DETAILED ANSWER KEY FOR MEDICAL
SURGICAL EXAM EXAM SCRIPT 2026
COMPREHENSIVE A+ SOLUTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client infected with Rocky Mountain spotted
fever. The nurse should ask if the client has experienced which of the
following? Answer: Was bitten by a tick
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client with a protozoa infection. Which is the
most likely mode of transmission? Answer: Ingestion of contaminated
food or water
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from an allergic
reaction. Which leukocyte level would the nurse expect to be the most
elevated? Answer: Eosinophils
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client who has an infected wound on the
great toe that is red with a purulent exudate. The nurse expects that this
client has which type of infection? Answer: Localized
⩥ The client experienced a fall. Nursing assessment reveals that the
client is experiencing tachycardia, hypotension, confusion, tachypnea,
,and flat jugular veins. What should be the nurse's first response?
Answer: Administer oxygen.
⩥ The family wants to know why the nurse is putting a urinary catheter
in a client experiencing shock. What is the nurse's best response?
Answer: "It will help monitor how much urine the kidneys are able to
produce."
⩥ A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the
last 10 hours. What is the nurse's most appropriate response? Answer:
Notify the physician.
⩥ Which client is most likely to be experiencing hypovolemic shock?
Answer: A client who had surgery 24 hours ago and who also has a
nasogastric tube
⩥ The physician has ordered arterial blood gases for a client
experiencing shock. The nurse knows that which value indicates shock?
Answer: pH 7.32
⩥ A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is
the nurse's best first response? Answer: Assess for pain
⩥ The client is complaining of excruciating pain in a foot that has been
amputated. The family tells the nurse that the client is just addicted to
,pain medications. What is the nurse's best response? Answer: "He is
experiencing phantom limb pain."
⩥ A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated
three times a day. Oral pain medication has been ordered for the client.
What should the nurse do to facilitate ambulation? Answer: Mediate 1
hour prior to ambulating the client.
⩥ The client reports frequent use of acetaminophen. How should the
nurse best respond? Answer: "Do you drink alcohol?"
⩥ A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing
assessment reveals that the client has a decreased level of consciousness.
What should the nurse ask the family about? Answer: What medications
the client has taken
⩥ The practical nurse is reviewing the social history from a client
diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung. Which information is
significant for this disease? Answer: The client has smoked two (2)
packs of cigarettes a day for 20 years
⩥ The practical nurse and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are
caring for a group of clients on a medical unit. Which information
provided by the UAP warrants immediate intervention by the practical
nurse? Answer: The client receiving Procrit (epoetin alfa) has a T 99.2˚F,
P 68, R 24, and BP of 198/102
, ⩥ The client diagnosed with lung cancer has been told the cancer has
metastasized to the brain. Which intervention should the practical nurse
expect to implement? Answer: Discuss implementing an advance
directive
⩥ The client diagnosed with lung cancer is being discharged. Which
statement made by the client indicates a reiteration of information is
required? Answer: "It doesn't matter if I smoke now. I already have
cancer."
⩥ The practical nurse is interviewing clients at the clinic. Which
information provided by a client warrants further investigation? Answer:
The client has been coughing up blood in the mornings
⩥ The male client had abdominal surgery and the practical nurse
suspects the client has peritonitis. Which information support the
diagnosis of peritonitis? Answer: Hard, rigid abdomen and white blood
cell count 22,000/mm3
⩥ The client who had abdominal surgery tells the practical nurse, "I felt
something give way in my stomach." Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement first? Answer: Inspect the abdominal wound
incision
SURGICAL EXAM EXAM SCRIPT 2026
COMPREHENSIVE A+ SOLUTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client infected with Rocky Mountain spotted
fever. The nurse should ask if the client has experienced which of the
following? Answer: Was bitten by a tick
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client with a protozoa infection. Which is the
most likely mode of transmission? Answer: Ingestion of contaminated
food or water
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from an allergic
reaction. Which leukocyte level would the nurse expect to be the most
elevated? Answer: Eosinophils
⩥ The nurse is caring for a client who has an infected wound on the
great toe that is red with a purulent exudate. The nurse expects that this
client has which type of infection? Answer: Localized
⩥ The client experienced a fall. Nursing assessment reveals that the
client is experiencing tachycardia, hypotension, confusion, tachypnea,
,and flat jugular veins. What should be the nurse's first response?
Answer: Administer oxygen.
⩥ The family wants to know why the nurse is putting a urinary catheter
in a client experiencing shock. What is the nurse's best response?
Answer: "It will help monitor how much urine the kidneys are able to
produce."
⩥ A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the
last 10 hours. What is the nurse's most appropriate response? Answer:
Notify the physician.
⩥ Which client is most likely to be experiencing hypovolemic shock?
Answer: A client who had surgery 24 hours ago and who also has a
nasogastric tube
⩥ The physician has ordered arterial blood gases for a client
experiencing shock. The nurse knows that which value indicates shock?
Answer: pH 7.32
⩥ A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is
the nurse's best first response? Answer: Assess for pain
⩥ The client is complaining of excruciating pain in a foot that has been
amputated. The family tells the nurse that the client is just addicted to
,pain medications. What is the nurse's best response? Answer: "He is
experiencing phantom limb pain."
⩥ A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated
three times a day. Oral pain medication has been ordered for the client.
What should the nurse do to facilitate ambulation? Answer: Mediate 1
hour prior to ambulating the client.
⩥ The client reports frequent use of acetaminophen. How should the
nurse best respond? Answer: "Do you drink alcohol?"
⩥ A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing
assessment reveals that the client has a decreased level of consciousness.
What should the nurse ask the family about? Answer: What medications
the client has taken
⩥ The practical nurse is reviewing the social history from a client
diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung. Which information is
significant for this disease? Answer: The client has smoked two (2)
packs of cigarettes a day for 20 years
⩥ The practical nurse and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are
caring for a group of clients on a medical unit. Which information
provided by the UAP warrants immediate intervention by the practical
nurse? Answer: The client receiving Procrit (epoetin alfa) has a T 99.2˚F,
P 68, R 24, and BP of 198/102
, ⩥ The client diagnosed with lung cancer has been told the cancer has
metastasized to the brain. Which intervention should the practical nurse
expect to implement? Answer: Discuss implementing an advance
directive
⩥ The client diagnosed with lung cancer is being discharged. Which
statement made by the client indicates a reiteration of information is
required? Answer: "It doesn't matter if I smoke now. I already have
cancer."
⩥ The practical nurse is interviewing clients at the clinic. Which
information provided by a client warrants further investigation? Answer:
The client has been coughing up blood in the mornings
⩥ The male client had abdominal surgery and the practical nurse
suspects the client has peritonitis. Which information support the
diagnosis of peritonitis? Answer: Hard, rigid abdomen and white blood
cell count 22,000/mm3
⩥ The client who had abdominal surgery tells the practical nurse, "I felt
something give way in my stomach." Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement first? Answer: Inspect the abdominal wound
incision
