Nursing NUR401 Test 1 – Practice Questions and Answers Study Guide
1. The middle-aged client with small cell lung cancer asks if his adult children are at
increased risk of this cancer. What is the nurse's best response?
a."This disease is a random event and there is no way to prevent it."
b."Lung cancer can be avoided by decreasing dietary intake of fats and increasing the
amount of regular aerobic exercise."
c."Cigarette smoking is the main cause of this disease, and helping your children not to
smoke will decrease their risk."
d."Because this disease is inherited as a dominant trait, your children have a 50% risk
for developing it." - correct answer ✔✔c.
2. A client with leukemia is scheduled for radiation therapy. The client asks the nurse why
he is going to receive irradiation of the spine and skull, as he has already received other
Neoplastic drugs. What is the nurse's best response to the client?
a."Radiation will decrease cerebral edema and prevent increased intracranial pressure."
b."Radiation will retard growth of cells in bone marrow of the cranium."
c."Neoplastic drug therapy without radiation is effective in most cases, but this is a
precautionary treatment."
d."Leukemia cells invade the nervous system more slowly, but the usual drugs are
ineffective in the brain." - correct answer ✔✔d
3. The nurse provides teaching for the patient who has had a right modified radical
mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. When teaching the patient about
care of the affected arm, the nurse determines that teaching has been successful
when the patient makes which of the following statement?
,a."I should keep my right arm supported in a sling when I am up and around until
my incision is completely healed"
b."I should exercise my right arm several times a day with exercises such as raising
my arm or combing my hair"
c."I can do whatever exercises and activities I want as long as I limit elevating my
right hand above my head"
d."I may expose my arm to the sun for several hours each day to increase
circulation and promote healing" - correct answer ✔✔b
4. A nurse is assessing a client with lymphoma who reports distress 9 days after
chemotherapy. Because of the risk for septic shock, the nurse should assess the
client for which cluster of symptoms?
a.low-grade fever, chills, tachycardia
b.high-grade fever, normal blood pressure, increased respirations
c.elevated temperature, oliguria, hypotension
d.flushing, decreased oxygen saturation, mild hypotension - correct answer ✔✔a
5. Which of the following are signs and symptoms are true of lung cancer?
a.Unexplained weight gain, blood tinged sputum and dyspnea
b.Non-productive cough with hoarseness
c.Chest pain, fatigue, polyphagia, and bilateral paralysis of the diaphragm
d.Often nonspecific and appear late in the disease process - correct answer ✔✔d
6. A client has a large malignant mass that is pressing on his small intestine causing
an obstruction. The client is scheduled to have a debulking procedure to remove a
portion of the tumor to relieve the pressure on the GI tract and restore function.
,Which type of surgical procedure is the client being scheduled for?
a.Palliative surgery
b.Diagnostic surgery
c.Radical excision
d.Prophylactic surgery - correct answer ✔✔d
7. During a routine health examination, the client tells the nurse that she has a family
history of colon cancer. What should the nurse advise the client to do?
a.Have a sigmoidoscopy for baseline at the age of 50 and every 5 years afterward.
b.Schedule a sigmoidoscopy every year after the age of 40.
c.Schedule a digital rectal examination every 6 months after the age of 45.
d.Discuss specific testing with her doctor because her risk for colon cancer is increased. - correct
answer ✔✔d
8. A client has undergone radiation to his chest for a mediastinal mass. The nurse
suspects the client is experiencing cardiac tamponade when she notes that he is
extremely anxious, short of breath, and complains of chest heaviness. What are
the priority nursing interventions at this time?
a.Preparing the client for surgery to establish a pericardial window or indwelling
pericardial catheter, frequent vital signs, oxygen therapy, IV hydration
b.Preparing the client for surgery to remove some of his tumor to relieve pressure on his
heart
c.Frequent vital signs, oxygen therapy, fluid restriction, vasopressor administration
d.Administration of diuretics, monitoring of vital signs q 8h - correct answer ✔✔a
9. The nurse is teaching a postmenopausal client with breast cancer about the
, expected outcomes of her cancer treatment. The nurse evaluates that the teaching
has been effective when the client makes which of the following statements?
a."Cancer can be cured only with surgery, and other treatments are used to control the
symptoms cancer causes."
b."Cancer is never considered cured, and the goal of treatment is control of tumour
growth over a long period of time."
c."If I have no recurrence in the tumour for 5 years after treatment, I will be cured of my
cancer."
d."Because my tumour is slow-growing, it will be many years before I can be considered
cured of cancer." - correct answer ✔✔d
10. After the radiation treatment, the client reports symptoms of wet desquamation. What is
the most appropriate nursing intervention for the client?
a.Cleanse the area with normal saline and apply a dry dressing.
b.Cleanse the area with a strong antibacterial soap and apply a wet dressing.
c.Apply a heating pad to the affected area.
d.Apply ice compresses to relieve pain. - correct answer ✔✔a
12. Which statements about pain management in a client who is dying is true? Select all that
apply.
a. Patients who are dying should discontinue long-acting opioids.
b. The client's pain may come from many areas.
c. Aromatherapy, massage, music therapy, and therapeutic touch are a few alternative
therapies that have been shown to be useful.
d. When using massage for clients with cancer, deep pressure is the preferred method.
e. Alternative therapies have been useful when integrated into a pain management plan of
1. The middle-aged client with small cell lung cancer asks if his adult children are at
increased risk of this cancer. What is the nurse's best response?
a."This disease is a random event and there is no way to prevent it."
b."Lung cancer can be avoided by decreasing dietary intake of fats and increasing the
amount of regular aerobic exercise."
c."Cigarette smoking is the main cause of this disease, and helping your children not to
smoke will decrease their risk."
d."Because this disease is inherited as a dominant trait, your children have a 50% risk
for developing it." - correct answer ✔✔c.
2. A client with leukemia is scheduled for radiation therapy. The client asks the nurse why
he is going to receive irradiation of the spine and skull, as he has already received other
Neoplastic drugs. What is the nurse's best response to the client?
a."Radiation will decrease cerebral edema and prevent increased intracranial pressure."
b."Radiation will retard growth of cells in bone marrow of the cranium."
c."Neoplastic drug therapy without radiation is effective in most cases, but this is a
precautionary treatment."
d."Leukemia cells invade the nervous system more slowly, but the usual drugs are
ineffective in the brain." - correct answer ✔✔d
3. The nurse provides teaching for the patient who has had a right modified radical
mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. When teaching the patient about
care of the affected arm, the nurse determines that teaching has been successful
when the patient makes which of the following statement?
,a."I should keep my right arm supported in a sling when I am up and around until
my incision is completely healed"
b."I should exercise my right arm several times a day with exercises such as raising
my arm or combing my hair"
c."I can do whatever exercises and activities I want as long as I limit elevating my
right hand above my head"
d."I may expose my arm to the sun for several hours each day to increase
circulation and promote healing" - correct answer ✔✔b
4. A nurse is assessing a client with lymphoma who reports distress 9 days after
chemotherapy. Because of the risk for septic shock, the nurse should assess the
client for which cluster of symptoms?
a.low-grade fever, chills, tachycardia
b.high-grade fever, normal blood pressure, increased respirations
c.elevated temperature, oliguria, hypotension
d.flushing, decreased oxygen saturation, mild hypotension - correct answer ✔✔a
5. Which of the following are signs and symptoms are true of lung cancer?
a.Unexplained weight gain, blood tinged sputum and dyspnea
b.Non-productive cough with hoarseness
c.Chest pain, fatigue, polyphagia, and bilateral paralysis of the diaphragm
d.Often nonspecific and appear late in the disease process - correct answer ✔✔d
6. A client has a large malignant mass that is pressing on his small intestine causing
an obstruction. The client is scheduled to have a debulking procedure to remove a
portion of the tumor to relieve the pressure on the GI tract and restore function.
,Which type of surgical procedure is the client being scheduled for?
a.Palliative surgery
b.Diagnostic surgery
c.Radical excision
d.Prophylactic surgery - correct answer ✔✔d
7. During a routine health examination, the client tells the nurse that she has a family
history of colon cancer. What should the nurse advise the client to do?
a.Have a sigmoidoscopy for baseline at the age of 50 and every 5 years afterward.
b.Schedule a sigmoidoscopy every year after the age of 40.
c.Schedule a digital rectal examination every 6 months after the age of 45.
d.Discuss specific testing with her doctor because her risk for colon cancer is increased. - correct
answer ✔✔d
8. A client has undergone radiation to his chest for a mediastinal mass. The nurse
suspects the client is experiencing cardiac tamponade when she notes that he is
extremely anxious, short of breath, and complains of chest heaviness. What are
the priority nursing interventions at this time?
a.Preparing the client for surgery to establish a pericardial window or indwelling
pericardial catheter, frequent vital signs, oxygen therapy, IV hydration
b.Preparing the client for surgery to remove some of his tumor to relieve pressure on his
heart
c.Frequent vital signs, oxygen therapy, fluid restriction, vasopressor administration
d.Administration of diuretics, monitoring of vital signs q 8h - correct answer ✔✔a
9. The nurse is teaching a postmenopausal client with breast cancer about the
, expected outcomes of her cancer treatment. The nurse evaluates that the teaching
has been effective when the client makes which of the following statements?
a."Cancer can be cured only with surgery, and other treatments are used to control the
symptoms cancer causes."
b."Cancer is never considered cured, and the goal of treatment is control of tumour
growth over a long period of time."
c."If I have no recurrence in the tumour for 5 years after treatment, I will be cured of my
cancer."
d."Because my tumour is slow-growing, it will be many years before I can be considered
cured of cancer." - correct answer ✔✔d
10. After the radiation treatment, the client reports symptoms of wet desquamation. What is
the most appropriate nursing intervention for the client?
a.Cleanse the area with normal saline and apply a dry dressing.
b.Cleanse the area with a strong antibacterial soap and apply a wet dressing.
c.Apply a heating pad to the affected area.
d.Apply ice compresses to relieve pain. - correct answer ✔✔a
12. Which statements about pain management in a client who is dying is true? Select all that
apply.
a. Patients who are dying should discontinue long-acting opioids.
b. The client's pain may come from many areas.
c. Aromatherapy, massage, music therapy, and therapeutic touch are a few alternative
therapies that have been shown to be useful.
d. When using massage for clients with cancer, deep pressure is the preferred method.
e. Alternative therapies have been useful when integrated into a pain management plan of
