ATI Med Surg Proctored Study Guide Latest Update
2026 | Pass Exam Prep
1. What is one key statement a nurse should make during preoperative teaching
for a client scheduled for a mastectomy?
The scar will remain red and raised for many years after surgery
It is important for you to look at the incisional site when the dressings
are removed
You should accept your body image change before discharge
I will refer you to a community resource that can provide support
2. If the nurse identifies a new client with peptic ulcer disease who presents
with severe abdominal pain and guarding, what should be the nurse's
immediate action?
Administer pain medication as prescribed.
Document the findings and continue monitoring.
Notify the healthcare provider for further evaluation and
intervention.
Reassess the client's vital signs every hour.
3. What is a common adverse effect of radiation therapy for esophageal cancer
that affects the mouth?
Dry mouth
Fatigue
Nausea
Weight gain
,4. What is one recommended postoperative instruction for a client who has
undergone total knee arthroplasty?
Lower the leg when sitting in a chair
Ensure the leg is abducted when resting in bed
Place a pillow under the knee when lying in bed
Flex the foot every hour when awake
5. What sensation might a client experience along the inside of the affected
arm after a modified radical mastectomy?
Weakness
Tingling
Numbness
Pain
6. In a scenario where a nurse encounters a client with an endotracheal tube
who suddenly becomes unresponsive, what should the nurse do first?
Manually ventilate the client using a bag-valve device
Call for emergency assistance
Administer oxygen through the tube
Check the endotracheal tube placement
7. A patient with hyperlipidemia is prescribed gemfibrozil but has a recent lab
result showing elevated AST levels. What should the nurse do next?
Monitor the patient for side effects of gemfibrozil.
Educate the patient about the importance of taking gemfibrozil.
, Contact the healthcare provider to discuss the contraindication.
Administer the medication as prescribed.
8. If a patient exhibits asymmetry in facial movements during a cranial nerve VII
assessment, what should be the nurse's next step?
Document the findings and notify the healthcare provider.
Perform a hearing test.
Reassess the patient's vision.
Ignore the findings if the patient is asymptomatic.
9. A client recovering from a right total hip arthroplasty is unsure about how to
sit comfortably. Based on nursing guidelines, what advice should the nurse
provide?
Suggest that the client bend forward to reach the floor.
Encourage the client to cross their legs for comfort.
Instruct the client to sit on a soft couch to relax.
Advise the client to use a straight-backed chair and keep their legs
apart.
10. What is the recommended nursing action to prepare a client for surgery the
night before?
Provide the client with detailed information about the surgical
procedure on the day before the surgery
Bathe the client with an antiseptic solution the night before and the
day of the surgery
Teach the client to use an incentive spirometer every 4 hr after the
surgery
, Shave hair from the surgical area the night before the surgery
11. A postoperative patient presents with a neutrophil count of 12,000/mm3.
What nursing intervention should be prioritized?
Assess the surgical site for signs of infection.
Encourage ambulation to prevent blood clots.
Administer pain medication as prescribed.
Increase fluid intake to promote hydration.
12. A nurse observes shiny areas on the ankles and feet of a postoperative
patient with heart failure. What nursing intervention should the nurse
prioritize to address this finding?
Encourage the patient to ambulate more frequently to improve
circulation.
Increase the patient's oral fluid intake to improve hydration.
Assess the patient's fluid status and consider diuretic
administration.
Apply moisturizing lotion to the patient's skin to prevent dryness.
13. If the nurse observes that the older adult client is still reporting a pain level
of 8 after administering oxycodone, what should be the nurse's next step in
managing the patient's pain?
Increase the dosage of oxycodone without consulting the physician.
Document the pain level and continue to monitor without further
action.
Assess the patient for potential causes of unrelieved pain and
consider additional interventions.
2026 | Pass Exam Prep
1. What is one key statement a nurse should make during preoperative teaching
for a client scheduled for a mastectomy?
The scar will remain red and raised for many years after surgery
It is important for you to look at the incisional site when the dressings
are removed
You should accept your body image change before discharge
I will refer you to a community resource that can provide support
2. If the nurse identifies a new client with peptic ulcer disease who presents
with severe abdominal pain and guarding, what should be the nurse's
immediate action?
Administer pain medication as prescribed.
Document the findings and continue monitoring.
Notify the healthcare provider for further evaluation and
intervention.
Reassess the client's vital signs every hour.
3. What is a common adverse effect of radiation therapy for esophageal cancer
that affects the mouth?
Dry mouth
Fatigue
Nausea
Weight gain
,4. What is one recommended postoperative instruction for a client who has
undergone total knee arthroplasty?
Lower the leg when sitting in a chair
Ensure the leg is abducted when resting in bed
Place a pillow under the knee when lying in bed
Flex the foot every hour when awake
5. What sensation might a client experience along the inside of the affected
arm after a modified radical mastectomy?
Weakness
Tingling
Numbness
Pain
6. In a scenario where a nurse encounters a client with an endotracheal tube
who suddenly becomes unresponsive, what should the nurse do first?
Manually ventilate the client using a bag-valve device
Call for emergency assistance
Administer oxygen through the tube
Check the endotracheal tube placement
7. A patient with hyperlipidemia is prescribed gemfibrozil but has a recent lab
result showing elevated AST levels. What should the nurse do next?
Monitor the patient for side effects of gemfibrozil.
Educate the patient about the importance of taking gemfibrozil.
, Contact the healthcare provider to discuss the contraindication.
Administer the medication as prescribed.
8. If a patient exhibits asymmetry in facial movements during a cranial nerve VII
assessment, what should be the nurse's next step?
Document the findings and notify the healthcare provider.
Perform a hearing test.
Reassess the patient's vision.
Ignore the findings if the patient is asymptomatic.
9. A client recovering from a right total hip arthroplasty is unsure about how to
sit comfortably. Based on nursing guidelines, what advice should the nurse
provide?
Suggest that the client bend forward to reach the floor.
Encourage the client to cross their legs for comfort.
Instruct the client to sit on a soft couch to relax.
Advise the client to use a straight-backed chair and keep their legs
apart.
10. What is the recommended nursing action to prepare a client for surgery the
night before?
Provide the client with detailed information about the surgical
procedure on the day before the surgery
Bathe the client with an antiseptic solution the night before and the
day of the surgery
Teach the client to use an incentive spirometer every 4 hr after the
surgery
, Shave hair from the surgical area the night before the surgery
11. A postoperative patient presents with a neutrophil count of 12,000/mm3.
What nursing intervention should be prioritized?
Assess the surgical site for signs of infection.
Encourage ambulation to prevent blood clots.
Administer pain medication as prescribed.
Increase fluid intake to promote hydration.
12. A nurse observes shiny areas on the ankles and feet of a postoperative
patient with heart failure. What nursing intervention should the nurse
prioritize to address this finding?
Encourage the patient to ambulate more frequently to improve
circulation.
Increase the patient's oral fluid intake to improve hydration.
Assess the patient's fluid status and consider diuretic
administration.
Apply moisturizing lotion to the patient's skin to prevent dryness.
13. If the nurse observes that the older adult client is still reporting a pain level
of 8 after administering oxycodone, what should be the nurse's next step in
managing the patient's pain?
Increase the dosage of oxycodone without consulting the physician.
Document the pain level and continue to monitor without further
action.
Assess the patient for potential causes of unrelieved pain and
consider additional interventions.
