ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Questions and Answers
Question 1
A nurse in an emergency department is preparing to perform ocular irrigation for a
client. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?
a. Assess the client's visual acuity prior to irrigation
b. Have the client turn their head toward the unaffected eye
c. Hold the irrigator syringe 3.81 cm (1.5in) above the eye
d. Perform the irrigation with sterile water for irrigation
Correct Answer
d. perform the irrigation with sterile water for irrigation
Question 2
A nurse is preparing to administer lactated ringer's via continuous IV infusion at 200
ml/hr. The IV tubing has a drop factor of 10 drops / mL. How many gtt/min should
the nurse set the IV pump to administer? Round to the nearest whole number
Correct Answer
33 gtt/min
Question 3
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has a new prescription for
sublingual nitroglycerin. Which of the following client statements indicates an
understanding of the teaching?
a. I can keep my medications for 1 year before replacing it.
b. I should lie down when I take this medication
c. I should discontinue this medication if I develop a headache.
d. I can take up to 5 tablets in 15 minutes before seeking medical attention
Correct Answer
b. I should lie down when I take this medication
M/S c. 31/p. 201 "Stop activity and rest. Heachace is a common AE of this
medication, change positions slowly"
Page 1 of 33
, ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Question 4
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to an older adult following a left total hip
arthroplasty. Which of the follwoing instructions should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. clean the incision daily with hydrogen peroxid
b. you can cross your legs and the ankles when sitting down
c. you should use an incentive spirometer every 8 hours
d. install a raised toilet in your bathroom
Correct Answer
d. install a raised toilet in your bathroom
M/S c. 68/ p. 455 "Follow position restrictions to avoid dislocation, use elevated
seating and a raised toilet seat"
Question 5
A nurse is planning care for a client following a cardiac catheterization. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
a. keep the client on bed rest for 24 hours
b. limit the client's fluid intake to 1L per day.
c. maintain the client's affected extremity in extension
d. change the client's dressing every 8 hours.
Correct Answer
c. maintain the client's affected extremity in extension
M/S c. 27/p. 173 "Maintain bed rest in supine position with extremity straight for
prescribed time"
Question 6
A nurse is caring for a client who has a lower extremity fracture and a prescription for
crutches. Which of the following client statements indicates the client is adapting to
their role change?
a. I will need to have my partner take over shopping for groceries and cooking the
meal for us
b. These crutches make it impossible to care for my child
c. I feel bad that I have to ask my partner to keep the house clean
d. it's going to be difficult to tell my parents I can't take them to their appointment.
Correct Answer
a. I will need to have my partner take over shopping for groceries and cooking the
meal for us
Page 2 of 33
, ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a client who has gastroenteritis. Which of the following
assessment findings should the nurse recognize as an indication that the client is
experiencing dehydration?
a. pitting, dependent edema
b. distended jugular veins
c. increased BP
d. decreased BP
Correct Answer
d. decreased BP
M/S C. 43/ p. 277 "signs of dehydration or hypovolemia include, hypothermia,
tachycardia, thready pulse, HYPOTENSION, orthostatic hypotension, decreased
central venous pressure, tachypnea, hypoxia
Question 8
A nurse is caring for a client who has a contusion of the brainstem and reports thirst.
The client's urinary output was 4,000 ml over the past 24 hours. The nurse should
anticipate a prescription for which of the following IV medications?
a. Desmopressin
b. Epinephrine
c. Furosemide
d. Nitroprusside
Correct Answer
a. Desmopressin
M/S c. 14/p. 85 "Diabetes insipidous is a possible complication"
Pharm c. 40/ p.323 "desmopressin is an agent of choice for DI"
Page 3 of 33
, ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Question 9
A nurse in a clinic receives a phone call from a client who recently started therapy
with an ACE inhibitor and reports a nagging dry coug. Which of the following
response by the nurse is appropriate?
a. "your cough may require that you stop or change your medicaiton"
b. "increasing your daily fluid intake may eliminate your cough
c. "sucking on a lozenge may reduce the frequency of your cough"
d. "your cough should go away in time"
Correct Answer
a. "your cough may require that you stop or change your medicaiton"
Pharm c. 20/ p. 155 "Cough is a complication. Inform clients of the possibility of
experiencing a dry cough and to notify the provider. Discontinue the medication"
Question 10
A nurse is taking an admission history from a client who reports Raynaud's disease.
Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse identify as a potentional
trigger for exacerbations?
a. eating a strict vegetarian diet
b. a history of herpes zoster
c. taking amiodipine for hypertension
d. using a nicotine transdermal patch
Correct Answer
d. using a nicotine transdermal patch
M/S C. 35/ p. 223 "Risk factors for peripheral artery disease like Raynaud's disease
include cigarette smoking"
Question 11
A nurse is caring for a client who has a central venous access devise and notes the
tubing has become disconnected. The client develops dyspnea and tachycardia.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
a. Perform an ECG
b. Obtain ABG values
c. Turn the client to his left side
d. Clamp the catheter
Correct Answer
d. clamp the catheter
Page 4 of 33
ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Questions and Answers
Question 1
A nurse in an emergency department is preparing to perform ocular irrigation for a
client. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?
a. Assess the client's visual acuity prior to irrigation
b. Have the client turn their head toward the unaffected eye
c. Hold the irrigator syringe 3.81 cm (1.5in) above the eye
d. Perform the irrigation with sterile water for irrigation
Correct Answer
d. perform the irrigation with sterile water for irrigation
Question 2
A nurse is preparing to administer lactated ringer's via continuous IV infusion at 200
ml/hr. The IV tubing has a drop factor of 10 drops / mL. How many gtt/min should
the nurse set the IV pump to administer? Round to the nearest whole number
Correct Answer
33 gtt/min
Question 3
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has a new prescription for
sublingual nitroglycerin. Which of the following client statements indicates an
understanding of the teaching?
a. I can keep my medications for 1 year before replacing it.
b. I should lie down when I take this medication
c. I should discontinue this medication if I develop a headache.
d. I can take up to 5 tablets in 15 minutes before seeking medical attention
Correct Answer
b. I should lie down when I take this medication
M/S c. 31/p. 201 "Stop activity and rest. Heachace is a common AE of this
medication, change positions slowly"
Page 1 of 33
, ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Question 4
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to an older adult following a left total hip
arthroplasty. Which of the follwoing instructions should the nurse include in the
teaching?
a. clean the incision daily with hydrogen peroxid
b. you can cross your legs and the ankles when sitting down
c. you should use an incentive spirometer every 8 hours
d. install a raised toilet in your bathroom
Correct Answer
d. install a raised toilet in your bathroom
M/S c. 68/ p. 455 "Follow position restrictions to avoid dislocation, use elevated
seating and a raised toilet seat"
Question 5
A nurse is planning care for a client following a cardiac catheterization. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
a. keep the client on bed rest for 24 hours
b. limit the client's fluid intake to 1L per day.
c. maintain the client's affected extremity in extension
d. change the client's dressing every 8 hours.
Correct Answer
c. maintain the client's affected extremity in extension
M/S c. 27/p. 173 "Maintain bed rest in supine position with extremity straight for
prescribed time"
Question 6
A nurse is caring for a client who has a lower extremity fracture and a prescription for
crutches. Which of the following client statements indicates the client is adapting to
their role change?
a. I will need to have my partner take over shopping for groceries and cooking the
meal for us
b. These crutches make it impossible to care for my child
c. I feel bad that I have to ask my partner to keep the house clean
d. it's going to be difficult to tell my parents I can't take them to their appointment.
Correct Answer
a. I will need to have my partner take over shopping for groceries and cooking the
meal for us
Page 2 of 33
, ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a client who has gastroenteritis. Which of the following
assessment findings should the nurse recognize as an indication that the client is
experiencing dehydration?
a. pitting, dependent edema
b. distended jugular veins
c. increased BP
d. decreased BP
Correct Answer
d. decreased BP
M/S C. 43/ p. 277 "signs of dehydration or hypovolemia include, hypothermia,
tachycardia, thready pulse, HYPOTENSION, orthostatic hypotension, decreased
central venous pressure, tachypnea, hypoxia
Question 8
A nurse is caring for a client who has a contusion of the brainstem and reports thirst.
The client's urinary output was 4,000 ml over the past 24 hours. The nurse should
anticipate a prescription for which of the following IV medications?
a. Desmopressin
b. Epinephrine
c. Furosemide
d. Nitroprusside
Correct Answer
a. Desmopressin
M/S c. 14/p. 85 "Diabetes insipidous is a possible complication"
Pharm c. 40/ p.323 "desmopressin is an agent of choice for DI"
Page 3 of 33
, ATI Medical Surgical CMS Proctored Exam
Question 9
A nurse in a clinic receives a phone call from a client who recently started therapy
with an ACE inhibitor and reports a nagging dry coug. Which of the following
response by the nurse is appropriate?
a. "your cough may require that you stop or change your medicaiton"
b. "increasing your daily fluid intake may eliminate your cough
c. "sucking on a lozenge may reduce the frequency of your cough"
d. "your cough should go away in time"
Correct Answer
a. "your cough may require that you stop or change your medicaiton"
Pharm c. 20/ p. 155 "Cough is a complication. Inform clients of the possibility of
experiencing a dry cough and to notify the provider. Discontinue the medication"
Question 10
A nurse is taking an admission history from a client who reports Raynaud's disease.
Which of the following assessment findings should the nurse identify as a potentional
trigger for exacerbations?
a. eating a strict vegetarian diet
b. a history of herpes zoster
c. taking amiodipine for hypertension
d. using a nicotine transdermal patch
Correct Answer
d. using a nicotine transdermal patch
M/S C. 35/ p. 223 "Risk factors for peripheral artery disease like Raynaud's disease
include cigarette smoking"
Question 11
A nurse is caring for a client who has a central venous access devise and notes the
tubing has become disconnected. The client develops dyspnea and tachycardia.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
a. Perform an ECG
b. Obtain ABG values
c. Turn the client to his left side
d. Clamp the catheter
Correct Answer
d. clamp the catheter
Page 4 of 33
