NUR 265 Advanced Med-Surg Exam 1 Study
Guide – Cardiac, Renal, Hepatic & Pancreatic
Disorders – Galen College of Nursing 2026.pdf
NUR 265 Advanced Med-Surg Exam 1 Study Guide – Cardiac, Renal, Hepatic &
Pancreatic Disorders – Galen College of Nursing 2026
SECTION 1: Cardiac Disorders
1. A nurse is assessing a client with heart failure. Which of the following findings
indicates left-sided heart failure?
A) Jugular venous distention
B) Peripheral edema
C) Crackles in the lungs
D) Hepatomegaly
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes pulmonary congestion, leading to
crackles in the lungs, dyspnea, and orthopnea. Right-sided heart failure causes
systemic congestion, leading to jugular venous distention, peripheral edema, and
hepatomegaly.
2. A student is studying the rotation of the cardiac muscle in a client with heart
failure. Which of the following medications improves cardiac contractility?
A) Furosemide
B) Digoxin
,C) Metoprolol
D) Lisinopril
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The rotation of the cardiac muscle in a client with heart failure: digoxin
is a positive inotropic agent that improves cardiac contractility. Furosemide is a
diuretic, metoprolol is a beta-blocker, and lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor.
3. A nurse is caring for a client with heart failure who is receiving furosemide.
Which of the following findings indicates a complication?
A) Hypokalemia
B) Hyperkalemia
C) Hypernatremia
D) Hypercalcemia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that causes potassium loss, leading to
hypokalemia. Hyperkalemia, hypernatremia, and hypercalcemia are not typical
complications of furosemide.
4. A student is studying the rotation of the blood in a client with atrial
fibrillation. Which of the following medications is used to prevent
thromboembolism?
A) Warfarin
B) Aspirin
C) Clopidogrel
D) Heparin
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The rotation of the blood in a client with atrial fibrillation: warfarin is
used for long-term anticoagulation to prevent thromboembolism. Aspirin and
clopidogrel are antiplatelet agents. Heparin is used for short-term anticoagulation.
,5. A nurse is assessing a client with myocardial infarction (MI). Which of the
following findings is most common?
A) Chest pain unrelieved by rest
B) Nausea and vomiting
C) Diaphoresis
D) All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Myocardial infarction (MI) is characterized by chest pain unrelieved by
rest, nausea, vomiting, diaphoresis, and shortness of breath. All of these findings
are common.
6. A student is studying the rotation of the cardiac rhythm in a client with
ventricular tachycardia. Which of the following is the priority nursing action?
A) Administering amiodarone
B) Defibrillation
C) CPR
D) Synchronized cardioversion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The rotation of the cardiac rhythm in a client with ventricular
tachycardia: defibrillation is the priority for pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
Amiodarone is used for stable ventricular tachycardia. CPR is performed if the
client is pulseless. Synchronized cardioversion is used for unstable ventricular
tachycardia with a pulse.
7. A nurse is caring for a client with heart failure who is receiving digoxin. Which
of the following findings indicates digoxin toxicity?
A) Bradycardia
B) Tachycardia
, C) Hypertension
D) Hyperkalemia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Digoxin toxicity is characterized by bradycardia, nausea, vomiting, and
visual disturbances (yellow-green halos). Tachycardia, hypertension, and
hyperkalemia are not typical of digoxin toxicity.
8. A student is studying the rotation of the heart valves in a client with mitral
stenosis. Which of the following findings is most common?
A) Diastolic murmur
B) Systolic murmur
C) Continuous murmur
D) No murmur
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The rotation of the heart valves in a client with mitral stenosis: mitral
stenosis causes a diastolic murmur due to turbulent blood flow across the
narrowed valve. Systolic murmurs are heard in mitral regurgitation and aortic
stenosis.
9. A nurse is assessing a client with pericarditis. Which of the following findings
is most common?
A) Pleuritic chest pain relieved by sitting forward
B) Chest pain relieved by rest
C) Chest pain relieved by nitroglycerin
D) Chest pain relieved by antacids
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pericarditis is characterized by pleuritic chest pain that is relieved by
sitting forward and worsened by lying flat. Chest pain relieved by rest,
nitroglycerin, or antacids is more consistent with other conditions.
Guide – Cardiac, Renal, Hepatic & Pancreatic
Disorders – Galen College of Nursing 2026.pdf
NUR 265 Advanced Med-Surg Exam 1 Study Guide – Cardiac, Renal, Hepatic &
Pancreatic Disorders – Galen College of Nursing 2026
SECTION 1: Cardiac Disorders
1. A nurse is assessing a client with heart failure. Which of the following findings
indicates left-sided heart failure?
A) Jugular venous distention
B) Peripheral edema
C) Crackles in the lungs
D) Hepatomegaly
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes pulmonary congestion, leading to
crackles in the lungs, dyspnea, and orthopnea. Right-sided heart failure causes
systemic congestion, leading to jugular venous distention, peripheral edema, and
hepatomegaly.
2. A student is studying the rotation of the cardiac muscle in a client with heart
failure. Which of the following medications improves cardiac contractility?
A) Furosemide
B) Digoxin
,C) Metoprolol
D) Lisinopril
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The rotation of the cardiac muscle in a client with heart failure: digoxin
is a positive inotropic agent that improves cardiac contractility. Furosemide is a
diuretic, metoprolol is a beta-blocker, and lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor.
3. A nurse is caring for a client with heart failure who is receiving furosemide.
Which of the following findings indicates a complication?
A) Hypokalemia
B) Hyperkalemia
C) Hypernatremia
D) Hypercalcemia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Furosemide is a loop diuretic that causes potassium loss, leading to
hypokalemia. Hyperkalemia, hypernatremia, and hypercalcemia are not typical
complications of furosemide.
4. A student is studying the rotation of the blood in a client with atrial
fibrillation. Which of the following medications is used to prevent
thromboembolism?
A) Warfarin
B) Aspirin
C) Clopidogrel
D) Heparin
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The rotation of the blood in a client with atrial fibrillation: warfarin is
used for long-term anticoagulation to prevent thromboembolism. Aspirin and
clopidogrel are antiplatelet agents. Heparin is used for short-term anticoagulation.
,5. A nurse is assessing a client with myocardial infarction (MI). Which of the
following findings is most common?
A) Chest pain unrelieved by rest
B) Nausea and vomiting
C) Diaphoresis
D) All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Myocardial infarction (MI) is characterized by chest pain unrelieved by
rest, nausea, vomiting, diaphoresis, and shortness of breath. All of these findings
are common.
6. A student is studying the rotation of the cardiac rhythm in a client with
ventricular tachycardia. Which of the following is the priority nursing action?
A) Administering amiodarone
B) Defibrillation
C) CPR
D) Synchronized cardioversion
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The rotation of the cardiac rhythm in a client with ventricular
tachycardia: defibrillation is the priority for pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
Amiodarone is used for stable ventricular tachycardia. CPR is performed if the
client is pulseless. Synchronized cardioversion is used for unstable ventricular
tachycardia with a pulse.
7. A nurse is caring for a client with heart failure who is receiving digoxin. Which
of the following findings indicates digoxin toxicity?
A) Bradycardia
B) Tachycardia
, C) Hypertension
D) Hyperkalemia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Digoxin toxicity is characterized by bradycardia, nausea, vomiting, and
visual disturbances (yellow-green halos). Tachycardia, hypertension, and
hyperkalemia are not typical of digoxin toxicity.
8. A student is studying the rotation of the heart valves in a client with mitral
stenosis. Which of the following findings is most common?
A) Diastolic murmur
B) Systolic murmur
C) Continuous murmur
D) No murmur
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The rotation of the heart valves in a client with mitral stenosis: mitral
stenosis causes a diastolic murmur due to turbulent blood flow across the
narrowed valve. Systolic murmurs are heard in mitral regurgitation and aortic
stenosis.
9. A nurse is assessing a client with pericarditis. Which of the following findings
is most common?
A) Pleuritic chest pain relieved by sitting forward
B) Chest pain relieved by rest
C) Chest pain relieved by nitroglycerin
D) Chest pain relieved by antacids
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pericarditis is characterized by pleuritic chest pain that is relieved by
sitting forward and worsened by lying flat. Chest pain relieved by rest,
nitroglycerin, or antacids is more consistent with other conditions.
