{"id":1694,"date":"2022-11-16T18:40:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T18:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=1694"},"modified":"2026-06-30T15:25:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T23:25:14","slug":"nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count","title":{"rendered":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\/#The_correct_answer_to_todays_NCLEX-RN%C2%AE_question_is%E2%80%A6\" >The correct answer to today&#8217;s NCLEX-RN\u00ae question is&#8230;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\/#Major_Takeaway\" >Major Takeaway<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\/#Incorrect_Answer_Explanations\" >Incorrect Answer Explanations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Today&#8217;s NCLEX-RN\u00ae question of the day focuses on a nurse&#8217;s best response about a 91-year-old client who arrives at the emergency department for altered mental status. Can you figure it out?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A 91-year-old client arrives at the emergency department for <strong>altered mental status<\/strong>. The client\u2019s <strong>blood pressure is 82\/48 mmHg <\/strong>and <strong>heart rate is 118\/min<\/strong>. A urine sample is obtained and shows a <strong>white blood cell count of >60 WBC\/hpf<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Which intervention should the nurse perform first?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A. Administer the prescribed antibiotic<br><br>B. Prepare the client for the operating room<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>C. Contact the on-call urologistD. Insert an indwelling catheter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Scroll down for the correct answer!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Learn with Osmosis\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iDxHtjjCMbU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_correct_answer_to_todays_NCLEX-RN%C2%AE_question_is%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>The correct answer to today&#8217;s NCLEX-RN\u00ae question is&#8230;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A. Administer the prescribed antibiotic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rationale:&nbsp;<\/strong>The normal range of white blood cells in the urine is 2-5 WBCs\/hpf or less so this result indicates the client has a UTI. This client also has symptoms indicating sepsis, such as hypotension and tachycardia. Therefore, the nurse should administer the ordered antibiotic as soon as possible to treat the infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Major_Takeaway\"><\/span>Major Takeaway<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The normal range of white blood cells in the urine is 2-5 WBCs\/hpf or less. This lab result indicates the client has a urinary tract infection (UTI) and their vital signs indicate possible sepsis, or a systemic infection.<\/strong> Since the client displays hemodynamic instability, such as hypotension and tachycardia, the nurse should administer the prescribed antibiotic first to treat the infection. The additional interventions for clients with UTIs typically include intravenous hydration, client education, and possible surgical intervention or follow-up with a urologist if required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incorrect_Answer_Explanations\"><\/span>Incorrect Answer Explanations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>B. Prepare the client for the operating room<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rationale:<\/strong>&nbsp;In certain cases, clients with recurrent UTIs require urological surgery. This is most frequently the case when there are calculi present along the urinary tract, an enlarged prostate, or anatomical abnormalities. However, there is nothing indicating this client requires surgical intervention at this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>C. Contact the on-call urologist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rationale:&nbsp;<\/strong>Urology clinicians may be involved in the care of clients with a UTI. Although the on-call urologist may be consulted, this is not the highest priority intervention for the nurse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>D. Insert an indwelling catheter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rationale:\u00a0<\/strong>This client may require urinary catheterization if they are retaining urine; however, in this client\u2019s case, another intervention should take priority. In addition, indwelling catheters can introduce additional bacteria to the urinary tract. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"994\" height=\"356\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_04dd2b.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1696\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.7922276470878336;width:617px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_04dd2b.png 994w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_04dd2b.png?resize=300,107 300w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_04dd2b.png?resize=768,275 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 994px) 100vw, 994px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong><em>Get your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/login?type=create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free trial<\/a>\u00a0and find out why millions of current and future clinicians and caregivers love learning by Osmosis.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\/rn?source_cta=navbar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\/rn?source_cta=navbar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An older adult presents with altered mental status, hypotension, and laboratory findings suggestive of infection. Can you identify the highest-priority nursing intervention in this NCLEX-style clinical scenario?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":279,"featured_media":1695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20,29,1367,32],"tags":[1416,628,1344,369,886,3239,516,1086,274,245,370,462,156,3210,3238],"class_list":["post-1694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exam-prep","category-nclex","category-nclex-rn","category-nursing","tag-altered-mental-status","tag-clinical-judgment","tag-critical-care","tag-emergency-nursing","tag-exam-prep","tag-geriatric-nursing","tag-infection-control","tag-nclex-rn-2","tag-nursing-assessment","tag-nursing-education","tag-nursing-priorities","tag-osmosis","tag-patient-safety","tag-sepsis","tag-urinary-tract-infection"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Test your NCLEX-RN knowledge with a sepsis case focused on urinary tract infection recognition and priority nursing interventions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Test your NCLEX-RN knowledge with a sepsis case focused on urinary tract infection recognition and priority nursing interventions.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-16T18:40:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-30T23:25:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1081\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/131a18b6ecda9e9a8aac2894efb9d158\"},\"headline\":\"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-11-16T18:40:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-30T23:25:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\"},\"wordCount\":438,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"altered mental status\",\"clinical judgment\",\"critical care\",\"emergency nursing\",\"exam prep\",\"geriatric nursing\",\"infection control\",\"NCLEX RN\",\"nursing assessment\",\"nursing education\",\"nursing priorities\",\"Osmosis\",\"patient safety\",\"sepsis\",\"urinary tract infection\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Exam Prep\",\"NCLEX\",\"NCLEX-RN\",\"Registered Nursing (RN)\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\",\"name\":\"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count - Osmosis Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-11-16T18:40:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-30T23:25:14+00:00\",\"description\":\"Test your NCLEX-RN knowledge with a sepsis case focused on urinary tract infection recognition and priority nursing interventions.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp\",\"width\":1081,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Osmosis Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png\",\"width\":1276,\"height\":596,\"caption\":\"Osmosis Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/131a18b6ecda9e9a8aac2894efb9d158\",\"name\":\"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6c2ca8e1c8eafcaf906ff92af24958d629f6c8203487bb2f1a5aebceb746a9e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6c2ca8e1c8eafcaf906ff92af24958d629f6c8203487bb2f1a5aebceb746a9e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE\"},\"description\":\"Author\/Reviewer Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CEN, CNE, has been a Registered Nurse for more than a decade and has a clinical background in cardiac, emergency nursing, and nursing education Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE, has been a Registered Nurse since 2008 with a clinical background in oncology working in a Medical Oncology Unit, a Critical Care Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, and a Hematology\/Oncology Clinic.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/paigeandlizqotd\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count - Osmosis Blog","description":"Test your NCLEX-RN knowledge with a sepsis case focused on urinary tract infection recognition and priority nursing interventions.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count - Osmosis Blog","og_description":"Test your NCLEX-RN knowledge with a sepsis case focused on urinary tract infection recognition and priority nursing interventions.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count","og_site_name":"Osmosis Blog","article_published_time":"2022-11-16T18:40:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-30T23:25:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1081,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count"},"author":{"name":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/131a18b6ecda9e9a8aac2894efb9d158"},"headline":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count","datePublished":"2022-11-16T18:40:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-30T23:25:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count"},"wordCount":438,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp","keywords":["altered mental status","clinical judgment","critical care","emergency nursing","exam prep","geriatric nursing","infection control","NCLEX RN","nursing assessment","nursing education","nursing priorities","Osmosis","patient safety","sepsis","urinary tract infection"],"articleSection":["Exam Prep","NCLEX","NCLEX-RN","Registered Nursing (RN)"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count","name":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count - Osmosis Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp","datePublished":"2022-11-16T18:40:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-30T23:25:14+00:00","description":"Test your NCLEX-RN knowledge with a sepsis case focused on urinary tract infection recognition and priority nursing interventions.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp","width":1081,"height":1080,"caption":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental state with high white blood count"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","name":"Osmosis Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#organization","name":"Osmosis Blog","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/07\/OsmosisElsevierStacked.png","width":1276,"height":596,"caption":"Osmosis Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/131a18b6ecda9e9a8aac2894efb9d158","name":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6c2ca8e1c8eafcaf906ff92af24958d629f6c8203487bb2f1a5aebceb746a9e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6c2ca8e1c8eafcaf906ff92af24958d629f6c8203487bb2f1a5aebceb746a9e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE"},"description":"Author\/Reviewer Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CEN, CNE, has been a Registered Nurse for more than a decade and has a clinical background in cardiac, emergency nursing, and nursing education Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE, has been a Registered Nurse since 2008 with a clinical background in oncology working in a Medical Oncology Unit, a Critical Care Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, and a Hematology\/Oncology Clinic.","url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/author\/paigeandlizqotd"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-state-with-high-white-blood-count.webp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4070,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-qotd-arterial-blood-gas","url_meta":{"origin":1694,"position":0},"title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Arterial blood gas","author":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","date":"July 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"A diabetic patient arrives with altered mental status and abnormal ABG results. Learn how to interpret these values and identify the most likely disorder.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exam Prep&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exam Prep","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/exam-prep"},"img":{"alt_text":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Arterial blood gas","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-arterial-blood-has.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-arterial-blood-has.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-arterial-blood-has.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-arterial-blood-has.webp 2x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-arterial-blood-has.webp 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10267,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-question-of-the-day-altered-mental-status","url_meta":{"origin":1694,"position":1},"title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental status","author":"Abbi Lamparelli, MSN, RN, CMSRN","date":"June 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A patient presents with altered mental status and suspected substance intoxication. Can you identify the most appropriate next diagnostic step in this NCLEX-RN style clinical scenario?","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exam Prep&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exam Prep","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/exam-prep"},"img":{"alt_text":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Altered mental status","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/NCLEX-RN-Question-of-the-day-Altered_Mental-Status.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/NCLEX-RN-Question-of-the-day-Altered_Mental-Status.jpg 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/NCLEX-RN-Question-of-the-day-Altered_Mental-Status.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/NCLEX-RN-Question-of-the-day-Altered_Mental-Status.jpg 2x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/NCLEX-RN-Question-of-the-day-Altered_Mental-Status.jpg 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4265,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-qotd-mumps","url_meta":{"origin":1694,"position":2},"title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Mumps","author":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","date":"September 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Test your nursing knowledge: What is the priority action when caring for a patient diagnosed with mumps and orchitis? Explore infection control and supportive care.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exam Prep&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exam Prep","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/exam-prep"},"img":{"alt_text":"NCLEX-RN Question of the Day Mumps","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Mumps.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Mumps.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Mumps.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Mumps.webp 2x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Mumps.webp 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3869,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-qotd-tpn","url_meta":{"origin":1694,"position":3},"title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)","author":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","date":"June 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Test your knowledge with this NCLEX Question of the Day! Discover why evaluating glucose levels first is essential to prevent complications. The nurse notes the pharmacy is late sending up a dose of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for a client who has been receiving it for several months. Which action\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exam Prep&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exam Prep","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/exam-prep"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tpn.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tpn.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tpn.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tpn.webp 2x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tpn.webp 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1195,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-qotd-tb-risk-factors","url_meta":{"origin":1694,"position":4},"title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Tuberculosis (TB) risk factors","author":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","date":"May 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Learn which clients are at increased risk for tuberculosis through this NCLEX-RN\u00ae infection control question.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exam Prep&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exam Prep","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/exam-prep"},"img":{"alt_text":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Tuberculosis (TB) risk factors","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tb-risk-factors.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tb-risk-factors.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tb-risk-factors.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tb-risk-factors.webp 2x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/nclex-tb-risk-factors.webp 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3285,"url":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/nclex-qotd-dka","url_meta":{"origin":1694,"position":5},"title":"NCLEX-RN\u00ae Question of the Day: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)","author":"Paige Randall, PhD, MS, RN, CNE &amp; Elizabeth Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE","date":"April 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Discover nursing priorities for a child with DKA and signs of altered breathing. Learn to assess leukemia outcomes based on infection control measures. This NCLEX question of the day covers the topic and provides essential information for nursing students and professionals. The nurse in the intensive care unit is caring\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exam Prep&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exam Prep","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/category\/exam-prep"},"img":{"alt_text":"NCLEX\u00ae QOTD: DKA","src":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-18T101331.308.webp","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-18T101331.308.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-18T101331.308.webp 1.5x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-18T101331.308.webp 2x, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/2024-09-18T101331.308.webp 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/279"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1694"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10546,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1694\/revisions\/10546"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}