CORRECT MED-SURG CERTIFICATION PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
A .newly .diabetic .patient .will .receive .instructions .from .his .nurse. .Which .of .the .following
.actions .should .the .nurse .take .first?
A. .Provide .the .patient .with .brochures .for .making .smart .choices .for .cooking/baking.
B. .Ask .the .patient .what .they .know .about .diabetes.
C. .Instruct .the .patient .on .exercise .or .activities .that .will .increase .their .metabolism.
D. .Teach .them .how .to .use .the .glucometer. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-B. .
First .ask .the .patient .what .they .know .about .diabetes.
*ACTION .questions .ask .for .intervention, .NOT .assessment
The .post .hysterectomy .patient .with .calls .the .clinic .stating .that .she .has .been .having
.difficulty .with .incontinence. .Which .of .the .following .statements .if .made .by .the .patient,
.indicates .that .further .teaching .is .needed?
A. .I .drink .8 .oz. .of .fluid .on .the .even .hours .while .awake.
B. .I .will .attempt .to .void .30 .minutes .after .drinking .200 .cc. .of .fluid
C. .I .will .only .drink .fluid .when .I .eat .my .meals
D. .I .will .set .the .timer .to .remind .me .when .to .void .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C. .
,A .patient .saying .that .he .or .she .will .only .drink .fluids .when .eating .meals .indicates .that
.they .don't .know .what .to .do .in .case .of .incontinence.
FURTHER .TEACHING .indicates .that .the .patient .needs .more .information
An .RN .assesses .a .patient .in .the .Cancer .Center .with .a .diagnosis .of .terminal .cancer. .The
.patient .states .to .the .RN .that .he .is .short .of .breath, .has .no .appetite .and .hurts
.everywhere. .Which .of .the .following .statements .by .the .nurse .is .best?
A. .Tell .me .how .your .family .is .coping
B. .Show .me .where .it .does .not .hurt
C. .I'll .teach .you .relaxation .techniques
D. .Your .physician .should .increase .your .pain .medication .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C
A .clinical .nurse .returns .to .the .desk .to .find .4 .phone .messages. .Which .of .the .following
.messages .should .the .nurse .respond .to .first?
A. .A .post .cervical .laminectomy .patient .complaining .of .sudden .difficulty .talking.
B. .A .patient .with .multiple .sclerosis .complaining .of .change .in .peripheral .vision.
C. .A .patient .with .a .herniated .disc .complaining .of .consistent .back .pain.
D. .A .patient .with .a .cast .due .to .a .fracture .of .the .right .tibial .bone .complaining .of .tingling
.toes. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A
B .and .C .are .expected .symptoms .of .the .patient's .condition. .A .and .D .are .unexpected. .D .is
.less .critical .than .A. .Best .answer .is .A.
A .75 .year .old .patient .complains .to .the .clinical .nurse .that .he .is .having .difficulty .sleeping.
.Which .of .the .following .actions .by .the .nurse .is .most .appropriate?
,A. .Determine .the .patient's .usual .sleeping .and .waking .patterns.
B. .Suggest .that .the .client .abstain .from .alcohol .and .caffeine .before .bed .time.
C. .Recommend .that .client .establish .a .bedtime .routine.
D. .Ask .how .much .sleep .the .client .required .before .retirement. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A
B .and .C .are .recommendations .that .the .RN .can .share .after .he/she .determines .the
.patient's .sleeping .and .waking .patterns. .So .remove .B .and .C. .D .is .an .inquiry, .but .is
.concerned .about .the .past .(when .the .person .retired). .Remove .D. .A .is .the .best .answer.
The .nurse .cares .for .a .patient .several .hours .after .a .thyroidectomy. .The .RN .observes .that
.the .patient .is .diaphoretic .and .confused. .The .vital .signs .are:
Temp .= .102° .(38.9 .° .C); .BP .is .160/90; .pulse .is .110, .respiration .is .22. .The .nurse .expects
.the .physician .to .order .which .of .the .following?
A. .NPO, .Dextran .10 .ml/kg. .IV, .02 .4 .L/min.
B. .Propranolol .(Inderal) .1 .mg. .IV, .D5W .125 .cc/hr .IV, .propylthiaouracil .(PTU) .200 .mg .po
.qld.
C. .Levothyroxine .Sodium .(Synthroid) .100 .mcg .IV, .Lactated .Ringer's .125 .cc/hr .IV, .and
.ciprofloxacin .(cipro) .500 .mg. .po .bid.
D. .Morphine .sulfate .2.5 .mg. .IV .q. .4 .hrs. .prn, .0.9% .NACl. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-B
A .63 .year .old .female .patient .contacts .the .clinic .to .report .that .she .is .has .been .extremely
.fatigued, .is .sleeping .12 .hours .a .night, .is .always .cold .and .her .hair .is .falling .out. .Which .of
.the .following .responses .by .the .nurse .is .most .appropriate?
A. .You .will .have .more .energy .if .you .walk .30 .min .every .day.
B. .You .don't .need .to .worry. .Sleeping .a .lot .is .good .for .you.
C. .Come .in .and .see .your .health .care .provider .today.
D. .You .should .eat .more .green .leafy .vegetables. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C
, Need .more .info
The .RN .performs .blood .pressure .screening .at .the .local .community .center. .Which .of .the
.following .individuals .is .most .likely .to .suffer .from .a .cerebrovascular .accident?
A. .A .30 .year .old .man .who .is .an .account .executive
B. .A .40 .year .old .man .who .jogs .four .times .a .week.
C. .A .60 .year .old .man .whose .father .had .a .stroke.
D. .A .75 .year .old .man .who .takes .multi-vitamins. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C
For .the .patient .with .a .new .tracheostomy, .the .nurse .must .be .alert .to .which .early
.complication?
a) .Decannulation
b) .Infection
c) .Bleeding
d) .Tracheomalacia .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C .
Common .acute .risks .of .tracheostomy .include .bleeding, .airway .loss, .damage .to .adjacent
.structures, .and .failure .of .the .chosen .technique .to .achieve .successful .airway
EVERYTHING .24 .HR .POST .SURGERY, .FIRST .COMPLICATION .IS .BLEEDING. .Infection .comes .2-
3 .days .later.
When .a .pulse .oximetry .monitor .indicates .that .a .patient .has .a .drop .in .SpO2 .from .96% .to
.85% .over .4 .hours, .the .nurse .will .first:
1. .Request .an .order .for .stat .ABGs
2. .Start .the .patient .on .oxygen .by .NC .at .2L/minute
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026
A .newly .diabetic .patient .will .receive .instructions .from .his .nurse. .Which .of .the .following
.actions .should .the .nurse .take .first?
A. .Provide .the .patient .with .brochures .for .making .smart .choices .for .cooking/baking.
B. .Ask .the .patient .what .they .know .about .diabetes.
C. .Instruct .the .patient .on .exercise .or .activities .that .will .increase .their .metabolism.
D. .Teach .them .how .to .use .the .glucometer. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-B. .
First .ask .the .patient .what .they .know .about .diabetes.
*ACTION .questions .ask .for .intervention, .NOT .assessment
The .post .hysterectomy .patient .with .calls .the .clinic .stating .that .she .has .been .having
.difficulty .with .incontinence. .Which .of .the .following .statements .if .made .by .the .patient,
.indicates .that .further .teaching .is .needed?
A. .I .drink .8 .oz. .of .fluid .on .the .even .hours .while .awake.
B. .I .will .attempt .to .void .30 .minutes .after .drinking .200 .cc. .of .fluid
C. .I .will .only .drink .fluid .when .I .eat .my .meals
D. .I .will .set .the .timer .to .remind .me .when .to .void .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C. .
,A .patient .saying .that .he .or .she .will .only .drink .fluids .when .eating .meals .indicates .that
.they .don't .know .what .to .do .in .case .of .incontinence.
FURTHER .TEACHING .indicates .that .the .patient .needs .more .information
An .RN .assesses .a .patient .in .the .Cancer .Center .with .a .diagnosis .of .terminal .cancer. .The
.patient .states .to .the .RN .that .he .is .short .of .breath, .has .no .appetite .and .hurts
.everywhere. .Which .of .the .following .statements .by .the .nurse .is .best?
A. .Tell .me .how .your .family .is .coping
B. .Show .me .where .it .does .not .hurt
C. .I'll .teach .you .relaxation .techniques
D. .Your .physician .should .increase .your .pain .medication .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C
A .clinical .nurse .returns .to .the .desk .to .find .4 .phone .messages. .Which .of .the .following
.messages .should .the .nurse .respond .to .first?
A. .A .post .cervical .laminectomy .patient .complaining .of .sudden .difficulty .talking.
B. .A .patient .with .multiple .sclerosis .complaining .of .change .in .peripheral .vision.
C. .A .patient .with .a .herniated .disc .complaining .of .consistent .back .pain.
D. .A .patient .with .a .cast .due .to .a .fracture .of .the .right .tibial .bone .complaining .of .tingling
.toes. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A
B .and .C .are .expected .symptoms .of .the .patient's .condition. .A .and .D .are .unexpected. .D .is
.less .critical .than .A. .Best .answer .is .A.
A .75 .year .old .patient .complains .to .the .clinical .nurse .that .he .is .having .difficulty .sleeping.
.Which .of .the .following .actions .by .the .nurse .is .most .appropriate?
,A. .Determine .the .patient's .usual .sleeping .and .waking .patterns.
B. .Suggest .that .the .client .abstain .from .alcohol .and .caffeine .before .bed .time.
C. .Recommend .that .client .establish .a .bedtime .routine.
D. .Ask .how .much .sleep .the .client .required .before .retirement. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A
B .and .C .are .recommendations .that .the .RN .can .share .after .he/she .determines .the
.patient's .sleeping .and .waking .patterns. .So .remove .B .and .C. .D .is .an .inquiry, .but .is
.concerned .about .the .past .(when .the .person .retired). .Remove .D. .A .is .the .best .answer.
The .nurse .cares .for .a .patient .several .hours .after .a .thyroidectomy. .The .RN .observes .that
.the .patient .is .diaphoretic .and .confused. .The .vital .signs .are:
Temp .= .102° .(38.9 .° .C); .BP .is .160/90; .pulse .is .110, .respiration .is .22. .The .nurse .expects
.the .physician .to .order .which .of .the .following?
A. .NPO, .Dextran .10 .ml/kg. .IV, .02 .4 .L/min.
B. .Propranolol .(Inderal) .1 .mg. .IV, .D5W .125 .cc/hr .IV, .propylthiaouracil .(PTU) .200 .mg .po
.qld.
C. .Levothyroxine .Sodium .(Synthroid) .100 .mcg .IV, .Lactated .Ringer's .125 .cc/hr .IV, .and
.ciprofloxacin .(cipro) .500 .mg. .po .bid.
D. .Morphine .sulfate .2.5 .mg. .IV .q. .4 .hrs. .prn, .0.9% .NACl. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-B
A .63 .year .old .female .patient .contacts .the .clinic .to .report .that .she .is .has .been .extremely
.fatigued, .is .sleeping .12 .hours .a .night, .is .always .cold .and .her .hair .is .falling .out. .Which .of
.the .following .responses .by .the .nurse .is .most .appropriate?
A. .You .will .have .more .energy .if .you .walk .30 .min .every .day.
B. .You .don't .need .to .worry. .Sleeping .a .lot .is .good .for .you.
C. .Come .in .and .see .your .health .care .provider .today.
D. .You .should .eat .more .green .leafy .vegetables. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C
, Need .more .info
The .RN .performs .blood .pressure .screening .at .the .local .community .center. .Which .of .the
.following .individuals .is .most .likely .to .suffer .from .a .cerebrovascular .accident?
A. .A .30 .year .old .man .who .is .an .account .executive
B. .A .40 .year .old .man .who .jogs .four .times .a .week.
C. .A .60 .year .old .man .whose .father .had .a .stroke.
D. .A .75 .year .old .man .who .takes .multi-vitamins. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C
For .the .patient .with .a .new .tracheostomy, .the .nurse .must .be .alert .to .which .early
.complication?
a) .Decannulation
b) .Infection
c) .Bleeding
d) .Tracheomalacia .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-C .
Common .acute .risks .of .tracheostomy .include .bleeding, .airway .loss, .damage .to .adjacent
.structures, .and .failure .of .the .chosen .technique .to .achieve .successful .airway
EVERYTHING .24 .HR .POST .SURGERY, .FIRST .COMPLICATION .IS .BLEEDING. .Infection .comes .2-
3 .days .later.
When .a .pulse .oximetry .monitor .indicates .that .a .patient .has .a .drop .in .SpO2 .from .96% .to
.85% .over .4 .hours, .the .nurse .will .first:
1. .Request .an .order .for .stat .ABGs
2. .Start .the .patient .on .oxygen .by .NC .at .2L/minute
