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WGU D027 Older Adult Nursing & Clinical
Assessment Objective Exam – Latest with
Complete 450+ Questions and Verified Detailed
Answers
Official Exam Overview:
The WGU D027 OA evaluates learners’ ability to assess, monitor, and manage health conditions in
older adults, including chronic diseases like diabetes. The exam emphasizes clinical reasoning,
laboratory interpretation, and pharmacologic considerations in patient care. Learners must
demonstrate understanding of electrolyte imbalances, emergency interventions, and nursing
priorities for patients presenting with acute complications from chronic illnesses.
Exam Coverage Areas:
• Assessment and management of chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension)
• Recognition of acute complications and emergencies
• Laboratory evaluation and interpretation, including electrolytes
• Pharmacologic management and adherence issues
• Nursing interventions to restore and maintain homeostasis
• Prioritization of patient care based on clinical findings
• Clinical decision-making and patient safety
QUESTION 1:
A 56-year-old diabetic patient has not taken his insulin in 4 days and presents with elevated blood
sugar. Which electrolyte should be assessed first?
A) Calcium
B) Sodium
C) Potassium ✅
D) Chloride
Rationale:
Potassium must be assessed first in hyperglycemic patients because insulin deficiency and
hyperglycemia can cause potassium shifts. Rapid correction with insulin can precipitate
hypokalemia, which is potentially life-threatening.
QUESTION 2:
Why is potassium particularly important in diabetic emergencies?
A) It regulates calcium levels
B) It affects cardiac and neuromuscular function ✅
,C) It determines glucose absorption
D) It prevents insulin resistance
Rationale:
Potassium imbalances can cause cardiac arrhythmias and muscle weakness, making monitoring
critical during hyperglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis.
QUESTION 3:
What is a common cause of hyperglycemia in a patient who skips insulin doses?
A) Increased glucose intake only
B) Insufficient insulin administration ✅
C) Hypokalemia
D) Excess calcium supplementation
Rationale:
Skipping insulin leads to uncontrolled blood glucose, as the body cannot utilize glucose properly
without sufficient insulin.
QUESTION 4:
Which intervention should the nurse prioritize for this patient upon ED admission?
A) Start IV potassium immediately
B) Assess electrolyte levels, especially potassium ✅
C) Administer calcium supplements
D) Provide oral hydration only
Rationale:
Assessment of potassium and other electrolytes is a priority to prevent life-threatening
complications before initiating insulin therapy or IV fluids.
QUESTION 5:
Which clinical sign may indicate a potassium imbalance in a diabetic patient?
A) Bradycardia or arrhythmias ✅
B) Hair loss
C) Skin rash
D) Hyperpigmentation
Rationale:
Potassium imbalances can affect cardiac conduction, causing arrhythmias, bradycardia, or ECG
changes, making monitoring essential in acute hyperglycemia.
,A 56-year-old diabetic patient has not taken his insulin in 4 days due to him" feeling well
without it". He is admitted to the ED with an elevated blood sugar. What electrolyte should be
assessed first?
a. Calcium
b. Sodium
c. Potassium
d. Chloride - ANSWER-c. Potassium
A patient has a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 30mmHg. What assessment finding by
the healthcare professional would be most consistent with this reading?
a. Pink, frothy sputum
b. Normal lung sounds
c. Rhonchi
d. Eupnea - ANSWER-a. Pink, frothy sputum
A child has a disorder that resulted in the failure of bones to ossify, resulting in soft bones and
skeletal deformity. What treatment plan does the healthcare professional discuss with the
parents?
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, Page 2 of 140
a. Extremely careful handling
b. Increasing vitamin D intake
c. Revascularization
d. Containment and motion therapy - ANSWER-b. Increasing vitamin D intake
A health professional is caring for a child that was sexually abused. She is trying to decide which
medication option she should provide to the child. What should she know before providing the
treatment option?
a. The age and weight of the child
b. The race of the child
c. The height of the child
d. The developmental stage - ANSWER-a. The age and weight of the child
The physician prescribes the patient a loop diuretic. As the nurse you know that this type of
diuretic causes diuresis by affecting which structure in the nephron?
a. Distal convoluted tubule
b. Descending limb of the loop of Henle
c. Proximal convoluted tubule
d. Ascending limb of the loop of Henle - ANSWER-d. Ascending limb of the loop of Henle
2
WGU D027 Older Adult Nursing & Clinical
Assessment Objective Exam – Latest with
Complete 450+ Questions and Verified Detailed
Answers
Official Exam Overview:
The WGU D027 OA evaluates learners’ ability to assess, monitor, and manage health conditions in
older adults, including chronic diseases like diabetes. The exam emphasizes clinical reasoning,
laboratory interpretation, and pharmacologic considerations in patient care. Learners must
demonstrate understanding of electrolyte imbalances, emergency interventions, and nursing
priorities for patients presenting with acute complications from chronic illnesses.
Exam Coverage Areas:
• Assessment and management of chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension)
• Recognition of acute complications and emergencies
• Laboratory evaluation and interpretation, including electrolytes
• Pharmacologic management and adherence issues
• Nursing interventions to restore and maintain homeostasis
• Prioritization of patient care based on clinical findings
• Clinical decision-making and patient safety
QUESTION 1:
A 56-year-old diabetic patient has not taken his insulin in 4 days and presents with elevated blood
sugar. Which electrolyte should be assessed first?
A) Calcium
B) Sodium
C) Potassium ✅
D) Chloride
Rationale:
Potassium must be assessed first in hyperglycemic patients because insulin deficiency and
hyperglycemia can cause potassium shifts. Rapid correction with insulin can precipitate
hypokalemia, which is potentially life-threatening.
QUESTION 2:
Why is potassium particularly important in diabetic emergencies?
A) It regulates calcium levels
B) It affects cardiac and neuromuscular function ✅
,C) It determines glucose absorption
D) It prevents insulin resistance
Rationale:
Potassium imbalances can cause cardiac arrhythmias and muscle weakness, making monitoring
critical during hyperglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis.
QUESTION 3:
What is a common cause of hyperglycemia in a patient who skips insulin doses?
A) Increased glucose intake only
B) Insufficient insulin administration ✅
C) Hypokalemia
D) Excess calcium supplementation
Rationale:
Skipping insulin leads to uncontrolled blood glucose, as the body cannot utilize glucose properly
without sufficient insulin.
QUESTION 4:
Which intervention should the nurse prioritize for this patient upon ED admission?
A) Start IV potassium immediately
B) Assess electrolyte levels, especially potassium ✅
C) Administer calcium supplements
D) Provide oral hydration only
Rationale:
Assessment of potassium and other electrolytes is a priority to prevent life-threatening
complications before initiating insulin therapy or IV fluids.
QUESTION 5:
Which clinical sign may indicate a potassium imbalance in a diabetic patient?
A) Bradycardia or arrhythmias ✅
B) Hair loss
C) Skin rash
D) Hyperpigmentation
Rationale:
Potassium imbalances can affect cardiac conduction, causing arrhythmias, bradycardia, or ECG
changes, making monitoring essential in acute hyperglycemia.
,A 56-year-old diabetic patient has not taken his insulin in 4 days due to him" feeling well
without it". He is admitted to the ED with an elevated blood sugar. What electrolyte should be
assessed first?
a. Calcium
b. Sodium
c. Potassium
d. Chloride - ANSWER-c. Potassium
A patient has a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 30mmHg. What assessment finding by
the healthcare professional would be most consistent with this reading?
a. Pink, frothy sputum
b. Normal lung sounds
c. Rhonchi
d. Eupnea - ANSWER-a. Pink, frothy sputum
A child has a disorder that resulted in the failure of bones to ossify, resulting in soft bones and
skeletal deformity. What treatment plan does the healthcare professional discuss with the
parents?
1
, Page 2 of 140
a. Extremely careful handling
b. Increasing vitamin D intake
c. Revascularization
d. Containment and motion therapy - ANSWER-b. Increasing vitamin D intake
A health professional is caring for a child that was sexually abused. She is trying to decide which
medication option she should provide to the child. What should she know before providing the
treatment option?
a. The age and weight of the child
b. The race of the child
c. The height of the child
d. The developmental stage - ANSWER-a. The age and weight of the child
The physician prescribes the patient a loop diuretic. As the nurse you know that this type of
diuretic causes diuresis by affecting which structure in the nephron?
a. Distal convoluted tubule
b. Descending limb of the loop of Henle
c. Proximal convoluted tubule
d. Ascending limb of the loop of Henle - ANSWER-d. Ascending limb of the loop of Henle
2
