension?

The charge nurse observes a new registered nurse (RN) doing discharge teaching for a patient with hypertension who has a new prescription for enalapril (Vasotec) . The charge nurse will need to intervene if the new RN tells the patient to

The nurse is assessing a patient who has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a hypertensive emergency. Which finding is most important to report to the health care provider?

A patient with hypertension who has just started taking atenolol (Tenormin) returns to the health clinic after 2 weeks for a follow-up visit. The blood pressure (BP) is unchanged from the previous visit. Which action should the nurse take first?

An older patient has been diagnosed with possible white coat hypertension. Which planned action by the nurse best addresses the suspected cause of the hypertension?

Which blood pressure (BP) finding by the nurse indicates that no changes in therapy are needed for a 48-yr-old patient with newly diagnosed hypertension?

The registered nurse (RN) is caring for a patient with a hypertensive crisis who is receiving sodium nitroprusside . Which nursing action can the nurse delegate to an experienced licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) ?

Which nursing action should the nurse take first to assist a patient with newly diagnosed stage 1 hypertension in making needed dietary changes?

After the nurse teaches the patient with stage 1 hypertension about diet modifications that should be implemented,which diet choice indicates that the teaching has been most effective?

Which action should the nurse take when giving the initial dose of oral labetalol to a patient with hypertension?