,NU 155 | Exam 1 | Original Medical-Surgical Nursing I Practice
NU 155 Exam 1 | Med-Surg Nursing |2026 Update |
100% Correct – Galen College
1. Which statement best describes cystitis in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Cystitis commonly causes dysuria, urinary frequency, urgency, and suprapubic discomfort.
B) Cystitis usually causes flank pain and sepsis only
C) Cystitis is inflammation of the kidney cortexD) Cystitis never causes dysuria
Correct Answer: Cystitis commonly causes dysuria, urinary frequency, urgency, and suprapubic discomfort.
Rationale: Cystitis commonly causes dysuria, urinary frequency, urgency, and suprapubic discomfort. This is the
clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core fluid, electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or
urinary-care concepts.
2. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of oliguria. Which interpretation
oraction is most appropriate?
A) Oliguria cannot occur with obstruction
B) Oliguria is abnormally low urine output and may signal hypoperfusion, obstruction, or intrinsic kidney
injury.
C) Oliguria means excessive urine output
D) Oliguria always proves intrinsic kidney disease
Correct Answer: Oliguria is abnormally low urine output and may signal hypoperfusion, obstruction, or
intrinsic kidney injury.
Rationale: Oliguria is abnormally low urine output and may signal hypoperfusion, obstruction, or intrinsic kidney
injury. In clinical application, the nurse connects this principle to focused assessment, patient safety, timely
intervention, and reassessment of response.
3. Which statement best describes potassium in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Potassium has no cardiac effects
B) Potassium is the main extracellular cation
C) Potassium is unrelated to muscle function
D) Potassium is the major intracellular cation and is essential for cardiac electrical stability and muscle
function.
Correct Answer: Potassium is the major intracellular cation and is essential for cardiac electrical stability and
muscle function.
Rationale: Potassium is the major intracellular cation and is essential for cardiac electrical stability and muscle
function. This is the clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core fluid,
electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or urinary-care concepts.
4. Which statement best describes ABG interpretation in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Bicarbonate is the primary respiratory component
B) pH is not needed for acid-base interpretation
C) PaCO2 is the primary metabolic component
D) ABG interpretation begins with pH, then PaCO2 as the respiratory component and bicarbonate as the
metaboliccomponent.
Page 2
, NU 155 | Exam 1 | Original Medical-Surgical Nursing I Practice
Correct Answer: ABG interpretation begins with pH, then PaCO2 as the respiratory component and
bicarbonate as the metabolic component.
Rationale: ABG interpretation begins with pH, then PaCO2 as the respiratory component and bicarbonate as the
metabolic component. This is the clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core
fluid, electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or urinary-care concepts.
5. Which statement best describes respiratory alkalosis in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Respiratory alkalosis results from hypoventilation
B) Respiratory alkalosis results from excessive carbon dioxide loss during hyperventilation.
C) Respiratory alkalosis requires high PaCO2
D) Respiratory alkalosis is caused only by bicarbonate loss
Correct Answer: Respiratory alkalosis results from excessive carbon dioxide loss during hyperventilation.
Rationale: Respiratory alkalosis results from excessive carbon dioxide loss during hyperventilation. This is the
clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core fluid, electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or
urinary-care concepts.
6. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of sodium. Which interpretation
oraction is most appropriate?
A) Sodium is unrelated to nerve conduction
B) Sodium is the major extracellular cation and is central to extracellular fluid balance and neuromuscular
function.
C) Sodium is the main intracellular cation
D) Sodium has no role in water balance
Correct Answer: Sodium is the major extracellular cation and is central to extracellular fluid balance and
neuromuscular function.
Rationale: Sodium is the major extracellular cation and is central to extracellular fluid balance and neuromuscular
function. In clinical application, the nurse connects this principle to focused assessment, patient safety, timely
intervention, and reassessment of response.
7. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of fluid overload in AKI.
Whichinterpretation or action is most appropriate?
A) Acute kidney injury can cause fluid overload when sodium and water excretion are impaired.
B) Impaired kidney function cannot cause edema
C) Sodium and water retention are unrelated to AKI
D) AKI always causes severe dehydration only
Correct Answer: Acute kidney injury can cause fluid overload when sodium and water excretion are impaired.
Rationale: Acute kidney injury can cause fluid overload when sodium and water excretion are impaired. In clinical
application, the nurse connects this principle to focused assessment, patient safety, timely intervention, and
reassessment of response.
8. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of hypotonic IV fluids.
Whichinterpretation or action is most appropriate?
A) Hypotonic fluid draws water out of cells
B) Hypotonic solutions provide proportionally more free water and can move water into cells.
C) Hypotonic fluids markedly increase extracellular osmolality
Page 3
NU 155 Exam 1 | Med-Surg Nursing |2026 Update |
100% Correct – Galen College
1. Which statement best describes cystitis in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Cystitis commonly causes dysuria, urinary frequency, urgency, and suprapubic discomfort.
B) Cystitis usually causes flank pain and sepsis only
C) Cystitis is inflammation of the kidney cortexD) Cystitis never causes dysuria
Correct Answer: Cystitis commonly causes dysuria, urinary frequency, urgency, and suprapubic discomfort.
Rationale: Cystitis commonly causes dysuria, urinary frequency, urgency, and suprapubic discomfort. This is the
clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core fluid, electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or
urinary-care concepts.
2. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of oliguria. Which interpretation
oraction is most appropriate?
A) Oliguria cannot occur with obstruction
B) Oliguria is abnormally low urine output and may signal hypoperfusion, obstruction, or intrinsic kidney
injury.
C) Oliguria means excessive urine output
D) Oliguria always proves intrinsic kidney disease
Correct Answer: Oliguria is abnormally low urine output and may signal hypoperfusion, obstruction, or
intrinsic kidney injury.
Rationale: Oliguria is abnormally low urine output and may signal hypoperfusion, obstruction, or intrinsic kidney
injury. In clinical application, the nurse connects this principle to focused assessment, patient safety, timely
intervention, and reassessment of response.
3. Which statement best describes potassium in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Potassium has no cardiac effects
B) Potassium is the main extracellular cation
C) Potassium is unrelated to muscle function
D) Potassium is the major intracellular cation and is essential for cardiac electrical stability and muscle
function.
Correct Answer: Potassium is the major intracellular cation and is essential for cardiac electrical stability and
muscle function.
Rationale: Potassium is the major intracellular cation and is essential for cardiac electrical stability and muscle
function. This is the clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core fluid,
electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or urinary-care concepts.
4. Which statement best describes ABG interpretation in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Bicarbonate is the primary respiratory component
B) pH is not needed for acid-base interpretation
C) PaCO2 is the primary metabolic component
D) ABG interpretation begins with pH, then PaCO2 as the respiratory component and bicarbonate as the
metaboliccomponent.
Page 2
, NU 155 | Exam 1 | Original Medical-Surgical Nursing I Practice
Correct Answer: ABG interpretation begins with pH, then PaCO2 as the respiratory component and
bicarbonate as the metabolic component.
Rationale: ABG interpretation begins with pH, then PaCO2 as the respiratory component and bicarbonate as the
metabolic component. This is the clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core
fluid, electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or urinary-care concepts.
5. Which statement best describes respiratory alkalosis in adult medical-surgical nursing?
A) Respiratory alkalosis results from hypoventilation
B) Respiratory alkalosis results from excessive carbon dioxide loss during hyperventilation.
C) Respiratory alkalosis requires high PaCO2
D) Respiratory alkalosis is caused only by bicarbonate loss
Correct Answer: Respiratory alkalosis results from excessive carbon dioxide loss during hyperventilation.
Rationale: Respiratory alkalosis results from excessive carbon dioxide loss during hyperventilation. This is the
clinically relevant principle for NU 155 Exam 1; the distractors conflict with core fluid, electrolyte, acid-base, renal, or
urinary-care concepts.
6. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of sodium. Which interpretation
oraction is most appropriate?
A) Sodium is unrelated to nerve conduction
B) Sodium is the major extracellular cation and is central to extracellular fluid balance and neuromuscular
function.
C) Sodium is the main intracellular cation
D) Sodium has no role in water balance
Correct Answer: Sodium is the major extracellular cation and is central to extracellular fluid balance and
neuromuscular function.
Rationale: Sodium is the major extracellular cation and is central to extracellular fluid balance and neuromuscular
function. In clinical application, the nurse connects this principle to focused assessment, patient safety, timely
intervention, and reassessment of response.
7. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of fluid overload in AKI.
Whichinterpretation or action is most appropriate?
A) Acute kidney injury can cause fluid overload when sodium and water excretion are impaired.
B) Impaired kidney function cannot cause edema
C) Sodium and water retention are unrelated to AKI
D) AKI always causes severe dehydration only
Correct Answer: Acute kidney injury can cause fluid overload when sodium and water excretion are impaired.
Rationale: Acute kidney injury can cause fluid overload when sodium and water excretion are impaired. In clinical
application, the nurse connects this principle to focused assessment, patient safety, timely intervention, and
reassessment of response.
8. A nurse is caring for an adult patient and must apply the concept of hypotonic IV fluids.
Whichinterpretation or action is most appropriate?
A) Hypotonic fluid draws water out of cells
B) Hypotonic solutions provide proportionally more free water and can move water into cells.
C) Hypotonic fluids markedly increase extracellular osmolality
Page 3
