EXAM 6
Postoperative Care and Pain Management
75 Multiple-Choice Questions • Correct Answers Highlighted • Brief Rationales
Instructions: Choose the single best answer for each question. The correct option is highlighted in yellow, followed by a brief
rationale.
Study resource: Original practice questions based on the working assumption that NR-252 covers Adult Health II /
medical-surgical nursing. This is not an official Chamberlain exam; verify topics against your current syllabus.
1. Clinical review: A client has wound evisceration after abdominal surgery. Which finding or action best fits this situation?
A. Cover exposed organs with sterile saline-moistened dressings and call for help
B. Leave the wound uncovered
C. Push organs back inside
D. Apply a dry tight dressing and pressure
Rationale: Moist sterile coverage protects tissue while urgent surgical help is obtained.
2. Safety check: A postoperative client is difficult to arouse and has slow respirations after opioids. Which action best
promotes client safety?
A. Support airway and breathing and summon urgent assistance
B. Give another opioid dose
C. Wait for the next scheduled observation
D. Offer oral fluids
Rationale: Opioid-induced respiratory depression is an emergency.
3. At the bedside, a client is at risk for postoperative atelectasis. What should the nurse do next?
A. Use incentive spirometry once per week
B. Remain supine continuously
C. Encourage incentive spirometry, deep breathing, coughing, and mobility as ordered
D. Avoid deep breaths due to incision pain
Rationale: Lung expansion and mobility help prevent atelectasis.
4. Safety check: A postoperative client has a fever and productive cough. Which action best promotes client safety?
A. Restrict breathing exercises
B. Assess respiratory status, encourage prescribed pulmonary hygiene, and report concerning findings
C. Suppress all coughing
D. Keep the client immobile indefinitely
Rationale: Pulmonary complications are common after surgery; assessment and lung expansion matter.
5. During care: A client has a suspected deep vein thrombosis after orthopedic surgery. Which nursing response is most
appropriate?
A. Encourage vigorous leg massage
B. Report unilateral swelling, warmth, and pain promptly
C. Ignore symptoms if oxygen saturation is normal
D. Massage the calf deeply
Rationale: DVT can lead to pulmonary embolism and needs prompt evaluation.
, 6. At the bedside, a postoperative client is difficult to arouse and has slow respirations after opioids. What should the nurse
do next?
A. Offer oral fluids
B. Support airway and breathing and summon urgent assistance
C. Give another opioid dose
D. Wait for the next scheduled observation
Rationale: Opioid-induced respiratory depression is an emergency.
7. During care: A client uses patient-controlled analgesia. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Teach the client to press the button; visitors must not press it for them
B. Share the device with another client
C. Let family activate the dose while the client sleeps
D. Press repeatedly to override lockout
Rationale: Only the patient should activate PCA to reduce oversedation risk.
8. During care: A client has wound evisceration after abdominal surgery. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Leave the wound uncovered
B. Push organs back inside
C. Cover exposed organs with sterile saline-moistened dressings and call for help
D. Apply a dry tight dressing and pressure
Rationale: Moist sterile coverage protects tissue while urgent surgical help is obtained.
9. A client has wound evisceration after abdominal surgery. Which action is the nurse's priority?
A. Cover exposed organs with sterile saline-moistened dressings and call for help
B. Leave the wound uncovered
C. Apply a dry tight dressing and pressure
D. Push organs back inside
Rationale: Moist sterile coverage protects tissue while urgent surgical help is obtained.
10. Client scenario: A postoperative client has sudden dyspnea and chest pain. Which instruction should the nurse
reinforce?
A. Encourage walking to relieve symptoms
B. Assume anxiety without assessment
C. Activate emergency response and assess oxygenation
D. Give food and fluids
Rationale: Pulmonary embolism and other life-threatening causes must be considered.
11. A client reports severe pain but has stable vital signs. Which action is the nurse's priority?
A. Tell the client pain is expected and ignore it
B. Assess pain and function and treat according to the plan
C. Assume the pain is not real
D. Withhold analgesia until vital signs rise
Rationale: Pain is subjective; vital signs alone do not reliably measure pain severity.
12. Complication prevention: A client reports severe pain but has stable vital signs. Which complication or risk should the
nurse address first?
A. Assume the pain is not real
B. Assess pain and function and treat according to the plan
C. Tell the client pain is expected and ignore it
D. Withhold analgesia until vital signs rise
Rationale: Pain is subjective; vital signs alone do not reliably measure pain severity.
Postoperative Care and Pain Management
75 Multiple-Choice Questions • Correct Answers Highlighted • Brief Rationales
Instructions: Choose the single best answer for each question. The correct option is highlighted in yellow, followed by a brief
rationale.
Study resource: Original practice questions based on the working assumption that NR-252 covers Adult Health II /
medical-surgical nursing. This is not an official Chamberlain exam; verify topics against your current syllabus.
1. Clinical review: A client has wound evisceration after abdominal surgery. Which finding or action best fits this situation?
A. Cover exposed organs with sterile saline-moistened dressings and call for help
B. Leave the wound uncovered
C. Push organs back inside
D. Apply a dry tight dressing and pressure
Rationale: Moist sterile coverage protects tissue while urgent surgical help is obtained.
2. Safety check: A postoperative client is difficult to arouse and has slow respirations after opioids. Which action best
promotes client safety?
A. Support airway and breathing and summon urgent assistance
B. Give another opioid dose
C. Wait for the next scheduled observation
D. Offer oral fluids
Rationale: Opioid-induced respiratory depression is an emergency.
3. At the bedside, a client is at risk for postoperative atelectasis. What should the nurse do next?
A. Use incentive spirometry once per week
B. Remain supine continuously
C. Encourage incentive spirometry, deep breathing, coughing, and mobility as ordered
D. Avoid deep breaths due to incision pain
Rationale: Lung expansion and mobility help prevent atelectasis.
4. Safety check: A postoperative client has a fever and productive cough. Which action best promotes client safety?
A. Restrict breathing exercises
B. Assess respiratory status, encourage prescribed pulmonary hygiene, and report concerning findings
C. Suppress all coughing
D. Keep the client immobile indefinitely
Rationale: Pulmonary complications are common after surgery; assessment and lung expansion matter.
5. During care: A client has a suspected deep vein thrombosis after orthopedic surgery. Which nursing response is most
appropriate?
A. Encourage vigorous leg massage
B. Report unilateral swelling, warmth, and pain promptly
C. Ignore symptoms if oxygen saturation is normal
D. Massage the calf deeply
Rationale: DVT can lead to pulmonary embolism and needs prompt evaluation.
, 6. At the bedside, a postoperative client is difficult to arouse and has slow respirations after opioids. What should the nurse
do next?
A. Offer oral fluids
B. Support airway and breathing and summon urgent assistance
C. Give another opioid dose
D. Wait for the next scheduled observation
Rationale: Opioid-induced respiratory depression is an emergency.
7. During care: A client uses patient-controlled analgesia. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Teach the client to press the button; visitors must not press it for them
B. Share the device with another client
C. Let family activate the dose while the client sleeps
D. Press repeatedly to override lockout
Rationale: Only the patient should activate PCA to reduce oversedation risk.
8. During care: A client has wound evisceration after abdominal surgery. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
A. Leave the wound uncovered
B. Push organs back inside
C. Cover exposed organs with sterile saline-moistened dressings and call for help
D. Apply a dry tight dressing and pressure
Rationale: Moist sterile coverage protects tissue while urgent surgical help is obtained.
9. A client has wound evisceration after abdominal surgery. Which action is the nurse's priority?
A. Cover exposed organs with sterile saline-moistened dressings and call for help
B. Leave the wound uncovered
C. Apply a dry tight dressing and pressure
D. Push organs back inside
Rationale: Moist sterile coverage protects tissue while urgent surgical help is obtained.
10. Client scenario: A postoperative client has sudden dyspnea and chest pain. Which instruction should the nurse
reinforce?
A. Encourage walking to relieve symptoms
B. Assume anxiety without assessment
C. Activate emergency response and assess oxygenation
D. Give food and fluids
Rationale: Pulmonary embolism and other life-threatening causes must be considered.
11. A client reports severe pain but has stable vital signs. Which action is the nurse's priority?
A. Tell the client pain is expected and ignore it
B. Assess pain and function and treat according to the plan
C. Assume the pain is not real
D. Withhold analgesia until vital signs rise
Rationale: Pain is subjective; vital signs alone do not reliably measure pain severity.
12. Complication prevention: A client reports severe pain but has stable vital signs. Which complication or risk should the
nurse address first?
A. Assume the pain is not real
B. Assess pain and function and treat according to the plan
C. Tell the client pain is expected and ignore it
D. Withhold analgesia until vital signs rise
Rationale: Pain is subjective; vital signs alone do not reliably measure pain severity.
