A+ ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II FINAL EXAM ULTIMATE GUIDE: 201 CLINICAL NURSING QUESTIONS, VERIFIED ANSWERS & RATIONALES (2026 EDITION)

A+ ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II FINAL EXAM
ULTIMATE GUIDE: 201 CLINICAL NURSING QUESTIONS,
VERIFIED ANSWERS & RATIONALES (2026 EDITION)




Question 1

A patient is admitted to the intensive care unit with a diagnosis of Syndrome of
Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH) secondary to small cell lung
cancer. Which of the following assessment findings is the nurse most likely to
observe?

 A) Increased serum osmolality and hypernatremia
 B) Decreased serum osmolality and hyponatremia
 C) Polyuria and extreme thirst
 D) Elevated blood pressure and bradycardia
Explanation: SIADH results in the excessive release of antidiuretic hormone
(ADH), leading to water retention, expanded intravascular volume, decreased
serum osmolality, and dilutional hyponatremia.

, Question 2

A patient with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus presents to the emergency department
with Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Which of the following respiratory patterns
is the body's compensatory mechanism for this state of metabolic acidosis?

 A) Cheyne-Stokes respirations
 B) Biot's respirations
 C) Bradypnea
 D) Kussmaul's respirations
Explanation: Kussmaul's respirations are deep, rapid, and labored breathing
patterns. They act as a compensatory mechanism to eliminate excess carbon
dioxide, thereby increasing the pH in metabolic acidosis.




Question 3

A nurse is reviewing the lab results of a patient in an Addisonian crisis. Which
of the following electrolyte imbalances should the nurse expect to see?

 A) Hyponatremia and hyperkalemia
 B) Hypernatremia and hypokalemia
 C) Hypokalemia and hypocalcemia
 D) Hypernatremia and hyperkalemia
Explanation: Addison's disease involves a deficiency in aldosterone.
Aldosterone typically promotes sodium reabsorption and potassium excretion;
its deficiency results in hyponatremia and hyperkalemia.

, Question 4

A patient is recovering from a subtotal thyroidectomy. The nurse notes muscle
twitching and a positive Chvostek's sign. Which of the following medications
should the nurse anticipate administering?

 A) Sodium polystyrene kayexalate
 B) Levothyroxine
 C) Intravenous calcium gluconate
 D) Potassium chloride
Explanation: Muscle twitching and a positive Chvostek's sign are clinical
manifestations of hypocalcemia. This can occur accidentally if the
parathyroid glands are damaged or removed during a thyroidectomy.




Question 5

A critical care nurse is reviewing hemodynamic parameters. An elevated
Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP) is most indicative of which of
the following conditions?

 A) Right ventricular failure
 B) Left ventricular failure
 C) Hypovolemic shock
 D) Pulmonary embolism
Explanation: PCWP is an indirect measure of left atrial pressure. An elevated
PCWP indicates increased pressure in the left side of the heart, commonly
seen in left ventricular failure or fluid overload.

, Question 6

A patient with a long history of heart failure presents with increasing peripheral
edema, jugular venous distension, and hepatomegaly. The nurse recognizes
these findings as hallmark signs of:

 A) Left-sided heart failure
 B) Right-sided heart failure
 C) Myocardial infarction
 D) Cardiac tamponade
Explanation: Right-sided heart failure occurs when the right ventricle is
unable to pump effectively, causing blood to back up into the systemic venous
system, leading to peripheral edema, JVD, and hepatomegaly.




Question 7

During the compensatory stage of hypovolemic shock, the nurse should expect
which of the following clinical manifestations?

 A) Bradycardia and hypotension
 B) Warm, flushed skin and oliguria
 C) Tachycardia and normal blood pressure
 D) Mottled skin and unresponsiveness
Explanation: In the compensatory stage of shock, the body uses mechanisms
like vasoconstriction and increased heart rate (mediated by the sympathetic
nervous system) to maintain cardiac output and blood pressure.