ATI NUR 352 QUESTIONS | COMPREHENSIVE NURSING STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
A nurse is assessing a client who has chronic respiratory insufficiency. Which of the following findings
should the nurse expect as result of the long-term inadequate oxygenation?
a.) restlessness
b.) retractions
c.) dependent edema
d.) clubbing of the fingers - ANS ✔✔D (nurse should expect the client who has chronic hypoxia or
respiratory insufficiency to display clubbing of the fingers and toes. The base of the nail becomes swollen
and the ends of the fingers and toes can increase in size. Dependent edema is a manifestation of heart
failure, not chronic respiratory insufficiency. Retractions are a manifestation of increased work with
breathing or dyspnea, not chronic respiratory insufficiency. Restlessness is an early manifestation of
inadequate oxygenation.)
A nurse is assessing a client who has hypoxia. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
a.) bradypnea
b.) somnolence
c.) pallor
d.) tachycardia - ANS ✔✔D (the nurse should expect the client who has hypoxia to manifest tachycardia.
The nurse should expect the client who has hypoxia to manifest cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of the
skin and mucous membranes, in the late stages of hypoxia. The nurse should expect the client who has
hypoxia to display restlessness and agitation, not somnolence (sleepiness, drowsiness). The nurse should
expect to find rapid, shallow respirations and dyspnea, not bradypnea in the client who has hypoxia.)
While caring for a client, the nurse experiences a needle stick injury. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take first?
a.) complete an incident report
b.) request the risk manager obtain consent for HIV testing from the client
c.) wash the site of injury with soap and water
d.) consent to post-exposure treatment with antiretroviral medications - ANS ✔✔C (the greatest risk to
the nurse is infection transmission, therefore the nurse should first wash the area with soap and water to
reduce the risk of transmission. Although treatment with antiretroviral medications should be started
within 1 to 2 hr after a needle stick injury and be continued for 28 days if the client's HIV status is
positive, there is another action the nurse should take first. Although its important that the clients HIV
status is determines, there is another action the nurse should take first. The nurse should complete an
incident report; however, there is another action the nurse should take first.)
A charge nurse is observing a nurse auscultating a client's bowel sounds. Which of the following actions
requires interventions by the charge nurse?
a.) clamps the NG tube during auscultation
b.) performs auscultation between meals
, c.) auscultates bowel sounds for 3-5 mins
d.) palpate the abdomen prior to performing auscultation - ANS ✔✔D (the nurse should auscultate the
abdomen prior to palpating it to prevent altering the bowel sounds. Both percussion and palpation can
stimulate the intestines, increase their motility, and intensify bowel sounds. The nurse should auscultate
bowel sounds for 3-5 mins before determining that bowel sounds are absent. Bowel sounds are the
result of gas and fluid moving through the intestines creating gurgling and clicking sounds at about every
5-20 seconds. They increase shortly after meals, and also increase when the client hasn't eaten for
several hours. From about an hour after a meal up to 4 hours after a meal is the optimal time to listen to
bowel sounds. The nurse should clamp the clients NG tube during auscultation to prevent mistaking the
sound of suction for bowel sounds.)
A nurse is administering an IM injection to a client who has hep C. Before placing the syringe and needle
in a puncture-resistant container, which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a.) recap the needle
b.) place the cap on the bedside table and slide the needle into the cap
c.) wrap the needle with gauze
d.) dispose of the needle uncapped - ANS ✔✔D (the nurse should immediately place the uncapped
needle in a puncture-resistant container to prevent a needle stick with the contaminated needle.
Wrapping the needle with gauze is unnecessary and increases the risk for a needle stick. Recapping the
needle after use using the slider recapping method increases the risk for a needle stick. Recapping the
needle increases the risk for a needle stick.)
A nurse is assessing a clients radial pulse and determines that the pulse is irregular. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
a.) assess the apical pulse for a full minute
b.) assess the apical pulse with a doppler device
c.) assess the pedal pulses for a full minute
d.) assess the pedal pulses with a doppler device - ANS ✔✔A (for clients who have a regular pulse and no
cardiovascular problems, the nurse should count the apical pulsations for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.
For this client, the nurse should count for 60 seconds. This will help the nurse determine the regularity or
irregularity of the heart. Unless the apical pulse site is difficult to evaluate with a stethoscope, there is no
need to use a doppler ultrasound stethoscope. Checking the pulse at other peripheral sites is not
necessary, nor is it necessary with a doppler ultrasound stethoscope, as these sites can have regular or
irregular pulsations as well and will not help the nurse determine the regularity or irregularity of the
heart.)
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. To focus on effective
learning with this client, which of the following interventions should the nurse use?
a.) ask the client to perform a return demonstration of insulin injection
b.) review the action of insulin therapy
c.) explore the clients feelings about dietary modifications
d.) have the client practice blood glucose monitoring using a glucometer - ANS ✔✔C (this teaching
intervention allows the client to express acceptance of this change and focuses on affective learning. A
and D focus on psychomotor learning. B focuses on cognitive learning)
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
A nurse is assessing a client who has chronic respiratory insufficiency. Which of the following findings
should the nurse expect as result of the long-term inadequate oxygenation?
a.) restlessness
b.) retractions
c.) dependent edema
d.) clubbing of the fingers - ANS ✔✔D (nurse should expect the client who has chronic hypoxia or
respiratory insufficiency to display clubbing of the fingers and toes. The base of the nail becomes swollen
and the ends of the fingers and toes can increase in size. Dependent edema is a manifestation of heart
failure, not chronic respiratory insufficiency. Retractions are a manifestation of increased work with
breathing or dyspnea, not chronic respiratory insufficiency. Restlessness is an early manifestation of
inadequate oxygenation.)
A nurse is assessing a client who has hypoxia. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
a.) bradypnea
b.) somnolence
c.) pallor
d.) tachycardia - ANS ✔✔D (the nurse should expect the client who has hypoxia to manifest tachycardia.
The nurse should expect the client who has hypoxia to manifest cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of the
skin and mucous membranes, in the late stages of hypoxia. The nurse should expect the client who has
hypoxia to display restlessness and agitation, not somnolence (sleepiness, drowsiness). The nurse should
expect to find rapid, shallow respirations and dyspnea, not bradypnea in the client who has hypoxia.)
While caring for a client, the nurse experiences a needle stick injury. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take first?
a.) complete an incident report
b.) request the risk manager obtain consent for HIV testing from the client
c.) wash the site of injury with soap and water
d.) consent to post-exposure treatment with antiretroviral medications - ANS ✔✔C (the greatest risk to
the nurse is infection transmission, therefore the nurse should first wash the area with soap and water to
reduce the risk of transmission. Although treatment with antiretroviral medications should be started
within 1 to 2 hr after a needle stick injury and be continued for 28 days if the client's HIV status is
positive, there is another action the nurse should take first. Although its important that the clients HIV
status is determines, there is another action the nurse should take first. The nurse should complete an
incident report; however, there is another action the nurse should take first.)
A charge nurse is observing a nurse auscultating a client's bowel sounds. Which of the following actions
requires interventions by the charge nurse?
a.) clamps the NG tube during auscultation
b.) performs auscultation between meals
, c.) auscultates bowel sounds for 3-5 mins
d.) palpate the abdomen prior to performing auscultation - ANS ✔✔D (the nurse should auscultate the
abdomen prior to palpating it to prevent altering the bowel sounds. Both percussion and palpation can
stimulate the intestines, increase their motility, and intensify bowel sounds. The nurse should auscultate
bowel sounds for 3-5 mins before determining that bowel sounds are absent. Bowel sounds are the
result of gas and fluid moving through the intestines creating gurgling and clicking sounds at about every
5-20 seconds. They increase shortly after meals, and also increase when the client hasn't eaten for
several hours. From about an hour after a meal up to 4 hours after a meal is the optimal time to listen to
bowel sounds. The nurse should clamp the clients NG tube during auscultation to prevent mistaking the
sound of suction for bowel sounds.)
A nurse is administering an IM injection to a client who has hep C. Before placing the syringe and needle
in a puncture-resistant container, which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a.) recap the needle
b.) place the cap on the bedside table and slide the needle into the cap
c.) wrap the needle with gauze
d.) dispose of the needle uncapped - ANS ✔✔D (the nurse should immediately place the uncapped
needle in a puncture-resistant container to prevent a needle stick with the contaminated needle.
Wrapping the needle with gauze is unnecessary and increases the risk for a needle stick. Recapping the
needle after use using the slider recapping method increases the risk for a needle stick. Recapping the
needle increases the risk for a needle stick.)
A nurse is assessing a clients radial pulse and determines that the pulse is irregular. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
a.) assess the apical pulse for a full minute
b.) assess the apical pulse with a doppler device
c.) assess the pedal pulses for a full minute
d.) assess the pedal pulses with a doppler device - ANS ✔✔A (for clients who have a regular pulse and no
cardiovascular problems, the nurse should count the apical pulsations for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.
For this client, the nurse should count for 60 seconds. This will help the nurse determine the regularity or
irregularity of the heart. Unless the apical pulse site is difficult to evaluate with a stethoscope, there is no
need to use a doppler ultrasound stethoscope. Checking the pulse at other peripheral sites is not
necessary, nor is it necessary with a doppler ultrasound stethoscope, as these sites can have regular or
irregular pulsations as well and will not help the nurse determine the regularity or irregularity of the
heart.)
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. To focus on effective
learning with this client, which of the following interventions should the nurse use?
a.) ask the client to perform a return demonstration of insulin injection
b.) review the action of insulin therapy
c.) explore the clients feelings about dietary modifications
d.) have the client practice blood glucose monitoring using a glucometer - ANS ✔✔C (this teaching
intervention allows the client to express acceptance of this change and focuses on affective learning. A
and D focus on psychomotor learning. B focuses on cognitive learning)
