ONS Practice Test Exam Study Guide with Questions and Answers – 100% Solved
4. A patient with esophageal cancer reports cramping and diarrhea after eating meals. What
should the nurse recommend?
a. chewing thoroughly
b. drinking at least 20oz of water during meals
c. decreasing dietary protein intake
d. eating small, freqeunt meals - ✔✔✔-d. eating small, freqeunt meals aka prevent dumping
syndrome
5. What is the absolute neutrophil count for a patient who has a white blood cell count of
500/mm3 with 32% polysegmented neutrophils and 7% bands?
a. 100/mm3
b. 125/mm3
c. 195/mm3
d. 223/mm3 - ✔✔✔-c. 195/mm3
The absolute neutrophil count can be calculated by adding polysegmented neutrophils and
bands, converting to a percentage, and multiplying by the white blood cell count (0.32 +0.07 =
0.39) x 500 = 195/mm3.
6. A patient with cancer receiving palliative services reports poor sleep, fatigue, and frequently
feeling worried. Which medication should the nurse expect to be prescribed for the patient?
a. miratazapine
b. diphenhydramine
c. citalopram
d. methylphenidate - ✔✔✔-c. citalopram
The symptoms described are consistent with generalized anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors, such as citalopram, are considered first-line for the management of generalized
anxiety disorder.
,ONS Practice Test Exam Study Guide with Questions and Answers – 100% Solved
7. The nurse is assessing a patient with an ileostomy. The peristomal skin is erythematous,
excoriated, and bleeding. Which of the following complications should the nurse first suspect?
a. stenosis requiring revision
b. improper pouch fit
c. increased output over baseline
d. allergy to device - ✔✔✔-b. improper pouch fit
8. Which of these factors is most likely to result in a higher incidence of acute graft-versus- host
disease?
a. female to male donation
b. HLA identical related donors
c. reduced intensity conditioning regimen
d. T cell depleted grafts - ✔✔✔-a. female to male donation
A male recipient receiving the stem cells of a female increases the risk for the development of
acute graft-versus-host disease.
9. A patient with cancer has a new onset of confusion, acute nausea, and blurred vision. The
nurse anticipates the physician to order which diagnostic test?
a. U/S of gallblader & bile ducts
b. CXR
c. Skeletal scintigraphy
d. MRI of brain - ✔✔✔-d. MRI of brain
10. A patient reports odynophagia with progressive dysphagia, and weight loss of five kilograms
over the past month. The nurse should anticipate which diagnostic test to be ordered next?
a. endoscopy
b. bone marrow biopsy
c. Xray of kidneys, ureters, bladder
, ONS Practice Test Exam Study Guide with Questions and Answers – 100% Solved
d. echocardiogram - ✔✔✔-a. endoscopy
the patient presents with signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer. A diagnostic evaluation
would include an endoscopy.
11. A patient who received chemotherapy two weeks ago presents with temperature, 102.4ºF
(39.1ºC); heart rate 145 beats per minute; respiration rate, 30 breaths per minute; and blood
pressure 80/38 mm Hg. The patient's white blood cell count is 18,000/mm3. Which oncologic
emergency should the nurse suspect?
a. septic shock
b. cardiac tamponade
c. tumor lysis syndrome
d. malignant bowel obstruction - ✔✔✔-a. septic shock
Patients with sepsis present with signs of infection, including leukocytosis, hypotension, fever,
and tachycardia.
12. A patient with breast cancer has been receiving paclitaxel and would like to have a
manicure. What instructions should the patient receive?
a. soak hands in a 50% bleach soultion for 20 mins
b. ask for a prescription for a prophylactic antibiotic
c. apply artifical nails using a strong adhesive
d. use a non acetone polish remover - ✔✔✔-d. use a non acetone polish remover
Non-acetone polish remover will be gentler on the nail, maintaining healthy structure.
13. A patient who has been treated with whole-brain radiation reports a new onset of
headaches, photophobia, nausea and confusion. The nurse suspects that the patient is
experiencing:
a. hypercalcemia
4. A patient with esophageal cancer reports cramping and diarrhea after eating meals. What
should the nurse recommend?
a. chewing thoroughly
b. drinking at least 20oz of water during meals
c. decreasing dietary protein intake
d. eating small, freqeunt meals - ✔✔✔-d. eating small, freqeunt meals aka prevent dumping
syndrome
5. What is the absolute neutrophil count for a patient who has a white blood cell count of
500/mm3 with 32% polysegmented neutrophils and 7% bands?
a. 100/mm3
b. 125/mm3
c. 195/mm3
d. 223/mm3 - ✔✔✔-c. 195/mm3
The absolute neutrophil count can be calculated by adding polysegmented neutrophils and
bands, converting to a percentage, and multiplying by the white blood cell count (0.32 +0.07 =
0.39) x 500 = 195/mm3.
6. A patient with cancer receiving palliative services reports poor sleep, fatigue, and frequently
feeling worried. Which medication should the nurse expect to be prescribed for the patient?
a. miratazapine
b. diphenhydramine
c. citalopram
d. methylphenidate - ✔✔✔-c. citalopram
The symptoms described are consistent with generalized anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors, such as citalopram, are considered first-line for the management of generalized
anxiety disorder.
,ONS Practice Test Exam Study Guide with Questions and Answers – 100% Solved
7. The nurse is assessing a patient with an ileostomy. The peristomal skin is erythematous,
excoriated, and bleeding. Which of the following complications should the nurse first suspect?
a. stenosis requiring revision
b. improper pouch fit
c. increased output over baseline
d. allergy to device - ✔✔✔-b. improper pouch fit
8. Which of these factors is most likely to result in a higher incidence of acute graft-versus- host
disease?
a. female to male donation
b. HLA identical related donors
c. reduced intensity conditioning regimen
d. T cell depleted grafts - ✔✔✔-a. female to male donation
A male recipient receiving the stem cells of a female increases the risk for the development of
acute graft-versus-host disease.
9. A patient with cancer has a new onset of confusion, acute nausea, and blurred vision. The
nurse anticipates the physician to order which diagnostic test?
a. U/S of gallblader & bile ducts
b. CXR
c. Skeletal scintigraphy
d. MRI of brain - ✔✔✔-d. MRI of brain
10. A patient reports odynophagia with progressive dysphagia, and weight loss of five kilograms
over the past month. The nurse should anticipate which diagnostic test to be ordered next?
a. endoscopy
b. bone marrow biopsy
c. Xray of kidneys, ureters, bladder
, ONS Practice Test Exam Study Guide with Questions and Answers – 100% Solved
d. echocardiogram - ✔✔✔-a. endoscopy
the patient presents with signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer. A diagnostic evaluation
would include an endoscopy.
11. A patient who received chemotherapy two weeks ago presents with temperature, 102.4ºF
(39.1ºC); heart rate 145 beats per minute; respiration rate, 30 breaths per minute; and blood
pressure 80/38 mm Hg. The patient's white blood cell count is 18,000/mm3. Which oncologic
emergency should the nurse suspect?
a. septic shock
b. cardiac tamponade
c. tumor lysis syndrome
d. malignant bowel obstruction - ✔✔✔-a. septic shock
Patients with sepsis present with signs of infection, including leukocytosis, hypotension, fever,
and tachycardia.
12. A patient with breast cancer has been receiving paclitaxel and would like to have a
manicure. What instructions should the patient receive?
a. soak hands in a 50% bleach soultion for 20 mins
b. ask for a prescription for a prophylactic antibiotic
c. apply artifical nails using a strong adhesive
d. use a non acetone polish remover - ✔✔✔-d. use a non acetone polish remover
Non-acetone polish remover will be gentler on the nail, maintaining healthy structure.
13. A patient who has been treated with whole-brain radiation reports a new onset of
headaches, photophobia, nausea and confusion. The nurse suspects that the patient is
experiencing:
a. hypercalcemia
