CMSRN STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
CONTENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
COMPLETE SET
◉ Which interaction style describes a nurse who cannot clearly
separate her own emotional responses from
the patient's needs and wants?
A. Holistic
B. Defensive
C. Sympathetic
D. Silence
Answer: C. Sympathetic
Rationale: A sympathetic interaction style occurs when the nurse
can't clearly separate her
own emotional responses from the patient's needs and wants.
Nurses who use a holistic interaction style (Option A) have healthy
ego boundaries and provide an atmosphere that promotes patient
growth.
Nurses who tend to blame their patients and feel frustrated when
they do not "measure up" have a defensive interaction style (Option
,B). Silence (Option D) is a type of therapeutic communication
technique, not an interaction style
◉ A patient with an arterial ulcer over the left lateral malleolus
complains of pain at the ulcer site. The nurse
caring for this patient understands that the pain is caused most
commonly by which of the following?
A. Infection
B. Exudate
C. Ischemia
D. Edema
Answer: C. Ischemia
Rationale: Severe pain at an arterial ulcer site typically results from
ischemia caused by reduced arterial blood flow.
Option A is incorrect because infection is a complication of arterial
ulceration that may not occur in all patients with arterial ulceration.
Option B is incorrect because arterial ulcers have
minimal exudate.
Option D is incorrect because edema isn't present with arterial
ulcers.
◉ A patient, age 54, is admitted with a diagnosis of venous
ulceration unresponsive to treatment. Which of
,the following is the nurse most likely to fi nd during an assessment
of a patient with venous ulceration?
A. Gangrene
B. Heavy exudate
C. Deep wound bed
D. Pale wound bed
Answer: B. Heavy exudate
Rationale: Moderate to heavy exudate is one characteristic of a
venous ulcer. Other characteristics include irregular wound margins,
superficial wound bed, and ruddy, granular tissue.
Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they're characteristics of
arterial ulcers.
◉ The nurse is providing care for a patient who has a sacral
pressure ulcer with a wet-to-dry dressing. Which
guideline is appropriate when caring for a patient with a wet-to-dry
dressing?
A. The wound should remain moist from the dressing.
B. The wet-to-dry dressing should be tightly packed into the wound.
C. The dressing should be allowed to dry before it's removed.
D. A plastic sheet-type dressing should cover the wet dressing
Answer: C. The dressing should be allowed to dry before it's
removed.
, Rationale: A wet-to-dry dressing should be allowed to dry and
adhere to the wound before being removed. The goal is to debride
the wound as the dressing is removed.
Option A is incorrect because the wet-to-dry dressing isn't applied to
keep a wound moist; a moist saline dressing is applied to keep a
wound moist.
Option B is incorrect because tightly packing a wound damages the
tissues.
Option D is incorrect because a wet-to-dry dressing should be
covered with a dry gauze dressing, not a plastic sheet-type dressing.
◉ The nurse is assessing the laboratory values of a patient with an
abdominal wound healing by secondary
intention. Which of the following laboratory values indicates that the
patient is receiving adequate nutrition?
A. Serum albumin level of 2.5 g/dL
B. Prealbumin level of 12 mg/dL
C. Transferrin level of 190 mg/dL
D. Total lymphocyte count of 1,900 mL
Answer: D. Total lymphocyte count of 1,900 mL
Rationale: A total lymphocyte count greater than 1,800 mL indicates
adequate nutrition.
CONTENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
COMPLETE SET
◉ Which interaction style describes a nurse who cannot clearly
separate her own emotional responses from
the patient's needs and wants?
A. Holistic
B. Defensive
C. Sympathetic
D. Silence
Answer: C. Sympathetic
Rationale: A sympathetic interaction style occurs when the nurse
can't clearly separate her
own emotional responses from the patient's needs and wants.
Nurses who use a holistic interaction style (Option A) have healthy
ego boundaries and provide an atmosphere that promotes patient
growth.
Nurses who tend to blame their patients and feel frustrated when
they do not "measure up" have a defensive interaction style (Option
,B). Silence (Option D) is a type of therapeutic communication
technique, not an interaction style
◉ A patient with an arterial ulcer over the left lateral malleolus
complains of pain at the ulcer site. The nurse
caring for this patient understands that the pain is caused most
commonly by which of the following?
A. Infection
B. Exudate
C. Ischemia
D. Edema
Answer: C. Ischemia
Rationale: Severe pain at an arterial ulcer site typically results from
ischemia caused by reduced arterial blood flow.
Option A is incorrect because infection is a complication of arterial
ulceration that may not occur in all patients with arterial ulceration.
Option B is incorrect because arterial ulcers have
minimal exudate.
Option D is incorrect because edema isn't present with arterial
ulcers.
◉ A patient, age 54, is admitted with a diagnosis of venous
ulceration unresponsive to treatment. Which of
,the following is the nurse most likely to fi nd during an assessment
of a patient with venous ulceration?
A. Gangrene
B. Heavy exudate
C. Deep wound bed
D. Pale wound bed
Answer: B. Heavy exudate
Rationale: Moderate to heavy exudate is one characteristic of a
venous ulcer. Other characteristics include irregular wound margins,
superficial wound bed, and ruddy, granular tissue.
Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they're characteristics of
arterial ulcers.
◉ The nurse is providing care for a patient who has a sacral
pressure ulcer with a wet-to-dry dressing. Which
guideline is appropriate when caring for a patient with a wet-to-dry
dressing?
A. The wound should remain moist from the dressing.
B. The wet-to-dry dressing should be tightly packed into the wound.
C. The dressing should be allowed to dry before it's removed.
D. A plastic sheet-type dressing should cover the wet dressing
Answer: C. The dressing should be allowed to dry before it's
removed.
, Rationale: A wet-to-dry dressing should be allowed to dry and
adhere to the wound before being removed. The goal is to debride
the wound as the dressing is removed.
Option A is incorrect because the wet-to-dry dressing isn't applied to
keep a wound moist; a moist saline dressing is applied to keep a
wound moist.
Option B is incorrect because tightly packing a wound damages the
tissues.
Option D is incorrect because a wet-to-dry dressing should be
covered with a dry gauze dressing, not a plastic sheet-type dressing.
◉ The nurse is assessing the laboratory values of a patient with an
abdominal wound healing by secondary
intention. Which of the following laboratory values indicates that the
patient is receiving adequate nutrition?
A. Serum albumin level of 2.5 g/dL
B. Prealbumin level of 12 mg/dL
C. Transferrin level of 190 mg/dL
D. Total lymphocyte count of 1,900 mL
Answer: D. Total lymphocyte count of 1,900 mL
Rationale: A total lymphocyte count greater than 1,800 mL indicates
adequate nutrition.
