,NSG 3280 Pathophysiology for Nursing
I Exam Prep — Comprehensive Review
+ Practice MCQs — Galen College of
Nursing 2025/2026
1. A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about the definition of pathophysiology. Which statement by the
newly licensed nurse indicates understanding?
A. "Pathophysiology is the study of the structure of the human body."
B. "Pathophysiology examines the functional changes in the body that result from disease."
C. "Pathophysiology is primarily concerned with the psychological response to illness."
D. "Pathophysiology focuses on appropriate pharmacological treatments for diseases."
Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Pathophysiology is the study of the underlying functional changes in the body
that occur as a result of a disease process or injury. Option A describes anatomy, Option D describes
pharmacology, and Option C is not the primary focus of pathophysiology .
2. A patient asks, "What exactly is the 'cause' of my high blood pressure?" The nurse explains that the study of
the cause of a disease is known as:
A. Pathogenesis
B. Etiology
C. Prognosis
D. Diagnosis
Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Etiology is the study of the causes or reasons for a disease. Pathogenesis refers
to the development or evolution of a disease, prognosis is the predicted outcome, and diagnosis is the
identification of a disease .
3. A nurse is reviewing a patient's chart and notes the disease is classified as "idiopathic." The nurse
understands this means:
,A. The disease resulted from medical treatment
B. The disease is present at birth
C. The cause of the disease is unknown
D. The disease is communicable
Correct Answer: C. Rationale: Idiopathic means the cause of the disease is unknown. Iatrogenic means the
disease results from medical treatment, congenital means present at birth, and communicable means
transmissible between individuals .
4. A patient developed a severe urinary tract infection after receiving a urinary catheter during hospitalization.
How should the nurse classify this condition?
A. Idiopathic
B. Iatrogenic
C. Congenital
D. Nosocomial
Correct Answer: D. Rationale: Nosocomial infections are acquired in a healthcare setting, such as a urinary
tract infection from a catheter. Iatrogenic conditions result from medical treatment, but nosocomial more
specifically describes the healthcare-acquired nature of this infection .
5. The nurse is assessing a patient and documents the patient's temperature as 38.5°C (101.3°F). This finding is
best classified as:
A. A symptom
B. A sign
C. A syndrome
D. A sequelae
, Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Signs are objective, observable, and measurable findings such as temperature,
blood pressure, or lab results. Symptoms are subjective findings reported by the patient, such as pain or
nausea .
6. A patient reports feeling nauseated and experiencing a headache. The nurse documents these as:
A. Signs
B. Symptoms
C. Syndromes
D. Complications
Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the patient that cannot be
directly observed or measured by the nurse. Signs are objective findings .
7. A patient is diagnosed with a condition where the etiology of the signs and symptoms has not yet been
determined. The nurse recognizes this as:
A. A syndrome
B. A sequela
C. A complication
D. An acute illness
Correct Answer: A. Rationale: A syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms whose etiology has not yet
been identified. Sequelae are subsequent pathologic conditions, and complications are new processes arising
from an original problem .
8. The nurse is caring for a patient who was exposed to an infectious agent 10 days ago but has not yet
developed any signs or symptoms. This period is best described as:
A. The prodromal period
B. The latent (incubation) period
I Exam Prep — Comprehensive Review
+ Practice MCQs — Galen College of
Nursing 2025/2026
1. A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about the definition of pathophysiology. Which statement by the
newly licensed nurse indicates understanding?
A. "Pathophysiology is the study of the structure of the human body."
B. "Pathophysiology examines the functional changes in the body that result from disease."
C. "Pathophysiology is primarily concerned with the psychological response to illness."
D. "Pathophysiology focuses on appropriate pharmacological treatments for diseases."
Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Pathophysiology is the study of the underlying functional changes in the body
that occur as a result of a disease process or injury. Option A describes anatomy, Option D describes
pharmacology, and Option C is not the primary focus of pathophysiology .
2. A patient asks, "What exactly is the 'cause' of my high blood pressure?" The nurse explains that the study of
the cause of a disease is known as:
A. Pathogenesis
B. Etiology
C. Prognosis
D. Diagnosis
Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Etiology is the study of the causes or reasons for a disease. Pathogenesis refers
to the development or evolution of a disease, prognosis is the predicted outcome, and diagnosis is the
identification of a disease .
3. A nurse is reviewing a patient's chart and notes the disease is classified as "idiopathic." The nurse
understands this means:
,A. The disease resulted from medical treatment
B. The disease is present at birth
C. The cause of the disease is unknown
D. The disease is communicable
Correct Answer: C. Rationale: Idiopathic means the cause of the disease is unknown. Iatrogenic means the
disease results from medical treatment, congenital means present at birth, and communicable means
transmissible between individuals .
4. A patient developed a severe urinary tract infection after receiving a urinary catheter during hospitalization.
How should the nurse classify this condition?
A. Idiopathic
B. Iatrogenic
C. Congenital
D. Nosocomial
Correct Answer: D. Rationale: Nosocomial infections are acquired in a healthcare setting, such as a urinary
tract infection from a catheter. Iatrogenic conditions result from medical treatment, but nosocomial more
specifically describes the healthcare-acquired nature of this infection .
5. The nurse is assessing a patient and documents the patient's temperature as 38.5°C (101.3°F). This finding is
best classified as:
A. A symptom
B. A sign
C. A syndrome
D. A sequelae
, Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Signs are objective, observable, and measurable findings such as temperature,
blood pressure, or lab results. Symptoms are subjective findings reported by the patient, such as pain or
nausea .
6. A patient reports feeling nauseated and experiencing a headache. The nurse documents these as:
A. Signs
B. Symptoms
C. Syndromes
D. Complications
Correct Answer: B. Rationale: Symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the patient that cannot be
directly observed or measured by the nurse. Signs are objective findings .
7. A patient is diagnosed with a condition where the etiology of the signs and symptoms has not yet been
determined. The nurse recognizes this as:
A. A syndrome
B. A sequela
C. A complication
D. An acute illness
Correct Answer: A. Rationale: A syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms whose etiology has not yet
been identified. Sequelae are subsequent pathologic conditions, and complications are new processes arising
from an original problem .
8. The nurse is caring for a patient who was exposed to an infectious agent 10 days ago but has not yet
developed any signs or symptoms. This period is best described as:
A. The prodromal period
B. The latent (incubation) period
