Med Surg Midterm Review questions and
100% verified answers 2025/2026 latest
update
Which clinical complication can a nurse expect to arise if a client in postsurgical care is given 0.9% saline
infusion? - -✔✔ answer It can result in hyperchloremic acidosis:
A client in acute-care settings who receives 0.9% saline infusion has a greater risk of developing
hyperchloremic acidosis. Fluid resuscitation with 0.9% saline dilutes serum bicarbonate through plasma
volume replacement with nonbicarbonate fluids.
A nurse checks the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult and finds that the client's pH is 7.34,
PaCO2 is 46 mm Hg and, if compensated, then the HCO3 is 27 mEq/L. What is the nurse's interpretation
of the client's condition by looking at these values? - -✔✔ answer Respiratory acidosis: The given
scenario confirms that the client has developed respiratory acidosis. ABG results for respiratory acidosis
are pH < 7.35 and PaCO2 > 45 mm Hg. If compensated, then the HCO3- > 26 mEq/L.
A nurse is checking the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult who has developed postsurgical
respiratory alkalosis. Which ABG result confirms that the client has developed respiratory alkalosis? - -
✔✔ answer pH > 7.45 and PaCO2 < 35 mm Hg; if compensated, then the HCO3- < 22 mEq/L.
A nurse is caring for a client who has developed postsurgical metabolic alkalosis. What should the nurse
expect the primary health-care provider to prescribe to increase renal excretion of bicarbonate? - -✔✔
answer The primary health-care provider should ideally prescribe acetazolamide to increase renal
excretion of bicarbonate for a client who has developed metabolic alkalosis.
Which medical intervention is most likely to lead to metabolic alkalosis in a client in after surgical care? -
-✔✔ answer Lactate administration in dialysis
,A nurse is providing a nonpulmonary treatment to a client who has developed respiratory acidosis
postsurgery. Which treatment is an example of nonpulmonary treatment? - -✔✔ answer Providing
heart failure treatment like diuretics for decreasing fluid in lungs
A nurse checks the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult and finds that the client's pH is 7.46,
PaCO2 is 34 mm Hg and, if compensated, then the HCO3 is 21 mEq/L. What should be the nurse's
interpretation of the client's condition by looking at these values? - -✔✔ answer Respiratory alkalosis
When checking the arterial blood gas (ABG) report of a client, the nurse finds that the serum
bicarbonate level has decreased. What is the most likely for the decrease in the serum bicarbonate
level? - -✔✔ answer A loss of alkali secondary to severe diarrhea or intestinal malabsorption
A nurse is taking care of a postsurgical client who is has salicylate intoxication. Which acid-base
imbalance can the nurse expect the client to suffer from as a result of overuse of salicylate? - -✔✔
answer Metabolic acidosis
A nurse is taking care of a perioperative client, who is experiencing Kussmaul respiration. Which acid-
base imbalance should the nurse expect to be the cause behind Kussmaul respiration? - -✔✔ answer
Metabolic acidosis
A nurse is checking the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult who has developed postsurgical
metabolic acidosis. Which ABG result confirms that the client has developed metabolic acidosis? - -✔✔
answer pH < 7.35 and HCO3- < 22 mEq/L; if compensated, then the PCO2 < 35 mm Hg
A nurse is taking care of a perioperative client who has experienced an aspirin overdose. Which acid-
base imbalance can the nurse expect the client to suffer from, as a result of aspirin overdose? - -✔✔
answer Respiratory alkalosis
What is the nurse most likely to ascertain is a client's laboratory reports show a pH is 7.32, HCO3- of 29
mEq/L, and if compensated, PCO2 is 53 mm Hg? - -✔✔ answer Partially compensated respiratory
acidosis
, Which arterial blood gas (ABG) report is indicative of uncompensated metabolic acidosis in a client? - -
✔✔ answer pH is 7.25 and HCO3- is 21 mEq/L; if compensated, then the PCO2 is 42 mm Hg
Which important step should a nurse expect the respiratory therapist to follow when obtaining an
arterial blood gas (ABG) sample in a critically ill client? - -✔✔ answer The respiratory therapist will
include six parameters in an ABG measurement.
Which is the best course of action of a nurse when caring for a client with chest pain caused by
respiratory alkalosis in the perioperative phase? - -✔✔ answer Encourage slow, deep breathing.
Which acid-base imbalance can a nurse expect a perioperative client with myasthenia gravis and
multiple sclerosis to suffer from? - -✔✔ answer Respiratory acidosis
In which order should a nurse expect the respiratory therapist to perform the task for interpreting
arterial blood gas (ABG)? - -✔✔ answer When interpreting ABG, the nurse should review the pH
results first. Then, the nurse should review the PaCO2 results. After this, the nurse should review the
HCO3- results. Then, the nurse should match either PaCO2 or HCO3- results with the pH results to
determine the cause of the acid-base imbalance. The nurse should check if PaCO2 or HCO3- goes in the
opposite direction of the pH. Finally, the nurse should review the PaO2 and SaO2 results.
A nurse is caring for a client who has been admitted in the intensive care unit due to excess use of
bicarbonate. Which type of acid-base imbalance is most likely to result from excess use of bicarbonate? -
-✔✔ answer Metabolic alkalosis
A nurse is caring for a client who has developed postsurgical respiratory alkalosis. What precautionary
measure should the nurse take to correct the underlying cause? Select all that apply. - -✔✔ answer
The nurse should administer oxygen therapy;
The nurse should administer a sedative or anxiolytic therapy to treat anxiety in a client who has
developed respiratory alkalosis; The nurse should assist the client to breathe into paper bag, which leads
to "rebreathing" of exhaled carbon dioxide when caring for a client with respiratory alkalosis.
100% verified answers 2025/2026 latest
update
Which clinical complication can a nurse expect to arise if a client in postsurgical care is given 0.9% saline
infusion? - -✔✔ answer It can result in hyperchloremic acidosis:
A client in acute-care settings who receives 0.9% saline infusion has a greater risk of developing
hyperchloremic acidosis. Fluid resuscitation with 0.9% saline dilutes serum bicarbonate through plasma
volume replacement with nonbicarbonate fluids.
A nurse checks the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult and finds that the client's pH is 7.34,
PaCO2 is 46 mm Hg and, if compensated, then the HCO3 is 27 mEq/L. What is the nurse's interpretation
of the client's condition by looking at these values? - -✔✔ answer Respiratory acidosis: The given
scenario confirms that the client has developed respiratory acidosis. ABG results for respiratory acidosis
are pH < 7.35 and PaCO2 > 45 mm Hg. If compensated, then the HCO3- > 26 mEq/L.
A nurse is checking the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult who has developed postsurgical
respiratory alkalosis. Which ABG result confirms that the client has developed respiratory alkalosis? - -
✔✔ answer pH > 7.45 and PaCO2 < 35 mm Hg; if compensated, then the HCO3- < 22 mEq/L.
A nurse is caring for a client who has developed postsurgical metabolic alkalosis. What should the nurse
expect the primary health-care provider to prescribe to increase renal excretion of bicarbonate? - -✔✔
answer The primary health-care provider should ideally prescribe acetazolamide to increase renal
excretion of bicarbonate for a client who has developed metabolic alkalosis.
Which medical intervention is most likely to lead to metabolic alkalosis in a client in after surgical care? -
-✔✔ answer Lactate administration in dialysis
,A nurse is providing a nonpulmonary treatment to a client who has developed respiratory acidosis
postsurgery. Which treatment is an example of nonpulmonary treatment? - -✔✔ answer Providing
heart failure treatment like diuretics for decreasing fluid in lungs
A nurse checks the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult and finds that the client's pH is 7.46,
PaCO2 is 34 mm Hg and, if compensated, then the HCO3 is 21 mEq/L. What should be the nurse's
interpretation of the client's condition by looking at these values? - -✔✔ answer Respiratory alkalosis
When checking the arterial blood gas (ABG) report of a client, the nurse finds that the serum
bicarbonate level has decreased. What is the most likely for the decrease in the serum bicarbonate
level? - -✔✔ answer A loss of alkali secondary to severe diarrhea or intestinal malabsorption
A nurse is taking care of a postsurgical client who is has salicylate intoxication. Which acid-base
imbalance can the nurse expect the client to suffer from as a result of overuse of salicylate? - -✔✔
answer Metabolic acidosis
A nurse is taking care of a perioperative client, who is experiencing Kussmaul respiration. Which acid-
base imbalance should the nurse expect to be the cause behind Kussmaul respiration? - -✔✔ answer
Metabolic acidosis
A nurse is checking the arterial blood gas (ABG) results of an older adult who has developed postsurgical
metabolic acidosis. Which ABG result confirms that the client has developed metabolic acidosis? - -✔✔
answer pH < 7.35 and HCO3- < 22 mEq/L; if compensated, then the PCO2 < 35 mm Hg
A nurse is taking care of a perioperative client who has experienced an aspirin overdose. Which acid-
base imbalance can the nurse expect the client to suffer from, as a result of aspirin overdose? - -✔✔
answer Respiratory alkalosis
What is the nurse most likely to ascertain is a client's laboratory reports show a pH is 7.32, HCO3- of 29
mEq/L, and if compensated, PCO2 is 53 mm Hg? - -✔✔ answer Partially compensated respiratory
acidosis
, Which arterial blood gas (ABG) report is indicative of uncompensated metabolic acidosis in a client? - -
✔✔ answer pH is 7.25 and HCO3- is 21 mEq/L; if compensated, then the PCO2 is 42 mm Hg
Which important step should a nurse expect the respiratory therapist to follow when obtaining an
arterial blood gas (ABG) sample in a critically ill client? - -✔✔ answer The respiratory therapist will
include six parameters in an ABG measurement.
Which is the best course of action of a nurse when caring for a client with chest pain caused by
respiratory alkalosis in the perioperative phase? - -✔✔ answer Encourage slow, deep breathing.
Which acid-base imbalance can a nurse expect a perioperative client with myasthenia gravis and
multiple sclerosis to suffer from? - -✔✔ answer Respiratory acidosis
In which order should a nurse expect the respiratory therapist to perform the task for interpreting
arterial blood gas (ABG)? - -✔✔ answer When interpreting ABG, the nurse should review the pH
results first. Then, the nurse should review the PaCO2 results. After this, the nurse should review the
HCO3- results. Then, the nurse should match either PaCO2 or HCO3- results with the pH results to
determine the cause of the acid-base imbalance. The nurse should check if PaCO2 or HCO3- goes in the
opposite direction of the pH. Finally, the nurse should review the PaO2 and SaO2 results.
A nurse is caring for a client who has been admitted in the intensive care unit due to excess use of
bicarbonate. Which type of acid-base imbalance is most likely to result from excess use of bicarbonate? -
-✔✔ answer Metabolic alkalosis
A nurse is caring for a client who has developed postsurgical respiratory alkalosis. What precautionary
measure should the nurse take to correct the underlying cause? Select all that apply. - -✔✔ answer
The nurse should administer oxygen therapy;
The nurse should administer a sedative or anxiolytic therapy to treat anxiety in a client who has
developed respiratory alkalosis; The nurse should assist the client to breathe into paper bag, which leads
to "rebreathing" of exhaled carbon dioxide when caring for a client with respiratory alkalosis.
