prioritizing nclex question help!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 16, 2011

What are your thoughts on the possible answers?

Miley22 · Jun 16, 2011

1. pt with cervical cancer receiving internal radiation with an intracavity implant. which one would be the highest priority?

a. contact isolation precaution

b. have the pt on bedrest

c. give pt laxative

i think the answer could be either "contact isolation precaution" or "have the pt on bedrest." it seems to me both are important. but i can only choose one, so i think "contact isolation precaution" is more important because pt with cancer with radiation would have a very high risk of getting infections.

what do you think?

2. pt with aids has pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. which is the highest priority?

a. isolation precautions

b. give antibiotics

i think the answer for this would be "give antibiotics" to treat the pcp at this time.

what do you think?

caliotter3 · Jun 16, 2011

What do you know about the disease process and isolation precautions? If a disease does not require isolation precautions, then you would eliminate that answer.

NeecyBSN_RN · Jun 16, 2011

Well, I would choose to have the patient on bed rest b/c you don't want the implant to come out. I think this is the priority treatment b/c the patient needs to receive the radiation treatment.

I would give the abx treatment to the AIDS patient b/c the priority here is getting rid of the infection.

BetterMeRN · Jun 16, 2011

I second Neecy on both questions, what are the answers?

DA314 · Jun 16, 2011

I agree with the two previous posters. You want the first patient to remain on bedrest first and foremost. Also, she wouldnt just be on contact isolation precautions, there would be radiation precautions as well (the answer didnt give that option, whhich makes the contact precaution wrong). Also, the cancer pt. who is receiving only radiation may not be at high risk of infection. Chemo is typically what lowers he immmune system.

Miley22 · Jun 17, 2011

Thank you everyone!