NUR 376 Week 1 Module 1 Study Guide
(2026/2027) (PDF) | Applied Pathophysiology
Practice Questions (Most Tested & Difficult)
, 1. Which type of cell adaptation is reversible and involves an increase in cell size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy = increase in cell size; hyperplasia = increase in cell number.
2. A patient has necrosis due to hypoxia. Which type is most likely?
A. Liquefactive
B. Coagulative
C. Caseous
D. Fat
Answer: B. Coagulative
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is typical in ischemic injury of solid organs (heart, kidney).
3. A nurse is reviewing lab results and notes a K⁺ of 5.8 mEq/L. What is the most likely effect?
A. Bradycardia, muscle weakness
B. Tachycardia, muscle spasms
C. Hypotension, edema
D. Tetany, paresthesia
Answer: A. Bradycardia, muscle weakness
Rationale: Hyperkalemia slows conduction in cardiac and skeletal muscles.
4. Which mediator is primarily responsible for vasodilation in acute inflammation?
A. Bradykinin
B. Histamine
C. TNF-α
D. Interleukin-1
Answer: B. Histamine
Rationale: Histamine causes vasodilation and increases vascular permeability.
5. Which acid-base imbalance is seen in a patient with COPD?
A. Metabolic acidosis
B. Metabolic alkalosis
C. Respiratory acidosis
D. Respiratory alkalosis
Answer: C. Respiratory acidosis
Rationale: COPD causes hypoventilation → CO₂ retention → respiratory acidosis.
1. Cellular Adaptation
Q1: A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. This is an example of:
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
,C. Hyperplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B – Hypertrophy
Rationale: Increased workload on the heart causes myocardial cells to enlarge, which is hypertrophy.
2. Cell Injury & Death
Q2: Which type of cell death is programmed and non-inflammatory?
A. Necrosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Gangrene
D. Autolysis
Answer: B – Apoptosis
Rationale: Apoptosis is a controlled process, whereas necrosis causes inflammation.
3. Inflammation
Q3: A patient presents with redness, swelling, and pain at a wound site. Which mediator is primarily
responsible for vasodilation?
A. Cytokines
B. Histamine
C. Prostaglandins
D. Bradykinin
Answer: B – Histamine
Rationale: Histamine causes immediate vasodilation, increasing blood flow and redness.
4. Fluid & Electrolytes
Q4: A patient has serum sodium of 125 mEq/L. Which assessment finding is most likely?
A. Muscle twitching and cramps
B. Confusion and lethargy
C. Constipation
D. Polyuria
Answer: B – Confusion and lethargy
Rationale: Hyponatremia leads to water moving into cells, including brain cells, causing neurological
symptoms.
5. Acid-Base Disorders
Q5: A patient has a pH of 7.30 and PaCO₂ of 50 mmHg. This is consistent with:
A. Respiratory acidosis
B. Respiratory alkalosis
, C. Metabolic acidosis
D. Metabolic alkalosis
Answer: A – Respiratory acidosis
Rationale: Low pH (<7.35) and elevated CO₂ (>45 mmHg) indicate CO₂ retention.
Perfect. I’ll create a comprehensive set of 50 most-tested and most-difficult NUR 376 Week 1 Module 1
practice questions (2026/2027) with answers and rationales, covering applied pathophysiology topics:
cell injury, inflammation, immunity, fluid/electrolyte balance, acid-base, and genetics.
NUR 376 Week 1 Module 1 Practice Questions (1–50)
Cellular Function and Injury
1. Which type of cellular adaptation involves an increase in cell size due to increased workload?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is the enlargement of existing cells to meet increased functional
demand.
2. A patient with chronic vitamin C deficiency develops scurvy. Which cellular change is most likely
present?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Impaired collagen synthesis
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Impaired collagen synthesis
Rationale: Vitamin C is required for collagen production; deficiency impairs tissue repair.
3. Which type of necrosis is characteristic of tuberculosis?
A. Coagulative
B. Liquefactive
C. Caseous
D. Fat
Answer: C. Caseous
Rationale: Caseous necrosis combines features of coagulative and liquefactive necrosis, often
seen in TB.
4. Hypoxic injury primarily disrupts which cellular process?
A. Glycolysis
B. Oxidative phosphorylation
C. DNA replication
(2026/2027) (PDF) | Applied Pathophysiology
Practice Questions (Most Tested & Difficult)
, 1. Which type of cell adaptation is reversible and involves an increase in cell size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy = increase in cell size; hyperplasia = increase in cell number.
2. A patient has necrosis due to hypoxia. Which type is most likely?
A. Liquefactive
B. Coagulative
C. Caseous
D. Fat
Answer: B. Coagulative
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis is typical in ischemic injury of solid organs (heart, kidney).
3. A nurse is reviewing lab results and notes a K⁺ of 5.8 mEq/L. What is the most likely effect?
A. Bradycardia, muscle weakness
B. Tachycardia, muscle spasms
C. Hypotension, edema
D. Tetany, paresthesia
Answer: A. Bradycardia, muscle weakness
Rationale: Hyperkalemia slows conduction in cardiac and skeletal muscles.
4. Which mediator is primarily responsible for vasodilation in acute inflammation?
A. Bradykinin
B. Histamine
C. TNF-α
D. Interleukin-1
Answer: B. Histamine
Rationale: Histamine causes vasodilation and increases vascular permeability.
5. Which acid-base imbalance is seen in a patient with COPD?
A. Metabolic acidosis
B. Metabolic alkalosis
C. Respiratory acidosis
D. Respiratory alkalosis
Answer: C. Respiratory acidosis
Rationale: COPD causes hypoventilation → CO₂ retention → respiratory acidosis.
1. Cellular Adaptation
Q1: A patient with chronic hypertension develops left ventricular hypertrophy. This is an example of:
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
,C. Hyperplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B – Hypertrophy
Rationale: Increased workload on the heart causes myocardial cells to enlarge, which is hypertrophy.
2. Cell Injury & Death
Q2: Which type of cell death is programmed and non-inflammatory?
A. Necrosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Gangrene
D. Autolysis
Answer: B – Apoptosis
Rationale: Apoptosis is a controlled process, whereas necrosis causes inflammation.
3. Inflammation
Q3: A patient presents with redness, swelling, and pain at a wound site. Which mediator is primarily
responsible for vasodilation?
A. Cytokines
B. Histamine
C. Prostaglandins
D. Bradykinin
Answer: B – Histamine
Rationale: Histamine causes immediate vasodilation, increasing blood flow and redness.
4. Fluid & Electrolytes
Q4: A patient has serum sodium of 125 mEq/L. Which assessment finding is most likely?
A. Muscle twitching and cramps
B. Confusion and lethargy
C. Constipation
D. Polyuria
Answer: B – Confusion and lethargy
Rationale: Hyponatremia leads to water moving into cells, including brain cells, causing neurological
symptoms.
5. Acid-Base Disorders
Q5: A patient has a pH of 7.30 and PaCO₂ of 50 mmHg. This is consistent with:
A. Respiratory acidosis
B. Respiratory alkalosis
, C. Metabolic acidosis
D. Metabolic alkalosis
Answer: A – Respiratory acidosis
Rationale: Low pH (<7.35) and elevated CO₂ (>45 mmHg) indicate CO₂ retention.
Perfect. I’ll create a comprehensive set of 50 most-tested and most-difficult NUR 376 Week 1 Module 1
practice questions (2026/2027) with answers and rationales, covering applied pathophysiology topics:
cell injury, inflammation, immunity, fluid/electrolyte balance, acid-base, and genetics.
NUR 376 Week 1 Module 1 Practice Questions (1–50)
Cellular Function and Injury
1. Which type of cellular adaptation involves an increase in cell size due to increased workload?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is the enlargement of existing cells to meet increased functional
demand.
2. A patient with chronic vitamin C deficiency develops scurvy. Which cellular change is most likely
present?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Impaired collagen synthesis
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Impaired collagen synthesis
Rationale: Vitamin C is required for collagen production; deficiency impairs tissue repair.
3. Which type of necrosis is characteristic of tuberculosis?
A. Coagulative
B. Liquefactive
C. Caseous
D. Fat
Answer: C. Caseous
Rationale: Caseous necrosis combines features of coagulative and liquefactive necrosis, often
seen in TB.
4. Hypoxic injury primarily disrupts which cellular process?
A. Glycolysis
B. Oxidative phosphorylation
C. DNA replication
