MEDICAL-SURGICAL 09/27/2026
NURSING
TEST BANK FOR BRUNNER & SUDDARTH’S
MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING 15TH EDITION |
ALL 68 CHAPTERS WITH ANSWER KEYS AT
END OF EACH CHAPTER
A 43-year-old homeless, malnourished client with a history of alcoholism is transferred to the
ICU. The nurse palpates a heart rate of 160 beats/min, and the client's blood pressure is 90/54
mm Hg. Based on these findings, which IV medication should the nurse administer?
A.Amiodarone (Cordarone)
JOYCEWWALES 1
, MEDICAL-SURGICAL 09/27/2026
NURSING
B.Magnesium sulfate
C.Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
D.Procainamide (Pronestyl)
- Correct Answer :Correct Answer: B
Rationale:The client with chronic alcoholism is likely to have hypomagnesemia. Option B is the
recommended drug for torsades de pointes, which is a form of polymorphic ventricular
tachycardia (VT) usually associated with a prolonged QT interval that occurs with
hypomagnesemia. Options A and D increase the QT interval, which can cause the torsades to
worsen. Option C is the antiarrhythmic of choice in most cases of drug-induced monomorphic
VT, not torsades.
The nurse hears the presence of secretions in the lungs and determines the client, post
thoracotomy, needs to be suctioned. What steps will the nurse include in the suctioning
procedure? (Select all that apply.)
A.Perform hand hygiene.
B.Position in no less than a semi-Fowler's position.
C.Lubricate the suction catheter with a petroleum-based product.
D.Insert the catheter with the suction on.
E.Listen for breath sounds.
F.Hyperoxygenate the client. - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: A,B,E,F
Rationale:The suction catheter does need to be lubricated, but with a water-based product,
not a petroleum-based product. The suction catheter needs to be inserted with the suction
off, not on. Suction should be applied intermittently while withdrawing the catheter. The
remainder are steps in the suction process.
JOYCEWWALES 2
, MEDICAL-SURGICAL 09/27/2026
NURSING
Which consideration is most important when the nurse is assigning a room for a client being
admitted with progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)?
A.Provide a room that can be kept warm.
B.Make sure that the room can be kept dark.
C.Keep the client close to the nursing unit.
D.Select a room that is visible from the nurses' desk. - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: A
Rationale:Abnormal blood flow in response to cold (Raynaud phenomenon) is precipitated in
clients with scleroderma. Option B is not a significant factor. Stress can also precipitate the
severe pain of Raynaud phenomenon, so a quiet environment is preferred to option C, which
is often very noisy. Option D is not necessary.
The nurse is reviewing routine medications taken by a client with chronic angle-closure
glaucoma. Which medication prescription should the nurse question?
A.Antianginal with a therapeutic effect of vasodilation
B.Anticholinergic with a side effect of pupillary dilation
C.Antihistamine with a side effect of sedation
D.Corticosteroid with a side effect of hyperglycemia - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: B
Rationale:Clients with angle-closure glaucoma should not take medications that dilate the
pupil because this can precipitate acute and severely increased intraocular pressure. Options
A, C, and D do not cause increased intracranial pressure, which is the primary concern with
angle-closure glaucoma.
JOYCEWWALES 3
, MEDICAL-SURGICAL 09/27/2026
NURSING
The nurse is preparing a client for discharge after a right total knee replacement. Which client
statements about use of a walker indicate to the nurse the teaching was effective? (Select all
that apply.)
A."I will walk in the middle of the walker."
B."I will make sure all four feet of the walker are on the floor before I use the hand pieces."
C."I will move my right foot forward into the walker, and then my left foot."
D."I will collapse the walker and put it in the chair opposite the bed at night."
E."I will use a silicone-based cleaning product to clean the hand pieces and rubber tips." -
Correct Answer :Correct Answer: A,B,C
Rationale:The nurse is teaching about use of a walker. Having the walker collapsed at night
does not help with nighttime ambulation to the restroom. The client is at risk for falling.
Silicone is a slippery material and placing silicone on the rubber tips of the walker places the
client at risk for falling. The remaining client statements about use of a walker are correct.
A client on telemetry has a pattern of uncontrolled atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular
response. Based on this finding, the nurse anticipates assisting the physician with which
treatment?
A.Administer lidocaine, 75 mg intravenous push.
B.Perform synchronized cardioversion.
C.Defibrillate the client as soon as possible.
D.Administer atropine, 0.4 mg intravenous push. - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: B
Rationale:With uncontrolled atrial fibrillation, the treatment of choice is synchronized
cardioversion to convert the cardiac rhythm back to normal sinus rhythm. Option A is a
medication used for ventricular dysrhythmias. Option C is not for a client with atrial fibrillation;
it is reserved for clients with life-threatening dysrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation and
unstable ventricular tachycardia. Option D is the drug of choice in symptomatic sinus
bradycardia, not atrial fibrillation.
JOYCEWWALES 4
NURSING
TEST BANK FOR BRUNNER & SUDDARTH’S
MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING 15TH EDITION |
ALL 68 CHAPTERS WITH ANSWER KEYS AT
END OF EACH CHAPTER
A 43-year-old homeless, malnourished client with a history of alcoholism is transferred to the
ICU. The nurse palpates a heart rate of 160 beats/min, and the client's blood pressure is 90/54
mm Hg. Based on these findings, which IV medication should the nurse administer?
A.Amiodarone (Cordarone)
JOYCEWWALES 1
, MEDICAL-SURGICAL 09/27/2026
NURSING
B.Magnesium sulfate
C.Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
D.Procainamide (Pronestyl)
- Correct Answer :Correct Answer: B
Rationale:The client with chronic alcoholism is likely to have hypomagnesemia. Option B is the
recommended drug for torsades de pointes, which is a form of polymorphic ventricular
tachycardia (VT) usually associated with a prolonged QT interval that occurs with
hypomagnesemia. Options A and D increase the QT interval, which can cause the torsades to
worsen. Option C is the antiarrhythmic of choice in most cases of drug-induced monomorphic
VT, not torsades.
The nurse hears the presence of secretions in the lungs and determines the client, post
thoracotomy, needs to be suctioned. What steps will the nurse include in the suctioning
procedure? (Select all that apply.)
A.Perform hand hygiene.
B.Position in no less than a semi-Fowler's position.
C.Lubricate the suction catheter with a petroleum-based product.
D.Insert the catheter with the suction on.
E.Listen for breath sounds.
F.Hyperoxygenate the client. - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: A,B,E,F
Rationale:The suction catheter does need to be lubricated, but with a water-based product,
not a petroleum-based product. The suction catheter needs to be inserted with the suction
off, not on. Suction should be applied intermittently while withdrawing the catheter. The
remainder are steps in the suction process.
JOYCEWWALES 2
, MEDICAL-SURGICAL 09/27/2026
NURSING
Which consideration is most important when the nurse is assigning a room for a client being
admitted with progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)?
A.Provide a room that can be kept warm.
B.Make sure that the room can be kept dark.
C.Keep the client close to the nursing unit.
D.Select a room that is visible from the nurses' desk. - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: A
Rationale:Abnormal blood flow in response to cold (Raynaud phenomenon) is precipitated in
clients with scleroderma. Option B is not a significant factor. Stress can also precipitate the
severe pain of Raynaud phenomenon, so a quiet environment is preferred to option C, which
is often very noisy. Option D is not necessary.
The nurse is reviewing routine medications taken by a client with chronic angle-closure
glaucoma. Which medication prescription should the nurse question?
A.Antianginal with a therapeutic effect of vasodilation
B.Anticholinergic with a side effect of pupillary dilation
C.Antihistamine with a side effect of sedation
D.Corticosteroid with a side effect of hyperglycemia - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: B
Rationale:Clients with angle-closure glaucoma should not take medications that dilate the
pupil because this can precipitate acute and severely increased intraocular pressure. Options
A, C, and D do not cause increased intracranial pressure, which is the primary concern with
angle-closure glaucoma.
JOYCEWWALES 3
, MEDICAL-SURGICAL 09/27/2026
NURSING
The nurse is preparing a client for discharge after a right total knee replacement. Which client
statements about use of a walker indicate to the nurse the teaching was effective? (Select all
that apply.)
A."I will walk in the middle of the walker."
B."I will make sure all four feet of the walker are on the floor before I use the hand pieces."
C."I will move my right foot forward into the walker, and then my left foot."
D."I will collapse the walker and put it in the chair opposite the bed at night."
E."I will use a silicone-based cleaning product to clean the hand pieces and rubber tips." -
Correct Answer :Correct Answer: A,B,C
Rationale:The nurse is teaching about use of a walker. Having the walker collapsed at night
does not help with nighttime ambulation to the restroom. The client is at risk for falling.
Silicone is a slippery material and placing silicone on the rubber tips of the walker places the
client at risk for falling. The remaining client statements about use of a walker are correct.
A client on telemetry has a pattern of uncontrolled atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular
response. Based on this finding, the nurse anticipates assisting the physician with which
treatment?
A.Administer lidocaine, 75 mg intravenous push.
B.Perform synchronized cardioversion.
C.Defibrillate the client as soon as possible.
D.Administer atropine, 0.4 mg intravenous push. - Correct Answer :Correct Answer: B
Rationale:With uncontrolled atrial fibrillation, the treatment of choice is synchronized
cardioversion to convert the cardiac rhythm back to normal sinus rhythm. Option A is a
medication used for ventricular dysrhythmias. Option C is not for a client with atrial fibrillation;
it is reserved for clients with life-threatening dysrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation and
unstable ventricular tachycardia. Option D is the drug of choice in symptomatic sinus
bradycardia, not atrial fibrillation.
JOYCEWWALES 4
