NSG 3850: Pathophysiology For Nurses II — Exam 3
Question 1: A 68-year-old female patient reports losing small amounts of urine whenever she sneezes, coughs, or
bends over to pick up her grandchildren. She denies dysuria or sudden urinary urgency. Which underlying
pathophysiological mechanism best accounts for this condition?
A. Urinary retention and overdistention leading to mechanical overflow leakage
B. Physical inability to access toilet facilities in a timely manner due to mobility limits
C. Involuntary uninhibited contractions of the detrusor muscle during bladder filling
D. Weakening of pelvic floor muscles and intrinsic urethral sphincter deficiency
Correct Answer: Option D (Weakening of pelvic floor muscles and intrinsic urethral sphincter deficiency)
Rationale: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) occurs when urine is involuntarily lost with increases in intra-abdominal pressure (e.g.,
coughing, laughing, sneezing, bending) due to weakening of pelvic muscles or intrinsic urethral sphincter deficiency [1, 2, 135].
Question 2: A nurse is caring for an elderly male patient who experiences a sudden, overpowering need to urinate,
immediately followed by involuntary urine leakage. Which pathophysiological dysfunction is primary to this type of
incontinence?
A. Overactive detrusor muscle contractions
B. Cognitive impairment preventing recognition of bladder fullness
C. Urethral stricture causing severe bladder outlet obstruction
D. Loss of pelvic floor fascial support and urethral hypermobility
Correct Answer: Option A (Overactive detrusor muscle contractions)
Rationale: Urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) is characterized by involuntary leakage along with or immediately following a sudden
sensation of urgency, caused primarily by an overactive detrusor muscle [3, 66, 74, 136].
Question 3: A male patient with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) reports constant dribbling of urine, urinary
frequency, and a feeling that his bladder never completely empties. Diagnostic assessment reveals an excessively
distended bladder. Which type of incontinence is present?
A. Overflow urinary incontinence
B. Stress urinary incontinence
C. Transient urinary incontinence
D. Functional urinary incontinence
Correct Answer: Option A (Overflow urinary incontinence)
Rationale: Overflow urinary incontinence occurs when the bladder becomes so excessively full that urine leaks out; it is most common in
men with urethral obstruction secondary to an enlarged prostate gland [3, 67, 75, 136].
Question 4: An elderly patient with severe osteoarthritis and a history of stroke has intact lower urinary tract
neurological innervation but is unable to reach the bathroom in time to void, leading to urinary accidents. How
should the nurse document this finding?
A. Neurogenic detrusor overactivity
B. Transient incontinence
C. Functional incontinence
D. Urgency urinary incontinence
Correct Answer: Option C (Functional incontinence)
Rationale: Functional incontinence results from physical, environmental, or cognitive limitations (such as stroke, mobility disorders, or
inaccessible toilets) that prevent normal or timely toilet usage despite an intact lower urinary tract system [3, 67, 75, 136].
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,Question 5: A hospitalized client suddenly develops urinary incontinence following the initiation of high-dose
intravenous loop diuretic therapy and severe fecal impaction. The nurse recognizes that this acute onset of urine
leakage represents which classification?
A. Mixed urinary incontinence
B. Stress urinary incontinence
C. Autonomic dysreflexia
D. Transient incontinence
Correct Answer: Option D (Transient incontinence)
Rationale: Transient incontinence has a sudden onset and is caused by potentially reversible underlying conditions such as urinary tract
infections, severe fecal impaction, or medications like diuretics and alcohol [4, 67, 76].
Question 6: A 35-year-old female presents with persistent suprapubic pain accompanied by urinary frequency and
dysuria for the past 8 months. Extensive urine cultures are negative for bacterial pathogens. The patient notes that
voiding temporarily relieves her pelvic pain. Which diagnosis is supported?
A. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
B. Acute bacterial cystitis
C. Bladder Pain Syndrome / Interstitial Cystitis (BPS/IC)
D. Urolithiasis of the distal ureter
Correct Answer: Option C (Bladder Pain Syndrome / Interstitial Cystitis (BPS/IC))
Rationale: Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS/IC) is a genitourinary pain syndrome characterized by suprapubic pelvic pain experienced with
bladder filling that is relieved by voiding, accompanied by LUT symptoms without proven UTI, lasting at least 6 months [4, 5, 139].
Question 7: Which dietary modifications should the nurse emphasize when educating a client diagnosed with
Interstitial Cystitis (IC) regarding exacerbating triggers?
A. Eliminate all gluten-containing wheat products
B. Increase intake of purine-rich meats and dairy products
C. Avoid consumption of ETOH, caffeine, citrus juices, and hot peppers
D. Strictly restrict dietary sodium and water intake
Correct Answer: Option C (Avoid consumption of ETOH, caffeine, citrus juices, and hot peppers)
Rationale: BPS/IC symptoms characteristically worsen with the consumption of specific dietary irritants, including alcohol,
caffeine-containing beverages, citrus juices, citrus fruits, and hot peppers [5, 76, 139].
Question 8: A postmenopausal female patient is evaluated for recurrent urethral irritation and dysuria. Diagnostic
workup excludes sexually transmitted infections. What underlying etiology explains her non-infectious urethritis?
A. Insufficient estrogen levels causing mucosal atrophy of the estrogen-dependent urethra
B. Genetic defect in epithelial cell cilia within the collecting ducts
C. Immune complex deposition within the urethral basement membrane
D. Overactive parasympathetic stimulation of the internal urinary sphincter
Correct Answer: Option A (Insufficient estrogen levels causing mucosal atrophy of the estrogen-dependent urethra)
Rationale: Urethritis in postmenopausal women can be caused by insufficient estrogen levels because the urethra is an
estrogen-dependent structure; estrogen deficiency leads to urethral irritation and inflammation [5, 137].
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, Question 9: A male client presents with purulent urethral discharge and severe burning with urination. Which
microorganisms represent the most common infectious etiologies for acute urethritis in sexually active males?
A. Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis
B. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis
C. Clostridium difficile and Staphylococcus aureus
D. Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus and Pseudomonas
Correct Answer: Option B (Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis)
Rationale: Urethritis is most common in men as a sexually transmitted infection, with the most frequently isolated infectious organisms
being Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis [5, 137].
Question 10: A nurse is evaluating a clean-catch urinalysis for a patient with acute cystitis. Which organism is
epidemiologically responsible for approximately 85% of community-acquired bacterial cystitis cases?
A. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
B. Klebsiella pneumoniae
C. Escherichia coli
D. Enterococcus faecalis
Correct Answer: Option C (Escherichia coli)
Rationale: Escherichia coli is the causative pathogen responsible for 85% of community-acquired bacterial cystitis cases, frequently
introduced via inappropriate perineal hygiene [6, 78, 138, 212].
Question 11: An 82-year-old female resident in a long-term care facility exhibits new-onset delirium, lethargy, and
acute urinary incontinence. She denies dysuria or suprapubic pain. Which condition should the nurse suspect first?
A. Uremic frost secondary to ESRD
B. Acute cystitis (Urinary Tract Infection)
C. Acute pyelonephritis with CVA tenderness
D. Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease
Correct Answer: Option B (Acute cystitis (Urinary Tract Infection))
Rationale: In older adults, acute cystitis/UTI frequently presents atypical clinical manifestations such as acute delirium, altered mental
status, and new-onset incontinence rather than classic painful dysuria [6, 65, 78, 139].
Question 12: What inherent physiological mechanisms normally clear bacterial pathogens from the healthy lower
urinary tract and prevent infection?
A. Retrograde peristalsis maintaining mucosal sterility
B. Secretion of hyperosmolar alkaline fluid from the prostatic plexus
C. Flushing and dilutional effects of voiding along with high urea concentration, high osmolarity, and low urinary pH
D. Constant active phagocytosis by glomerular basement membrane podocytes
Correct Answer: Option C (Flushing and dilutional effects of voiding along with high urea concentration, high osmolarity,
and low urinary pH)
Rationale: Bacteria are normally cleared from the bladder by the flushing and dilutional effects of voiding; high urea concentration, high
osmolarity, and low urinary pH act as natural barriers to pathogens [6, 78, 138, 212].
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