NURS 3366 BASIC CONCEPTS OF PATHOPHYSIOLOGY & IMPLICATIONS
FOR NURSING 2026/2027 – STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Physiology - correct answer ✔✔study of functions and processes that occur in body, mostly NORMAL
processes
Pathophysiology - correct answer ✔✔the study of the underlying changes in the body physiology that
result from disease or injury
Homeostasis - correct answer ✔✔maintenance of constant conditions in the body's internal
environments
Compensation - correct answer ✔✔the return to homeostasis after being challenged by a stressor
Decomposition - correct answer ✔✔the failure to compensate, adapt, heal, etc.
dz - correct answer ✔✔disease
Risk Factors - correct answer ✔✔factors that or contribute to and/or increase probability that a dz will
occur
Precipitating Factor - correct answer ✔✔a condition or event that triggers a pathologic even or disorder..
the "kick off"
Etiology - correct answer ✔✔the cause of a disease; includes all factors that contribute to development
of dz
Idiopathic - correct answer ✔✔dz with unidentifiable cause
Iatrogenic problems - correct answer ✔✔problem-- occurs as result of medical treatment
Nosocomial problems - correct answer ✔✔results as consequence of being in hospital environment
Signs - correct answer ✔✔manifestations that be OBJECTIVELY identified by a trained observer
Symptoms - correct answer ✔✔SUBJECTIVE manifestations that can only be reported by the person
experiencing them-- pain, nausea, fatigue
Local Systemic S&S - correct answer ✔✔redness, swelling, heat, rash, and lymphadenopathy in a
particular area
Systemic S&S - correct answer ✔✔fever, urticaria (hives), malaise ("I feel dragged out" or "awful all
over")
Acute S&S - correct answer ✔✔fairly rapid appearance of S&S of dz (over a day to several days); usually
last only a short time
FOR NURSING 2026/2027 – STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Physiology - correct answer ✔✔study of functions and processes that occur in body, mostly NORMAL
processes
Pathophysiology - correct answer ✔✔the study of the underlying changes in the body physiology that
result from disease or injury
Homeostasis - correct answer ✔✔maintenance of constant conditions in the body's internal
environments
Compensation - correct answer ✔✔the return to homeostasis after being challenged by a stressor
Decomposition - correct answer ✔✔the failure to compensate, adapt, heal, etc.
dz - correct answer ✔✔disease
Risk Factors - correct answer ✔✔factors that or contribute to and/or increase probability that a dz will
occur
Precipitating Factor - correct answer ✔✔a condition or event that triggers a pathologic even or disorder..
the "kick off"
Etiology - correct answer ✔✔the cause of a disease; includes all factors that contribute to development
of dz
Idiopathic - correct answer ✔✔dz with unidentifiable cause
Iatrogenic problems - correct answer ✔✔problem-- occurs as result of medical treatment
Nosocomial problems - correct answer ✔✔results as consequence of being in hospital environment
Signs - correct answer ✔✔manifestations that be OBJECTIVELY identified by a trained observer
Symptoms - correct answer ✔✔SUBJECTIVE manifestations that can only be reported by the person
experiencing them-- pain, nausea, fatigue
Local Systemic S&S - correct answer ✔✔redness, swelling, heat, rash, and lymphadenopathy in a
particular area
Systemic S&S - correct answer ✔✔fever, urticaria (hives), malaise ("I feel dragged out" or "awful all
over")
Acute S&S - correct answer ✔✔fairly rapid appearance of S&S of dz (over a day to several days); usually
last only a short time
