PNLE EXAM 2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE
GRADED A+
After surgery, Gina returns from the Post-anesthesia Care Unit (Recovery Room)
with a nasogastric tube in place following a gall bladder surgery. She continues to
complain of nausea. Which action would the nurse take?
A. Call the physician immediately.
B. Administer the prescribed antiemetic.
C. Check the patency of the nasogastric tube for any obstruction.
D. Change the patient's position.
Answer: (C) Check the patency of the nasogastric tube for any obstruction.
Nausea is one of the common complaints of a patient after receiving general
anesthesia. But this complaint could be aggravated by gastric distention especially
in a patient who has undergone abdominal surgery. Insertion of the NGT helps
relieve the problem. Checking on the patency of the NGT for any obstruction will
help the nurse determine the cause of the problem and institute the necessary
intervention.
Mr. Perez is in continuous pain from cancer that has metastasized to the bone. Pain
medication provides little relief and he refuses to move. The nurse should plan to:
A. Reassure him that the nurses will not hurt him
B. Let him perform his own activities of daily living
,C. Handle him gently when assisting with required care
D. Complete A.M. care quickly as possible when necessary
Answer: (C) Handle him gently when assisting with required care
Patients with cancer and bone metastasis experience severe pain especially when
moving. Bone tumors weaken the bone to appoint at which normal activities and
even position changes can lead to fracture. During nursing care, the patient needs
to be supported and handled gently.
A client returns from the recovery room at 9AM alert and oriented, with an IV
infusing. His pulse is 82, blood pressure is 120/80, respirations are 20, and all are
within normal range. At 10 am and at 11 am, his vital signs are stable. At noon,
however, his pulse rate is 94, blood pressure is 116/74, and respirations are 24.
What nursing action is most appropriate?
A. Notify his physician.
B. Take his vital signs again in 15 minutes.
C. Take his vital signs again in an hour.
D. Place the patient in shock position.
Answer: (B) Take his vital signs again in 15 minutes.
Monitoring the client's vital signs following surgery gives the nurse a sound
information about the client's condition. Complications can occur during this
period as a result of the surgery or the anesthesia or both. Keeping close track of
changes in the VS and validating them will help the nurse initiate interventions to
prevent complications from occurring
,Following surgery, Mario complains of mild incisional pain while performing
deep- breathing and coughing exercises. The nurse's best response would be:
A. "Pain will become less each day."
B. "This is a normal reaction after surgery."
C. "With a pillow, apply pressure against the incision."
D. "I will give you the pain medication the physician ordered."
Answer: (C) "With a pillow, apply pressure against the incision."
Applying pressure against the incision with a pillow will help lessen the intra-
abdominal pressure created by coughing which causes tension on the incision that
leads to pain.
The nurse needs to carefully assess the complaint of pain of the elderly because
older people
A. are expected to experience chronic pain
B. have a decreased pain threshold
C. experience reduced sensory perception
D. have altered mental function
Answer: (C) experience reduced sensory perception
Degenerative changes occur in the elderly. The response to pain in the elderly
maybe lessened because of reduced acuity of touch, alterations in neural pathways
and diminished processing of sensory data
, Mary received AtropineSO4 as a pre-medication 30 minutes ago and is now
complaining of dry mouth and her PR is higher, than before the medication was
administered. The nurse's best
A. The patient is having an allergic reaction to the drug.
B. The patient needs a higher dose of this drug
C. This is normal side-effect of AtSO4
D. The patient is anxious about upcoming surgery
Answer: (C) This is normal side-effect of AtSO4
Atropine sulfate is a vagolytic drug that decreases oropharyngeal secretions and
increases the heart rate.
Ana's postoperative vital signs are a blood pressure of 80/50 mm Hg, a pulse of
140, and respirations of 32. Suspecting shock, which of the following orders would
the nurse question?
A. Put the client in modified Trendelenberg's position.
B. Administer oxygen at 100%.
C. Monitor urine output every hour.
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE
GRADED A+
After surgery, Gina returns from the Post-anesthesia Care Unit (Recovery Room)
with a nasogastric tube in place following a gall bladder surgery. She continues to
complain of nausea. Which action would the nurse take?
A. Call the physician immediately.
B. Administer the prescribed antiemetic.
C. Check the patency of the nasogastric tube for any obstruction.
D. Change the patient's position.
Answer: (C) Check the patency of the nasogastric tube for any obstruction.
Nausea is one of the common complaints of a patient after receiving general
anesthesia. But this complaint could be aggravated by gastric distention especially
in a patient who has undergone abdominal surgery. Insertion of the NGT helps
relieve the problem. Checking on the patency of the NGT for any obstruction will
help the nurse determine the cause of the problem and institute the necessary
intervention.
Mr. Perez is in continuous pain from cancer that has metastasized to the bone. Pain
medication provides little relief and he refuses to move. The nurse should plan to:
A. Reassure him that the nurses will not hurt him
B. Let him perform his own activities of daily living
,C. Handle him gently when assisting with required care
D. Complete A.M. care quickly as possible when necessary
Answer: (C) Handle him gently when assisting with required care
Patients with cancer and bone metastasis experience severe pain especially when
moving. Bone tumors weaken the bone to appoint at which normal activities and
even position changes can lead to fracture. During nursing care, the patient needs
to be supported and handled gently.
A client returns from the recovery room at 9AM alert and oriented, with an IV
infusing. His pulse is 82, blood pressure is 120/80, respirations are 20, and all are
within normal range. At 10 am and at 11 am, his vital signs are stable. At noon,
however, his pulse rate is 94, blood pressure is 116/74, and respirations are 24.
What nursing action is most appropriate?
A. Notify his physician.
B. Take his vital signs again in 15 minutes.
C. Take his vital signs again in an hour.
D. Place the patient in shock position.
Answer: (B) Take his vital signs again in 15 minutes.
Monitoring the client's vital signs following surgery gives the nurse a sound
information about the client's condition. Complications can occur during this
period as a result of the surgery or the anesthesia or both. Keeping close track of
changes in the VS and validating them will help the nurse initiate interventions to
prevent complications from occurring
,Following surgery, Mario complains of mild incisional pain while performing
deep- breathing and coughing exercises. The nurse's best response would be:
A. "Pain will become less each day."
B. "This is a normal reaction after surgery."
C. "With a pillow, apply pressure against the incision."
D. "I will give you the pain medication the physician ordered."
Answer: (C) "With a pillow, apply pressure against the incision."
Applying pressure against the incision with a pillow will help lessen the intra-
abdominal pressure created by coughing which causes tension on the incision that
leads to pain.
The nurse needs to carefully assess the complaint of pain of the elderly because
older people
A. are expected to experience chronic pain
B. have a decreased pain threshold
C. experience reduced sensory perception
D. have altered mental function
Answer: (C) experience reduced sensory perception
Degenerative changes occur in the elderly. The response to pain in the elderly
maybe lessened because of reduced acuity of touch, alterations in neural pathways
and diminished processing of sensory data
, Mary received AtropineSO4 as a pre-medication 30 minutes ago and is now
complaining of dry mouth and her PR is higher, than before the medication was
administered. The nurse's best
A. The patient is having an allergic reaction to the drug.
B. The patient needs a higher dose of this drug
C. This is normal side-effect of AtSO4
D. The patient is anxious about upcoming surgery
Answer: (C) This is normal side-effect of AtSO4
Atropine sulfate is a vagolytic drug that decreases oropharyngeal secretions and
increases the heart rate.
Ana's postoperative vital signs are a blood pressure of 80/50 mm Hg, a pulse of
140, and respirations of 32. Suspecting shock, which of the following orders would
the nurse question?
A. Put the client in modified Trendelenberg's position.
B. Administer oxygen at 100%.
C. Monitor urine output every hour.
