Medical-Surgical Nurse Exam – Comprehensive Questions
and Correct Answers.
1. The nurse is caring for a client who has as a son with a streptococcus throat infection.
Which nurse recommendation would be best to advise the client to do in order to
prevent acquiring the infection? - Correct Answer -Frequently wash her hands and
surfaces of the home.
2. The nurse is caring for a client infected with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The nurse
should ask if the client has experienced which of the following? - Correct Answer -
Was bitten by a tick
3. The nurse is caring for a client with a protozoa infection. Which is the most likely
mode of transmission? - Correct Answer -Ingestion of contaminated food or water
4. The nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from an allergic reaction. Which
leukocyte level would the nurse expect to be the most elevated? - Correct Answer -
Eosinophils
5. The nurse is caring for a client who has an infected wound on the great toe that is red
with a purulent exudate. The nurse expects that this client has which type of
infection? - Correct Answer -Localized
6. The client experienced a fall. Nursing assessment reveals that the client is
experiencing tachycardia, hypotension, confusion, tachypnea, and flat jugular veins.
What should be the nurse's first response? - Correct Answer -Administer oxygen.
7. The family wants to know why the nurse is putting a urinary catheter in a client
experiencing shock. What is the nurse's best response? - Correct Answer -"It will
help monitor how much urine the kidneys are able to produce."
8. A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the last 10 hours.
What is the nurse's most appropriate response? - Correct Answer -Notify the
physician.
9. Which client is most likely to be experiencing hypovolemic shock? - Correct Answer -
A client who had surgery 24 hours ago and who also has a nasogastric tube
10. The physician has ordered arterial blood gases for a client experiencing shock. The
nurse knows that which value indicates shock? - Correct Answer -pH 7.32
11. A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is the nurse's best
first response? - Correct Answer -Assess for pain
1
,12. The client is complaining of excruciating pain in a foot that has been amputated. The
family tells the nurse that the client is just addicted to pain medications. What is the
nurse's best response? - Correct Answer -"He is experiencing phantom limb pain."
13. A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated three times a
day. Oral pain medication has been ordered for the client. What should the nurse do
to facilitate ambulation? - Correct Answer -Mediate 1 hour prior to ambulating the
client.
14. The client reports frequent use of acetaminophen. How should the nurse best
respond? - Correct Answer -"Do you drink alcohol?"
15. A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing assessment
reveals that the client has a decreased level of consciousness. What should the nurse
ask the family about? - Correct Answer -What medications the client has taken
16. The practical nurse is reviewing the social history from a client diagnosed with small
cell carcinoma of the lung. Which information is significant for this disease? - Correct
Answer -The client has smoked two (2) packs of cigarettes a day for 20 years
17. The practical nurse and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are caring for a group
of clients on a medical unit. Which information provided by the UAP warrants
immediate intervention by the practical nurse? - Correct Answer -The client
receiving Procrit (exporting Alfa) has a T 99.2F̊, P 68, R 24, and BP of 198/102
18. The client diagnosed with lung cancer has been told the cancer has metastasized to
the brain. Which intervention should the practical nurse expect to implement? -
Correct Answer -Discuss implementing an advance directive
19. The client diagnosed with lung cancer is being discharged. Which statement made by
the client indicates a reiteration of information is required? - Correct Answer -"It
doesn't matter if I smoke now. I already have cancer."
20. The practical nurse is interviewing clients at the clinic. Which information provided
by a client warrants further investigation? - Correct Answer -The client has been
coughing up blood in the mornings
21. The male client had abdominal surgery and the practical nurse suspects the client
has peritonitis. Which information support the diagnosis of peritonitis? - Correct
Answer -Hard, rigid abdomen and white blood cell count 22,000/mm3
22. The client who had abdominal surgery tells the practical nurse, "I felt something give
way in my stomach." Which intervention should the practical nurse implement first? -
Correct Answer -Inspect the abdominal wound incision
23. The client is one (1) day postoperative major abdominal surgery. Which client
problem is a priority? - Correct Answer -Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
2
, 24. The client has an eviscerated abdominal wound. Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement? - Correct Answer -Apply sterile normal saline dressing
25. The client is diagnosed with peritonitis. Which information indicates to the practical
nurse the client's condition is improving? - Correct Answer -The client has a decrease
in temperature and a soft abdomen
26. A patient is being released from the hospital with a prescription for tetracycline.
What should the nurse include in patient teaching?
27. Select all that apply. - Correct Answer -Advise limiting exposure to the sun.
28. Inform patient of the possibility of gastrointestinal upset.
29. Suggest eating crackers and some juice when taking this medicine.
30. The nurse wants to determine if a patient not fully awake from anesthesia for a
surgical procedure is experiencing pain. What findings should the nurse use to make
this determination?
31. Select all that apply. - Correct Answer -Moaning
32. Restlessness
33. Pulling at a body area
34. Elevated blood pressure
35. A patient is diagnosed with an infection that has spread to the blood stream. Which
term should the nurse use to document this patient's health problem? - Correct
Answer -Sepsis
36. The nurse learns that a patient is being admitted with an infectious disease that is
transmitted through the air. For which health problems should the nurse prepare to
provide care?
37. Select all that apply. - Correct Answer -Measles
38. Tuberculosis
39. Chickenpox
40. A patient is diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. What should the nurse
explain as the method by which this disease was transmitted to the patient? -
Correct Answer -Ticks
41. A patient returning from the recovery room following abdominal surgery to drain an
abscess has a no suction-type drain placed in the wound bed to allow drainage.
Which drain should the nurse expect to see? - Correct Answer -Penrose drain
3
and Correct Answers.
1. The nurse is caring for a client who has as a son with a streptococcus throat infection.
Which nurse recommendation would be best to advise the client to do in order to
prevent acquiring the infection? - Correct Answer -Frequently wash her hands and
surfaces of the home.
2. The nurse is caring for a client infected with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The nurse
should ask if the client has experienced which of the following? - Correct Answer -
Was bitten by a tick
3. The nurse is caring for a client with a protozoa infection. Which is the most likely
mode of transmission? - Correct Answer -Ingestion of contaminated food or water
4. The nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from an allergic reaction. Which
leukocyte level would the nurse expect to be the most elevated? - Correct Answer -
Eosinophils
5. The nurse is caring for a client who has an infected wound on the great toe that is red
with a purulent exudate. The nurse expects that this client has which type of
infection? - Correct Answer -Localized
6. The client experienced a fall. Nursing assessment reveals that the client is
experiencing tachycardia, hypotension, confusion, tachypnea, and flat jugular veins.
What should be the nurse's first response? - Correct Answer -Administer oxygen.
7. The family wants to know why the nurse is putting a urinary catheter in a client
experiencing shock. What is the nurse's best response? - Correct Answer -"It will
help monitor how much urine the kidneys are able to produce."
8. A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the last 10 hours.
What is the nurse's most appropriate response? - Correct Answer -Notify the
physician.
9. Which client is most likely to be experiencing hypovolemic shock? - Correct Answer -
A client who had surgery 24 hours ago and who also has a nasogastric tube
10. The physician has ordered arterial blood gases for a client experiencing shock. The
nurse knows that which value indicates shock? - Correct Answer -pH 7.32
11. A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is the nurse's best
first response? - Correct Answer -Assess for pain
1
,12. The client is complaining of excruciating pain in a foot that has been amputated. The
family tells the nurse that the client is just addicted to pain medications. What is the
nurse's best response? - Correct Answer -"He is experiencing phantom limb pain."
13. A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated three times a
day. Oral pain medication has been ordered for the client. What should the nurse do
to facilitate ambulation? - Correct Answer -Mediate 1 hour prior to ambulating the
client.
14. The client reports frequent use of acetaminophen. How should the nurse best
respond? - Correct Answer -"Do you drink alcohol?"
15. A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing assessment
reveals that the client has a decreased level of consciousness. What should the nurse
ask the family about? - Correct Answer -What medications the client has taken
16. The practical nurse is reviewing the social history from a client diagnosed with small
cell carcinoma of the lung. Which information is significant for this disease? - Correct
Answer -The client has smoked two (2) packs of cigarettes a day for 20 years
17. The practical nurse and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are caring for a group
of clients on a medical unit. Which information provided by the UAP warrants
immediate intervention by the practical nurse? - Correct Answer -The client
receiving Procrit (exporting Alfa) has a T 99.2F̊, P 68, R 24, and BP of 198/102
18. The client diagnosed with lung cancer has been told the cancer has metastasized to
the brain. Which intervention should the practical nurse expect to implement? -
Correct Answer -Discuss implementing an advance directive
19. The client diagnosed with lung cancer is being discharged. Which statement made by
the client indicates a reiteration of information is required? - Correct Answer -"It
doesn't matter if I smoke now. I already have cancer."
20. The practical nurse is interviewing clients at the clinic. Which information provided
by a client warrants further investigation? - Correct Answer -The client has been
coughing up blood in the mornings
21. The male client had abdominal surgery and the practical nurse suspects the client
has peritonitis. Which information support the diagnosis of peritonitis? - Correct
Answer -Hard, rigid abdomen and white blood cell count 22,000/mm3
22. The client who had abdominal surgery tells the practical nurse, "I felt something give
way in my stomach." Which intervention should the practical nurse implement first? -
Correct Answer -Inspect the abdominal wound incision
23. The client is one (1) day postoperative major abdominal surgery. Which client
problem is a priority? - Correct Answer -Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
2
, 24. The client has an eviscerated abdominal wound. Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement? - Correct Answer -Apply sterile normal saline dressing
25. The client is diagnosed with peritonitis. Which information indicates to the practical
nurse the client's condition is improving? - Correct Answer -The client has a decrease
in temperature and a soft abdomen
26. A patient is being released from the hospital with a prescription for tetracycline.
What should the nurse include in patient teaching?
27. Select all that apply. - Correct Answer -Advise limiting exposure to the sun.
28. Inform patient of the possibility of gastrointestinal upset.
29. Suggest eating crackers and some juice when taking this medicine.
30. The nurse wants to determine if a patient not fully awake from anesthesia for a
surgical procedure is experiencing pain. What findings should the nurse use to make
this determination?
31. Select all that apply. - Correct Answer -Moaning
32. Restlessness
33. Pulling at a body area
34. Elevated blood pressure
35. A patient is diagnosed with an infection that has spread to the blood stream. Which
term should the nurse use to document this patient's health problem? - Correct
Answer -Sepsis
36. The nurse learns that a patient is being admitted with an infectious disease that is
transmitted through the air. For which health problems should the nurse prepare to
provide care?
37. Select all that apply. - Correct Answer -Measles
38. Tuberculosis
39. Chickenpox
40. A patient is diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. What should the nurse
explain as the method by which this disease was transmitted to the patient? -
Correct Answer -Ticks
41. A patient returning from the recovery room following abdominal surgery to drain an
abscess has a no suction-type drain placed in the wound bed to allow drainage.
Which drain should the nurse expect to see? - Correct Answer -Penrose drain
3
