NUR 242 EXAM 1 () | MED-SURG
NURSING | GALEN COLLEGE (A+ GUARANTEE)
| PDF
NUR 242 Exam 1 () | Med-Surg Nursing | Galen College
Comprehensive Practice Examination with Answers and Rationales
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Exam Instructions
2. Core Concepts: Medical-Surgical Nursing Foundations
3. Patient Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making
4. Cardiovascular, Respiratory, and Neurological Concepts
5. Gastrointestinal, Renal, and Endocrine Concepts
6. Applied Clinical Scenarios
7. Review Questions
8. Complete Answer Key with Rationales
Introduction and Exam Instructions
This comprehensive practice exam is designed to review major concepts commonly covered in
NUR 242 Medical-Surgical Nursing Exam 1. Questions include multiple-choice, short-answer,
and scenario-based formats to assess knowledge application, clinical reasoning, and nursing
decision-making.
Section 1: Core Concepts — Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a patient who has recently been admitted to a medical-surgical unit. Which
action should the nurse perform first during the initial assessment?
,A. Review the patient’s medication history
B. Obtain a complete health history
C. Assess airway, breathing, and circulation
D. Educate the patient about hospital policies
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The nurse follows the ABC priority framework. Airway, breathing, and circulation must be
assessed first because problems affecting these systems can quickly become life-threatening.
Question 2
A nurse identifies that a patient is at risk for developing complications after surgery. Which
nursing action best demonstrates preventative care?
A. Waiting until symptoms occur before intervening
B. Monitoring for early signs of complications
C. Limiting patient communication to reduce anxiety
D. Avoiding patient mobility after surgery
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Early recognition and prevention of complications are essential components of medical-surgical
nursing. Monitoring allows nurses to intervene before conditions worsen.
Question 3
Which nursing intervention best supports patient-centered care?
A. Making decisions without patient input
B. Following only the physician’s preferences
C. Including the patient in care planning decisions
D. Completing tasks as quickly as possible
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Patient-centered care respects patient preferences, values, and goals while promoting
collaboration between the healthcare team and the patient.
,Question 4
A nurse is prioritizing care for four patients. Which patient should receive attention first?
A. A patient requesting assistance with meal selection
B. A patient reporting new onset chest discomfort
C. A patient needing discharge paperwork completed
D. A patient asking for a blanket
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
New chest discomfort may indicate a potentially life-threatening cardiovascular problem and
requires immediate assessment.
Question 5
Which statement by a nursing student indicates correct understanding of the nursing process?
A. “Assessment occurs only after interventions are completed.”
B. “Evaluation determines whether interventions were effective.”
C. “Planning is performed only by providers.”
D. “Diagnosis replaces assessment findings.”
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
The nursing process includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Evaluation determines whether goals were achieved.
Short-Answer Questions
Question 6
List the five steps of the nursing process.
Correct Answer:
1. Assessment
2. Nursing diagnosis
3. Planning
4. Implementation
, 5. Evaluation
Rationale:
The nursing process provides a systematic approach for delivering safe, individualized patient
care.
Question 7
Explain why patient safety is considered a priority in medical-surgical nursing.
Correct Answer:
Patient safety reduces preventable harm by identifying risks, preventing complications, using
evidence-based practices, and promoting effective communication among healthcare providers.
Rationale:
Medical-surgical patients often have complex conditions requiring careful monitoring and
coordinated interventions.
Scenario-Based Questions
Question 8
A 68-year-old patient is admitted with shortness of breath and a history of chronic lung disease.
The patient appears anxious and has an increased respiratory rate. What should the nurse do
first?
A. Provide detailed education about the disease
B. Assess oxygen saturation and respiratory status
C. Ask the patient about family history
D. Begin discharge planning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
The patient is demonstrating possible respiratory compromise. Immediate assessment of
oxygenation and breathing status is the priority.
Question 9
A nurse notices that a patient’s condition has changed significantly since the previous
assessment. What is the nurse’s priority action?
NURSING | GALEN COLLEGE (A+ GUARANTEE)
NUR 242 Exam 1 () | Med-Surg Nursing | Galen College
Comprehensive Practice Examination with Answers and Rationales
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Exam Instructions
2. Core Concepts: Medical-Surgical Nursing Foundations
3. Patient Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making
4. Cardiovascular, Respiratory, and Neurological Concepts
5. Gastrointestinal, Renal, and Endocrine Concepts
6. Applied Clinical Scenarios
7. Review Questions
8. Complete Answer Key with Rationales
Introduction and Exam Instructions
This comprehensive practice exam is designed to review major concepts commonly covered in
NUR 242 Medical-Surgical Nursing Exam 1. Questions include multiple-choice, short-answer,
and scenario-based formats to assess knowledge application, clinical reasoning, and nursing
decision-making.
Section 1: Core Concepts — Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a patient who has recently been admitted to a medical-surgical unit. Which
action should the nurse perform first during the initial assessment?
,A. Review the patient’s medication history
B. Obtain a complete health history
C. Assess airway, breathing, and circulation
D. Educate the patient about hospital policies
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The nurse follows the ABC priority framework. Airway, breathing, and circulation must be
assessed first because problems affecting these systems can quickly become life-threatening.
Question 2
A nurse identifies that a patient is at risk for developing complications after surgery. Which
nursing action best demonstrates preventative care?
A. Waiting until symptoms occur before intervening
B. Monitoring for early signs of complications
C. Limiting patient communication to reduce anxiety
D. Avoiding patient mobility after surgery
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Early recognition and prevention of complications are essential components of medical-surgical
nursing. Monitoring allows nurses to intervene before conditions worsen.
Question 3
Which nursing intervention best supports patient-centered care?
A. Making decisions without patient input
B. Following only the physician’s preferences
C. Including the patient in care planning decisions
D. Completing tasks as quickly as possible
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Patient-centered care respects patient preferences, values, and goals while promoting
collaboration between the healthcare team and the patient.
,Question 4
A nurse is prioritizing care for four patients. Which patient should receive attention first?
A. A patient requesting assistance with meal selection
B. A patient reporting new onset chest discomfort
C. A patient needing discharge paperwork completed
D. A patient asking for a blanket
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
New chest discomfort may indicate a potentially life-threatening cardiovascular problem and
requires immediate assessment.
Question 5
Which statement by a nursing student indicates correct understanding of the nursing process?
A. “Assessment occurs only after interventions are completed.”
B. “Evaluation determines whether interventions were effective.”
C. “Planning is performed only by providers.”
D. “Diagnosis replaces assessment findings.”
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
The nursing process includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Evaluation determines whether goals were achieved.
Short-Answer Questions
Question 6
List the five steps of the nursing process.
Correct Answer:
1. Assessment
2. Nursing diagnosis
3. Planning
4. Implementation
, 5. Evaluation
Rationale:
The nursing process provides a systematic approach for delivering safe, individualized patient
care.
Question 7
Explain why patient safety is considered a priority in medical-surgical nursing.
Correct Answer:
Patient safety reduces preventable harm by identifying risks, preventing complications, using
evidence-based practices, and promoting effective communication among healthcare providers.
Rationale:
Medical-surgical patients often have complex conditions requiring careful monitoring and
coordinated interventions.
Scenario-Based Questions
Question 8
A 68-year-old patient is admitted with shortness of breath and a history of chronic lung disease.
The patient appears anxious and has an increased respiratory rate. What should the nurse do
first?
A. Provide detailed education about the disease
B. Assess oxygen saturation and respiratory status
C. Ask the patient about family history
D. Begin discharge planning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
The patient is demonstrating possible respiratory compromise. Immediate assessment of
oxygenation and breathing status is the priority.
Question 9
A nurse notices that a patient’s condition has changed significantly since the previous
assessment. What is the nurse’s priority action?
