1. The nurse is planning to insert an oral airway into an unconscious patient before performing mouth care. In which direction is the airway initially inserted into the patient’s mouth?

1. Upside down, or with the curve facing up
2. Right side up, or with the curve facing down
3. With the curve angled toward the patient’s left cheek
4. With the curve angled toward the patient’s right cheek

2. When preparing to provide mouth care to a patient who is in a coma, the nurse first ensures patient safety by doing what?

1. Assessing the patient’s gag reflex
2. Inspecting the patient’s oral cavity
3. Placing the bed in a flat position
4. Connecting the suction equipment

3. When preparing to assist a patient with a gown change, the nurse will promote infection control by doing what after performing hand hygiene?

1. Placing the gown in the linen hamper
2. Applying clean gloves
3. Determining whether the gown being changed is wet or soiled
4. Measuring the patient's temperature to determine whether it is elevated

4. Which action would the nurse encourage an older adult with foot problems to take at home?

1. Apply oval pads to treat corns.
2. Wear socks made of natural fibers.
3. Carefully shave off calluses with a razor blade.
4. If a bandage is needed, apply gauze squares with adhesive tape.

5. What is the best way for the nurse to ensure that the patient is comfortable while he is being shaved?

1. Administer a prescribed analgesic 30 minutes before beginning the procedure.
2. Gently pull the skin taut in order to avoid nicks and cuts.
3. Ask the patient if he is comfortable several times during the procedure.
4. Encourage the patient to shave himself if he is capable of doing so.

6. When changing the soiled gown of a patient with left-sided paralysis, what will the nurse do first?

1. Remove the sleeve from the weaker arm
2. Roll the patient into a prone position
3. Help the patient assume a side-lying position
4. Remove the sleeve from the stronger arm

7. What would the nurse instruct nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to report when performing denture care for a patient?

1. The amount of time it takes to clean the patient’s dentures
2. The appearance of any cracks in the dentures
3. Any dietary preferences of the patient that could affect the teeth
4. Whether the patient uses mouthwash

8. For which of the following patients would it be necessary to use a disposable shampoo cap, rather than a shampoo board?

1. An older adult woman with a drainage tube in place following a mastectomy
2. An older adult man with a history of bleeding problems
3. A young woman whose arm and leg have been immobilized on the right side following a car accident
4. A young man who has sustained a fracture of the upper spine in a football game

9. For which patient would the nurse most likely ask for a podiatrist consult for nail care?

1. A middle-aged man with type 2 diabetes mellitus who feels tingling in his right foot
2. A middle-aged man with mobility impairment that has lasted several weeks after a fall from a ladder
3. An older adult woman with dementia who has broken her pelvis after falling on the kitchen floor
4. A 12-year-old girl with a broken foot

10. When changing a patient’s gown, the nurse will place the bed in which position?

1. A comfortable working height for the nurse
2. A height that allows the patient full range of motion
3. Locked and low
4. All side rails raised

11. When preparing to clean a patient’s dentures using the sink, the nurse first protects the dentures by doing what?

1. Padding the sink basin with a washcloth
2. Performing hand hygiene
3. Filling the sink with cold water
4. Filling the sink with hot water

12. Which action is most important in minimizing the patient's risk for injury when preparing to shave a patient with a history of bleeding?

1. Fully explain the process to the patient in order to secure his cooperation.
2. Pay particular attention to technique in order to avoid nicks and cuts.
3. Ensure that the provider has ordered the intervention.
4. Review current platelet count and anticoagulation studies.

13. When brushing the teeth of an unconscious patient, why is the toothbrush held so that its bristles are at a 45-degree angle to the gum line?

1. To give the nurse a firm grip on the brush handle
2. To ensure that the bristles reach all tooth surfaces
3. To allow the bristles to reach beneath the gum line
4. To reduce pressure on sensitive oral tissues

14. What is the primary reason an unconscious patient is placed in the side-lying position when mouth care is provided?

1. To make the oral cavity easily accessible
2. To prevent possible musculoskeletal injury
3. To reduce plaque buildup in the mouth
4. To reduce the risk of aspiration

15. What will the nurse do when a gown change is needed for a patient who is receiving intravenous fluids delivered by a pump?

1. Document that the tubing had to be disconnected in order to change the gown
2. Ask another nurse to monitor the pump during the gown change
3. Pause the infusion by pressing the sensor on the pump
4. Help the patient maintain good hygiene until the infusion is discontinued and the gown can be changed

16. What must the nurse avoid when brushing the tongue of an unconscious patient?

1. Dislodging bacteria
2. Stimulating the gag reflex
3. Moistening the oral mucosa
4. Using suction

17. Which action should be avoided when providing hair care for a bed-bound patient with a history of dizziness?

1. Raising the patient quickly into a sitting position after completing a bed shampoo
2. Getting water into the patient’s ears during the rinsing phase of the shampoo
3. Placing the neck in a hyperextended position during the shampoo process
4. Having the entire shampooing process last longer than 15 minutes

18. What is the purpose of parting the patient’s hair into sections?

1. To identify the areas to be groomed
2. To style the hair attractively
3. To check for pediculosis (head lice)
4. To make brushing and combing more effective

19. Why would the nurse instruct nursing assistive personnel (NAP) to hand the patient a mirror before trimming his moustache and beard?

1. To distract him so that he will stay still
2. To allow him to point out which areas he would like to have trimmed
3. To promote his sense of independence
4. To keep his hands away from his face

20. A patient with diabetes remarks during foot care that she has been letting her skin air-dry after bathing at home because her doctor told her to use plenty of moisturizer on her hands and feet. What should the nurse teach the patient?

1. To apply moisturizer after air-drying thoroughly
2. To apply moisturizer while the skin is still wet
3. To skip the moisturizer
4. To towel-dry thoroughly before applying moisturizer

21. Why would the nurse encourage a male patient to use an electric razor for shaving?

1. To reduce the use of hospital supplies
2. To reduce the risk of infection
3. To reduce the risk of bleeding from a disposable razor
4. To encourage him to shave himself

22. In providing foot care, the nurse would soak the feet and hands of which patient?

1. A 30-year-old man with type 1 diabetes
2. An 86-year-old woman with generalized weakness
3. A 56-year-old patient with vascular insufficiency who was bathed the day before
4. A 56-year-old patient with vascular insufficiency who was not bathed the day before

23. Why would the nurse plan to perform foot care for a patient with peripheral vascular disease (PVD), rather than delegate this activity to nursing assistive personnel (NAP)?

1. The patient prefers that the nurse provide the care.
2. NAP are not trained to perform foot care.
3. The patient’s elevated risk of infection makes it unsafe for NAP to perform the care.
4. The patient’s condition requires that he remain on bed rest.

24. When preparing to help a male patient shave, why does the nurse first review the patient’s medical history?

1. To determine the patient’s risk of bleeding
2. To see how often he prefers to shave
3. To learn which is his dominant hand
4. To determine whether he can perform the task himself

25. Why must the nurse check the flow rate after changing the gown of a patient who is receiving intravenous fluids infused by gravity?

1. To make sure the patient's position change has not sealed off the drip chamber
2. To check whether manipulation of the intravenous container and tubing has disrupted the flow rate
3. To see if an increase in the patient's heart rate has accelerated the flow rate
4. To make the standard periodic flow rate adjustment

26. What is the primary reason the nurse encourages the patient to participate in hair care?

1. To free up the staff’s time for patient care
2. To make sure the care is performed according to the patient’s preferences
3. To encourage the patient’s sense of independence
4. To allow the nurse to evaluate the patient’s ability to manipulate objects

27. Under what circumstances would the nurse assume responsibility for providing denture care for a patient?

1. Assessment of the oral cavity shows mucositis due to chemotherapy.
2. The patient’s previous set of dentures was misplaced or thrown away.
3. The dentures belong to the hospital or other facility, rather than to the patient.
4. The patient is unable to care for the dentures on his or her own.

28. A patient has removed her dentures and placed them on the bedside stand. What would the nurse do to protect the patient’s dentures?

1. Wrap the dentures in a paper towel.
2. Store the dentures in the patient’s bedside stand, and notify other staff of where they have been placed.
3. Obtain a denture cup, label it with the patient’s name, and store the dentures in a safe place.
4. Wrap the dentures in a damp washcloth, and place them in a denture cup.

29. A patient tells the nurse that at home he cleans his dentures after every meal and before going to bed. When would denture care be planned for this patient while hospitalized?

1. After breakfast and before going to bed
2. With morning care
3. With morning and evening care
4. After every meal and before going to bed

30. When preparing to assist a patient with hair care, why does the nurse first check the patient’s scalp for inflammation?

1. To determine what type of shampoo to use
2. To plan enough time to perform hair care
3. To determine if the patient can perform the care independently
4. To ensure that the care can be performed without injuring the scalp