Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales
2025|2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf
1. What is the primary function of the kidneys?
Excretion of waste products and regulation of fluid and electrolyte
balance
The kidneys filter blood, remove waste products, and maintain
electrolyte and fluid homeostasis.
2. Which hormone produced by the kidneys stimulates red blood cell
production?
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin signals the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
3. What is the normal range for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in
healthy adults?
90-120 mL/min/1.73 m²
, GFR measures kidney function; normal values indicate effective
filtration.
4. The most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is:
Diabetes mellitus
Chronic hyperglycemia damages nephrons over time, leading to
ESRD.
5. Which electrolyte imbalance is most dangerous in dialysis patients?
Potassium (Hyperkalemia)
High potassium levels can cause life-threatening cardiac
arrhythmias.
6. Which type of dialysis uses the patient’s peritoneum as a filter?
Peritoneal dialysis
The peritoneal membrane acts as a semipermeable membrane for
waste removal.
7. In hemodialysis, the process of removing excess fluid from the blood is
called:
Ultrafiltration
Ultrafiltration removes water through a pressure gradient across the
dialysis membrane.
8. What is the primary purpose of a dialysis access?
To provide a site for repeated vascular access
Access allows safe, efficient blood flow for dialysis treatments.
,9. The preferred vascular access for long-term hemodialysis is:
Arteriovenous fistula (AVF)
AVFs have the lowest risk of infection and clotting compared to
grafts or catheters.
10. Which blood pressure change is most commonly associated with
dialysis?
Hypotension
Fluid removal during dialysis can lower blood pressure rapidly.
11. What type of infection control is essential in the dialysis unit?
Standard precautions
Standard precautions, including hand hygiene and gloves, prevent
transmission of infectious agents.
12. Which hepatitis virus is of greatest concern in dialysis units?
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is highly infectious and can spread through contaminated
blood and equipment.
13. What is the purpose of heparin during dialysis?
Prevent clotting in the extracorporeal circuit
Heparin is an anticoagulant that maintains blood flow during
treatment.
14. Which dialyzer membrane is considered biocompatible?
Synthetic high-flux membrane
, Biocompatible membranes reduce inflammatory reactions during
dialysis.
15. What is the main principle of diffusion in dialysis?
Movement of solutes from high to low concentration
Diffusion allows waste products like urea to move out of the blood
into dialysate.
16. What is the main principle of osmosis in dialysis?
Movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from low
solute to high solute concentration
Osmosis enables water removal during dialysis.
17. Which condition increases the risk of intradialytic hypotension?
Rapid ultrafiltration
Removing fluid too quickly can reduce circulating volume and cause
hypotension.
18. What is the purpose of dialysate?
To remove waste and correct electrolyte imbalances
Dialysate composition creates gradients for diffusion and osmosis.
19. Which electrolyte is primarily removed during dialysis?
Potassium
Dialysis corrects hyperkalemia by moving potassium from blood to
dialysate.