NU 185 Exam 3 Medical-Surgical Nursing II Quiz 2026 Galen College
1. A nurse is assessing a patient with suspected left-sided heart failure. Which
clinical manifestation should the nurse expect to find?
A. Crackles in the lungs
B. Dependent edema
C. Jugular venous distention
D. Right upper quadrant pain
Answer: A
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes pulmonary congestion, leading to symptoms like
crackles, dyspnea, and orthopnea.
2. Which assessment finding is most characteristic of right-sided heart failure?
A. Frothy, pink-tinged sputum
B. Peripheral edema
C. S3 heart sound
D. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
Answer: B
Rationale: Right-sided heart failure results in systemic congestion, evidenced by
peripheral edema, jugular venous distention, and hepatomegaly.
,3. A patient’s arterial blood gas (ABG) results are: pH 7.30, PaCO2 52 mmHg, and
HCO3 24 mEq/L. How should the nurse interpret these results?
A. Metabolic Acidosis
B. Respiratory Alkalosis
C. Metabolic Alkalosis
D. Respiratory Acidosis
Answer: D
Rationale: The low pH (<7.35) indicates acidosis, and the high PaCO2 (>45) indicates a
respiratory cause.
4. What is the therapeutic range for a patient receiving Digoxin for heart failure?
A. 5.0 to 10.0 ng/mL
B. 2.5 to 4.0 ng/mL
C. 0.5 to 2.0 ng/mL
D. 0.1 to 0.4 ng/mL
Answer: C
Rationale: The standard therapeutic range for Digoxin is 0.5 to 2.0 ng/mL. Levels above
2.0 are considered toxic.
5. A nurse is monitoring an ECG rhythm and notes a saw-tooth pattern of P
waves. Which rhythm is the patient experiencing?
A. Atrial Flutter
B. Atrial Fibrillation
C. Ventricular Tachycardia
D. Sinus Bradycardia
Answer: A
Rationale: Atrial flutter is characterized by a rapid, regular atrial rate that creates a
sawtooth appearance on the ECG.
, 6. When administering Nitroglycerin sublingually for chest pain, the nurse
should instruct the patient to:
A. Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve
B. Wait 10 minutes between doses if pain persists
C. Swallow the tablet with a full glass of water
D. Chew the tablet for faster absorption
Answer: A
Rationale: Sublingual administration requires the tablet to dissolve under the tongue to
enter the bloodstream directly, bypassing the GI tract.
7. Which medication is considered the first-line treatment for a patient in
Ventricular Fibrillation after CPR has started?
A. Epinephrine
B. Atropine
C. Adenosine
D. Digoxin
Answer: A
Rationale: Epinephrine is the primary vasopressor used during ACLS for Ventricular
Fibrillation to increase coronary perfusion.
8. A patient with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) complains of pain while
walking that is relieved by rest. This is known as:
A. Intermittent claudication
B. Neuropathy
C. Rest pain
D. Raynaud’s phenomenon
Answer: A
Rationale: Intermittent claudication is ischemic muscle pain that occurs during exercise
and is relieved by rest.
1. A nurse is assessing a patient with suspected left-sided heart failure. Which
clinical manifestation should the nurse expect to find?
A. Crackles in the lungs
B. Dependent edema
C. Jugular venous distention
D. Right upper quadrant pain
Answer: A
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes pulmonary congestion, leading to symptoms like
crackles, dyspnea, and orthopnea.
2. Which assessment finding is most characteristic of right-sided heart failure?
A. Frothy, pink-tinged sputum
B. Peripheral edema
C. S3 heart sound
D. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
Answer: B
Rationale: Right-sided heart failure results in systemic congestion, evidenced by
peripheral edema, jugular venous distention, and hepatomegaly.
,3. A patient’s arterial blood gas (ABG) results are: pH 7.30, PaCO2 52 mmHg, and
HCO3 24 mEq/L. How should the nurse interpret these results?
A. Metabolic Acidosis
B. Respiratory Alkalosis
C. Metabolic Alkalosis
D. Respiratory Acidosis
Answer: D
Rationale: The low pH (<7.35) indicates acidosis, and the high PaCO2 (>45) indicates a
respiratory cause.
4. What is the therapeutic range for a patient receiving Digoxin for heart failure?
A. 5.0 to 10.0 ng/mL
B. 2.5 to 4.0 ng/mL
C. 0.5 to 2.0 ng/mL
D. 0.1 to 0.4 ng/mL
Answer: C
Rationale: The standard therapeutic range for Digoxin is 0.5 to 2.0 ng/mL. Levels above
2.0 are considered toxic.
5. A nurse is monitoring an ECG rhythm and notes a saw-tooth pattern of P
waves. Which rhythm is the patient experiencing?
A. Atrial Flutter
B. Atrial Fibrillation
C. Ventricular Tachycardia
D. Sinus Bradycardia
Answer: A
Rationale: Atrial flutter is characterized by a rapid, regular atrial rate that creates a
sawtooth appearance on the ECG.
, 6. When administering Nitroglycerin sublingually for chest pain, the nurse
should instruct the patient to:
A. Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve
B. Wait 10 minutes between doses if pain persists
C. Swallow the tablet with a full glass of water
D. Chew the tablet for faster absorption
Answer: A
Rationale: Sublingual administration requires the tablet to dissolve under the tongue to
enter the bloodstream directly, bypassing the GI tract.
7. Which medication is considered the first-line treatment for a patient in
Ventricular Fibrillation after CPR has started?
A. Epinephrine
B. Atropine
C. Adenosine
D. Digoxin
Answer: A
Rationale: Epinephrine is the primary vasopressor used during ACLS for Ventricular
Fibrillation to increase coronary perfusion.
8. A patient with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) complains of pain while
walking that is relieved by rest. This is known as:
A. Intermittent claudication
B. Neuropathy
C. Rest pain
D. Raynaud’s phenomenon
Answer: A
Rationale: Intermittent claudication is ischemic muscle pain that occurs during exercise
and is relieved by rest.
