ATI RN ADULT MEDICAL SURGICAL EXAM
(DETAILED ANSWERS) 2025 -2026 DISTINCTION
GUARANTEED
A nurse is providing postoperative teaching for a client who had a total knee arthroplasty. Which of the
following instructions should the nurse include? - ANS-Flex the foot every hour when awake.
Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client to flex the foot every hour to reduce the risk for
thromboembolism and promote venous return.
A nurse is caring for a client who has a pneumothorax and a closed-chest drainage system. Which of the
following findings is an indication of lung re-expansion? - ANS-Bubbling in the water seal chamber has
ceased.
Rationale: Bubbling in the water seal chamber ceases when the lung re-expands.
A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client who is taking warfarin for chronic atrial fibrillation.
Which of the following values should the nurse identify as a desired outcome for this therapy? - ANS-INR
2.5
Rationale: Clients receive warfarin therapy to decrease the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), or
pulmonary emboli (PE) from blood clots. Since warfarin is an anticoagulant, the medication must be
monitored to ensure the anticoagulation is within the therapeutic range and prevent hemorrhage (high
levels of anticoagulation) or stroke, MI, or PE (low levels of anticoagulation). An INR of 2.5 is within the
targeted therapeutic range of 2 to 3 for a client who has atrial fibrillation.
A home health nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a stage 1 pressure injury on the greater
trochanter of his left hip. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching? -
ANS-Change position every hour
Rationale: Changing position every 1 to 2 hr decreases pressure on bony prominences. The nurse should
also instruct the client to limit the angle of the hips when in a lateral position to no more than 30°. This
positioning prevents direct pressure on the trochanter.
A nurse is assessing a client following the completion of hemodialysis. Which of the following findings is
the nurse's priority to report to the provider? - ANS-Restlessness
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should determine that the
priority finding to report to the provider is restlessness, which can be an indication the client is
experiencing disequilibrium syndrome. Disequilibrium syndrome is caused by the rapid removal of
electrolytes from the client's blood and can lead to dysrhythmias or seizures. Other manifestations
include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and headache.
, A nurse is caring for a client who is 8 hr postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty. The client is
unable to void on the bedpan. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first? - ANS-Scan the
bladder with a portable ultrasound.
Rationale: The first action the nurse should take using the nursing process is to assess the client.
Scanning the bladder with a portable ultrasound device will determine the amount of urine in the
bladder
A nurse is planning a health promotional presentation for a group of African American clients at a
community center. Which of the following disorders presents the greatest risk to this group of clients? -
ANS-Hypertension
Rationale: When using the safety/risk reduction approach to client care, the nurse should determine
that the disorder with the greatest risk for this group of clients is hypertension. The prevalence of
hypertension is highest among African American clients, followed by Caucasian clients, and then
Hispanic clients.
A nurse is caring for a client who has DKA. Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse
that the client's condition is improving? - ANS-Glucose 272 mg/dL
Rationale: A glucose reading less than 300 mg/dL indicates improvement in the client's status.
A nurse is caring for a client following extubation of an endotracheal tube 10 min. ago. Which of the
following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately? - ANS-Stridor
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should determine that the
priority finding is stridor. Stridor can indicate a narrowing airway or possible obstruction caused by
edema or laryngeal spasms. The nurse should report the finding immediately and implement an
intervention.
A nurse is caring for a client who had a nephrostomy tube inserted 112 hr ago. Which of the following
findings should the nurse report to the provider? - ANS-The client reports back pain
Rationale: The nurse should notify the provider if the client reports back pain, which can indicate that
the nephrostomy tube is dislodged or clogged.
A nurse is admitting a client who has active TB. Which of the following types of transmission precautions
should the nurse initiate? - ANS-Airborne
Rationale: Airborne precautions are required for clients who have infections due to micro-organisms
that can remain suspended in air for lengthy periods of time, such as tuberculosis, measles, varicella,
and disseminated varicella zoster.
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a sealed radiation implant for cervical cancer. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care? - ANS-Keep a lead-lined container in
the client's room
Rationale: The nurse should keep a lead-lined container and forceps in the client's room in case of
accidental dislodgement of the implant.
A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative following a thyroidectomy. Which of the following
findings is the nurse's priority? - ANS-Temperature 38.9° C (102° F)
Rationale: When using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should determine
that the priority finding is an elevated temperature. An elevated temperature is a manifestation of
(DETAILED ANSWERS) 2025 -2026 DISTINCTION
GUARANTEED
A nurse is providing postoperative teaching for a client who had a total knee arthroplasty. Which of the
following instructions should the nurse include? - ANS-Flex the foot every hour when awake.
Rationale: The nurse should instruct the client to flex the foot every hour to reduce the risk for
thromboembolism and promote venous return.
A nurse is caring for a client who has a pneumothorax and a closed-chest drainage system. Which of the
following findings is an indication of lung re-expansion? - ANS-Bubbling in the water seal chamber has
ceased.
Rationale: Bubbling in the water seal chamber ceases when the lung re-expands.
A nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client who is taking warfarin for chronic atrial fibrillation.
Which of the following values should the nurse identify as a desired outcome for this therapy? - ANS-INR
2.5
Rationale: Clients receive warfarin therapy to decrease the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), or
pulmonary emboli (PE) from blood clots. Since warfarin is an anticoagulant, the medication must be
monitored to ensure the anticoagulation is within the therapeutic range and prevent hemorrhage (high
levels of anticoagulation) or stroke, MI, or PE (low levels of anticoagulation). An INR of 2.5 is within the
targeted therapeutic range of 2 to 3 for a client who has atrial fibrillation.
A home health nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a stage 1 pressure injury on the greater
trochanter of his left hip. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching? -
ANS-Change position every hour
Rationale: Changing position every 1 to 2 hr decreases pressure on bony prominences. The nurse should
also instruct the client to limit the angle of the hips when in a lateral position to no more than 30°. This
positioning prevents direct pressure on the trochanter.
A nurse is assessing a client following the completion of hemodialysis. Which of the following findings is
the nurse's priority to report to the provider? - ANS-Restlessness
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should determine that the
priority finding to report to the provider is restlessness, which can be an indication the client is
experiencing disequilibrium syndrome. Disequilibrium syndrome is caused by the rapid removal of
electrolytes from the client's blood and can lead to dysrhythmias or seizures. Other manifestations
include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and headache.
, A nurse is caring for a client who is 8 hr postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty. The client is
unable to void on the bedpan. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first? - ANS-Scan the
bladder with a portable ultrasound.
Rationale: The first action the nurse should take using the nursing process is to assess the client.
Scanning the bladder with a portable ultrasound device will determine the amount of urine in the
bladder
A nurse is planning a health promotional presentation for a group of African American clients at a
community center. Which of the following disorders presents the greatest risk to this group of clients? -
ANS-Hypertension
Rationale: When using the safety/risk reduction approach to client care, the nurse should determine
that the disorder with the greatest risk for this group of clients is hypertension. The prevalence of
hypertension is highest among African American clients, followed by Caucasian clients, and then
Hispanic clients.
A nurse is caring for a client who has DKA. Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse
that the client's condition is improving? - ANS-Glucose 272 mg/dL
Rationale: A glucose reading less than 300 mg/dL indicates improvement in the client's status.
A nurse is caring for a client following extubation of an endotracheal tube 10 min. ago. Which of the
following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately? - ANS-Stridor
Rationale: Using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should determine that the
priority finding is stridor. Stridor can indicate a narrowing airway or possible obstruction caused by
edema or laryngeal spasms. The nurse should report the finding immediately and implement an
intervention.
A nurse is caring for a client who had a nephrostomy tube inserted 112 hr ago. Which of the following
findings should the nurse report to the provider? - ANS-The client reports back pain
Rationale: The nurse should notify the provider if the client reports back pain, which can indicate that
the nephrostomy tube is dislodged or clogged.
A nurse is admitting a client who has active TB. Which of the following types of transmission precautions
should the nurse initiate? - ANS-Airborne
Rationale: Airborne precautions are required for clients who have infections due to micro-organisms
that can remain suspended in air for lengthy periods of time, such as tuberculosis, measles, varicella,
and disseminated varicella zoster.
A nurse is planning care for a client who has a sealed radiation implant for cervical cancer. Which of the
following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care? - ANS-Keep a lead-lined container in
the client's room
Rationale: The nurse should keep a lead-lined container and forceps in the client's room in case of
accidental dislodgement of the implant.
A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative following a thyroidectomy. Which of the following
findings is the nurse's priority? - ANS-Temperature 38.9° C (102° F)
Rationale: When using the urgent vs. nonurgent approach to client care, the nurse should determine
that the priority finding is an elevated temperature. An elevated temperature is a manifestation of
