NCLEX-RN® Question of the Day: Hypertension findings

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Test your knowledge with this NCLEX Question of the Day! The nurse in a primary care office suspects a new patient has hypertension. Click to highlight the finding(s) that correlate(s) with hypertension.

The nurse in a primary care office is reviewing a new patient’s vital signs and medical intake form and suspects they have hypertension. Click to highlight the finding(s) that correlate(s) with the diagnosis of hypertension.

Vital Signs

Temperature: 37.1°C (98.8°F)

Pulse: 84/min

Respirations: 14/min

Blood Pressure: 156/86 mmHg

New Patient Intake Form Check yes or no to indicate whether you are experiencing any of the following symptoms
Symptom	Yes	No
Memory Problems		✔
Headaches	✔
Dizziness	✔
Vision Changes		✔
Hearing Loss		✔
Depression	✔
Anxiety		✔
Swelling		✔
Unexplained Weight Changes		✔
Night Sweats		✔
Fatigue	✔
Difficulty Breathing		✔
Joint Pain		✔
Constipation	✔
Diarrhea		✔
Difficulty Urinating		✔
Rash		✔

Scroll down for the correct answer!

The correct answers to today’s NCLEX-RN® Question are…

Vital Signs

Temperature: 37.1°C (98.8°F)

Pulse: 84/min

Respirations: 14/min

Blood Pressure: 156/86 mmHg

New Patient Intake Form Check yes or no to indicate whether you are experiencing any of the following symptoms
Symptom	Yes	No
Memory Problems		✔
Headaches	✔
Dizziness	✔
Vision Changes		✔
Hearing Loss		✔
Depression	✔
Anxiety		✔
Swelling		✔
Unexplained Weight Changes		✔
Night Sweats		✔
Fatigue	✔
Difficulty Breathing		✔
Joint Pain		✔
Constipation	✔
Diarrhea		✔
Difficulty Urinating		✔
Rash		✔

Major Takeaway

The first step in the clinical judgment measurement model (CJMM) is to recognize cues, which involves identifying relevant information from different sources, such as the patient’s history and vital signs. The nurse should note that a patient with elevated blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue could be experiencing hypertension. Hypertension is when the systolic blood pressure is above 130 mmHg or the diastolic blood pressure is above 80 mmHg. Elevated blood pressure can affect blood vessels throughout the body and increase the workload of the heart, leading to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. While this patient is also experiencing depression and constipation, these symptoms are not cues that point to hypertension.

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