1. A 60-year-old woman has pain on motion in her fingers and asks the nurse whether this is just a result
of aging. The
best response by the nurse
... [Show More] should include what information?
a. Joint pain with functional limitation is a normal change that affects all people to some extent.
b. Joint pain that develops with age is usually related to previous trauma or infection of the joints.
c. This is a symptom of a systemic arthritis that eventually affects all joints as the disease progresses.
d. Changes in the cartilage and bones of joints may cause symptoms of pain and loss of function in some
people as they age.
2. Number in sequence from 1 to 6 the pathophysiologic processes that occur in osteoarthritis (OA).
________ a. Erosion of articular surfaces
________ b. Incongruity in joint surfaces
________ c. Reduction in motion
________ d. Joint cartilage becomes yellow and granular
________ e. Osteophytes form at joint margins
________ f. Cartilage becomes softer and less elastic
3. What is most likely to cause the pain experienced in the later stages of OA?
a. Crepitation
b. Bouchard’s nodes
c. Heberden’s nodes
d. Bone surfaces rubbing together
4. To preserve function and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), what should the nurse
teach the patient with OA?
a. Avoid exercise that involves the affected joints.
b. Plan and organize task performance to be less stressful to joints.
c. Maintain normal activities during an acute episode to prevent loss of function.
d. Use mild analgesics to control symptoms when performing tasks that cause pain.
5. A patient with OA asks the nurse whether he could try glucosamine and chondroitin for control of his
symptoms. The best response by the nurse includes what information?
a. Some patients find these supplements helpful for relieving arthritis pain and improving mobility.
b. Although these substances may not help, there is no evidence that they can cause any untoward effects.
c. These supplements are a fad that has not been shown to reduce pain or increase joint mobility in
patients with OA.
d. Only dosages of these supplements available by prescription are high enough to provide any benefit in
treatment of OA.
6. A patient taking ibuprofen (Motrin) for treatment of OA has good pain relief but is experiencing
increased dyspepsia and nausea with the drug’s use. The nurse consults the patient’s primary care
provider about doing what?
a. Adding misoprostol (Cytotec) to the patient’s drug regimen
b. Substituting naproxen (Naprosyn) for the ibuprofen (Motrin)
c. Returning to the use of acetaminophen but at a dose of 5 g/day instead of 4 g/day
d. Administering the ibuprofen with antacids to decrease the gastrointestinal (GI) irritation
7. Which description is most characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA) when compared to rheumatoid arthritis
(RA)?
a. Not systemic or symmetric
b. Rheumatoid factor (RF) positive
c. Most commonly occurs in women
d. Morning joint stiffness lasts one to several hours
8. What best describes the manifestations of OA?
a. Smaller joints are typically affected first.
b. There is joint stiffness after periods of inactivity.
c. Joint stiffness is accompanied by fatigue, anorexia, and weight loss.
d. Pain and immobility may be aggravated by falling barometric pressure.
9. During the physical assessment of the patient with early to moderate RA, what should the nurse expect
to find?
a. Hepatomegaly c. Spindle-shaped fingers
b. Heberden’s nodes d. Crepitus on joint movement
10. Laboratory findings that the nurse would expect to be present in the patient with RA include
a. polycythemia. c. decreased white blood cell (WBC) count.
b. increased immunoglobulin G (IgG). d. anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) [Show Less]