MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING FINAL
EXAMS
1. A patient is being admitted to the hospital on the day before a scheduled surgery.
What is the most appropriate initial question for the nurse to ask this preoperative
patient?
a) "What did your surgeon say to you about the type of surgery you are having?"
b) "What questions do you have about your surgery?"
c) "What type of surgery are you having and why are you having it done?"
d) "What do you know about what will be done to you?" - CORRECT ANSWER-c)
"What type of surgery are you having and why are you having it done?"
2. A benzodiazepine has been administered to a patient preoperatively. After the drug
has been administered, the nurse plans to monitor the patient for which side effects?
Select all that apply.
a) Anxiety
b) Hypotension
c) Hypocalcemia
d) Level of Consciousness
e) Sedation - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Anxiety
d) Level of Consciousness
e) Sedation
3. A preoperative patient has an elevated hemoglobin and hematocrit. What would the
nurse suspect aregarding athe asignificance aof athis aincreased avalue?
a) Immune adeficiency
b) Kidney adysfunction
c) Malignancy
d) Dehydration a- aCORRECT aANSWER-d) aDehydration
4. Which aactivities ashould athe anurse acarry aout ain athe apreoperative aperiod afor
aa aclient ascheduled afor asurgery? aSelect aall athat aapply.
a) Identify apotential aor aactual ahealth aproblems.
b) Verify athe apresence aof aa asigned aconsent aform.
c) Assess apatient's aresponse ato ainterventions.
d) Intervene ato aprevent acomplications.
,e) Assess aeffectiveness aof ateaching arelated ato apostoperative arecovery. a-
aCORRECT aANSWER-a) aIdentify apotential aor aactual ahealth aproblems.
b) Verify athe apresence aof aa asigned aconsent aform.
e) aAssess aeffectiveness aof ateaching arelated ato apostoperative arecovery.
5. A apatient ahaving asurgery ahas aa adegree aof arisk aassociated awith athe asurgery.
aThe anurse awould aevaluate awhich apatient-related afactors aas acontributing ato aa
ahigh adegree aof arisk aassociated awith asurgery? aSelect aall athat aapply.
a) Type aof ainstitution awhere asurgery ais aperformed
b) Involvement aof avital aorgans
c) Average anutritional astatus
d) Low alikelihood aof aprocedure acomplications
e) A ahistory aof arespiratory adisease aand adiabetes a- aCORRECT aANSWER-b)
aInvolvement aof avital aorgans
e) aA ahistory aof arespiratory adisease aand adiabetes
6. A apatient ahas ajust aentered athe apostanesthesia acare aunit a(PACU) afrom
asurgery. aFor awhich apriority aneeds ashould athe anurse aimmediately aassess athe
apostoperative apatient?
a) Vital asigns, alevel aof aconsciousness, apresence aof apain
b) Skin acoloring, asurgical aincision, alimb amovements
c) Skin atemperature, ablood apressure, amental astatus
d) Temperature, aemotional astatus, awound adrainage a- aCORRECT aANSWER-a)
aVital asigns, alevel aof aconsciousness, apresence aof apain
7. The anurse ain athe apostanesthesia acare aunit a(PACU) ais aassessing aa
apostoperative apatient. aWhich aindicators asuggest ato athe anurse aan aalteration ain
atissue aperfusion? aSelect aall athat aapply.
a) Pallor aor acyanosis
b) Difficulty awith amobility
c) Pain ain athe aincision aarea
d) Fluid aloss
e) Decreased aurinary aoutput a- aCORRECT aANSWER-a) aPallor aor acyanosis
d) Fluid aloss
e) Decreased aurinary aoutput
8. After asurgery, athe anurse aencourages athe apatient ato amove afrom aside ato aside
aat aleast aevery a2 ahours. aThe apatient aquestions athis aactivity. aHow adoes athe
anurse aexplain athe apurpose aof athis aintervention?
a) Assist aperistalsis ato areturn amore aquickly
b) Lessen amuscle aweakness
c) Increase apatient's aability ato asleep
d) Let athe alungs aalternatively aachieve amaximum aexpansion a- aCORRECT
aANSWER-d) aLet athe alungs aalternatively aachieve amaximum aexpansion
,9. The anurse ais acreating aa aplan aof acare afor aa apostoperative apatient. aThe anursing
adiagnosis ain aacute apain. aWhat awould abe aappropriate aoutcomes afor athis apatient?
aSelect aall athat a apply.
a) Balanced afluid aintake aand aoutput
b) Seeks ahelp aas aneeded
c) Absence aof anonverbal asigns aof apain
d) Performs aleg aexercises aas ainstructed
e) Verbally arates apain aas a3 aon aa a1 ato a10 ascale a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c)
aAbsence aof anonverbal asigns aof apain
e) aVerbally arates apain aas a3 aon aa a1 ato a10 ascale
10. The apatient ahas abeen ain athe apostanesthesia acare aunit a(PACU) afor aone ahour.
aThe apatient ais anow agroggy abut aable ato arespond ato avoice acommands. aWhile
aassessing athe apatient, afor awhat areason awould athe anurse acheck athe abedclothes
aunderneath athe apatient?
a) Determine adrainage afrom atubes aor adrains
b) Assess afor afluid abalance
c) Detect afor apossible ahemorrhage
d) Monitor aperspiration a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aDetect afor apossible ahemorrhage
11. A a65-year-old awas adiagnosed aand atreated afor aright alower alobe apneumonia
a4 adays aago. aToday, athe apatient acame ato athe aED areporting aabrupt aonset aof
achest apain athat ais aworse awith ainspiration. aThe anurse aknows athat athe
asymptoms aare aconsistent awith:
a) Pleurisy
b) Stable aangina
c) Bacteremia
d) Meningitis a- aCORRECT aANSWER-a) aPleurisy
12. The aED anurse ais acaring afor aGinny, aa a45-year-old afemale awith aa arecent
ahistory aof asexual aassault. aGinny acame ato athe aED acrying aand ashaking aand
astated athat ashe ahad adyspnea, afeeling alike ashe awas achoking aand acouldn't
abreathe, achest apain, aand asweating. aGinny areports athat athe asymptoms astarted
aabout a15 aminutes abefore ashe acame ato athe aED. aGinny's asymptoms aare
aconsistent awith:
a) Myocardial aInfarction
b) Pneumonia
c) Panic aAttack
d) Influenza a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aPanic aAttack
13. A a86-year-old afemale ahas arecent achanges ain aher amental astatus, areports
ahaving ano aappetite, aand ais arunning aa alow agrade afever. aThe anurse asuspects:
a) Delirium
b) Dementia
c) Urinary atract ainfection
d) Hypokalemia a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aUrinary atract ainfection
14. Ted ais aa a76-year-old amale awho afell aat ahome aand asustained aa afracture aof ahis
aright ahip. aHe ais abeing aadmitted ato ayour aunit aand awill ahave asurgery ain athe
amorning. aTed ahas aa apast
, medical ahistory aof aurinary acalculi, abenign aprostatic ahypertrophy, aand ahypertension.
aWhen ahe aarrived ato athe amedical-surgical aunit, ahe ahas aa astrong abody aodor aand
avisible adirt aon ahis abody. aAn aindwelling aurinary acatheter awas aplaced ain athe aED.
aTed ais aat agreatest arisk afor aa aUTI ais arelated ato:
a) History aof abenign aprostatic ahypertrophy a(BPH)
b) Poor ahygiene
c) Indwelling aurinary acatheter
d) History aof aurinary acalculi
e) His aage a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aIndwelling aurinary acatheter
15. A anurse aknows athat athe apatient ateaching aon athe apneumococcal avaccine ato aa
a65-year- aold apatient ahas abeen aeffective awhen athe apatient astates:
a) "The ainjection awill aprotect ame afrom athe aflu athis ayear"
b) "I aam anow aprotected afrom agetting apneumonia aduring amy alifetime"
c) "I awill aneed are-vaccination ain afive ayears"
d) "Now aI awon't aneed aantibiotics awhen aI aget apneumonia" a- aCORRECT aANSWER-
c) a"I awill aneed are-vaccination ain afive ayears"
16. A apatient ais a14 ahours apostop afrom aa asurgical adecompression afor
acompartment asyndrome aat athe asite aof aan aORIF aon athe aleft afemur. aOn
aassessment, athe aurine aoutput ais a100mL ain a8 ahours, aand ahas aa adark, areddish
abrown acolor. aBased aon athis aassessment afinding, athe anurse awill:
a) Check ato asee aif athe amyoglobin alevels adecreased
b) Administer aan aordered aprn afluid abolus ato areverse afluid avolume adeficit
c) Nothing; athis ais aan aexpected afinding afollowing asurgery
d) Assess athe apatient afor asigns aof aacute akidney ainjury a- aCORRECT aANSWER-d)
aAssess athe apatient afor asigns aof aacute akidney ainjury
17. A anurse ahas acompleted acast acare ateaching afollowing athe aapplication aof aa
aplaster acast. aThe anurse aknows athat apatient ateaching ahas abeen aeffective awhen
athe apatient astates:
a) "I acan ashower aand athen apat athe acast adry."
b) "If aI awrap amy acast ain aplastic, ait awill alast alonger."
c) "I awill acall amy aphysician aif aI ahave aan aincrease ain apain aor aswelling."
d) "I awill aapply aice aon athe acast aover athe afracture asite afor athe anext a48 ahours." a-
aCORRECT aANSWER-c) a"I awill acall amy aphysician aif aI ahave aan aincrease ain apain
aor aswelling."
18. A a75-year-old amale awith aa ahistory aof aheart afailure a(HF) aand adiabetes amellitus
atype a2 apresents ato athe aED awith aabdominal apain. aA aCT ascan awith acontrast
areveals aa abowel aobstruction athat arequires asurgical aresection. aOn apost-operative
aday a1, athe apatient adevelops aa asevere aheadache aand amental astatus achanges.
aThe aresident aorders aa aCT a scan awith acontrast aof athe ahead. aBefore asending athe
apatient ato athe aCT ascan, awhat aaction ais aa apriority afor athe anurse?
a) Perform aa acomplete aneurological aassessment abefore asending athe apatient ato
athe aCT ascan
b) Evaluate athe amorning acreatinine aand aBUN alab aresults
EXAMS
1. A patient is being admitted to the hospital on the day before a scheduled surgery.
What is the most appropriate initial question for the nurse to ask this preoperative
patient?
a) "What did your surgeon say to you about the type of surgery you are having?"
b) "What questions do you have about your surgery?"
c) "What type of surgery are you having and why are you having it done?"
d) "What do you know about what will be done to you?" - CORRECT ANSWER-c)
"What type of surgery are you having and why are you having it done?"
2. A benzodiazepine has been administered to a patient preoperatively. After the drug
has been administered, the nurse plans to monitor the patient for which side effects?
Select all that apply.
a) Anxiety
b) Hypotension
c) Hypocalcemia
d) Level of Consciousness
e) Sedation - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Anxiety
d) Level of Consciousness
e) Sedation
3. A preoperative patient has an elevated hemoglobin and hematocrit. What would the
nurse suspect aregarding athe asignificance aof athis aincreased avalue?
a) Immune adeficiency
b) Kidney adysfunction
c) Malignancy
d) Dehydration a- aCORRECT aANSWER-d) aDehydration
4. Which aactivities ashould athe anurse acarry aout ain athe apreoperative aperiod afor
aa aclient ascheduled afor asurgery? aSelect aall athat aapply.
a) Identify apotential aor aactual ahealth aproblems.
b) Verify athe apresence aof aa asigned aconsent aform.
c) Assess apatient's aresponse ato ainterventions.
d) Intervene ato aprevent acomplications.
,e) Assess aeffectiveness aof ateaching arelated ato apostoperative arecovery. a-
aCORRECT aANSWER-a) aIdentify apotential aor aactual ahealth aproblems.
b) Verify athe apresence aof aa asigned aconsent aform.
e) aAssess aeffectiveness aof ateaching arelated ato apostoperative arecovery.
5. A apatient ahaving asurgery ahas aa adegree aof arisk aassociated awith athe asurgery.
aThe anurse awould aevaluate awhich apatient-related afactors aas acontributing ato aa
ahigh adegree aof arisk aassociated awith asurgery? aSelect aall athat aapply.
a) Type aof ainstitution awhere asurgery ais aperformed
b) Involvement aof avital aorgans
c) Average anutritional astatus
d) Low alikelihood aof aprocedure acomplications
e) A ahistory aof arespiratory adisease aand adiabetes a- aCORRECT aANSWER-b)
aInvolvement aof avital aorgans
e) aA ahistory aof arespiratory adisease aand adiabetes
6. A apatient ahas ajust aentered athe apostanesthesia acare aunit a(PACU) afrom
asurgery. aFor awhich apriority aneeds ashould athe anurse aimmediately aassess athe
apostoperative apatient?
a) Vital asigns, alevel aof aconsciousness, apresence aof apain
b) Skin acoloring, asurgical aincision, alimb amovements
c) Skin atemperature, ablood apressure, amental astatus
d) Temperature, aemotional astatus, awound adrainage a- aCORRECT aANSWER-a)
aVital asigns, alevel aof aconsciousness, apresence aof apain
7. The anurse ain athe apostanesthesia acare aunit a(PACU) ais aassessing aa
apostoperative apatient. aWhich aindicators asuggest ato athe anurse aan aalteration ain
atissue aperfusion? aSelect aall athat aapply.
a) Pallor aor acyanosis
b) Difficulty awith amobility
c) Pain ain athe aincision aarea
d) Fluid aloss
e) Decreased aurinary aoutput a- aCORRECT aANSWER-a) aPallor aor acyanosis
d) Fluid aloss
e) Decreased aurinary aoutput
8. After asurgery, athe anurse aencourages athe apatient ato amove afrom aside ato aside
aat aleast aevery a2 ahours. aThe apatient aquestions athis aactivity. aHow adoes athe
anurse aexplain athe apurpose aof athis aintervention?
a) Assist aperistalsis ato areturn amore aquickly
b) Lessen amuscle aweakness
c) Increase apatient's aability ato asleep
d) Let athe alungs aalternatively aachieve amaximum aexpansion a- aCORRECT
aANSWER-d) aLet athe alungs aalternatively aachieve amaximum aexpansion
,9. The anurse ais acreating aa aplan aof acare afor aa apostoperative apatient. aThe anursing
adiagnosis ain aacute apain. aWhat awould abe aappropriate aoutcomes afor athis apatient?
aSelect aall athat a apply.
a) Balanced afluid aintake aand aoutput
b) Seeks ahelp aas aneeded
c) Absence aof anonverbal asigns aof apain
d) Performs aleg aexercises aas ainstructed
e) Verbally arates apain aas a3 aon aa a1 ato a10 ascale a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c)
aAbsence aof anonverbal asigns aof apain
e) aVerbally arates apain aas a3 aon aa a1 ato a10 ascale
10. The apatient ahas abeen ain athe apostanesthesia acare aunit a(PACU) afor aone ahour.
aThe apatient ais anow agroggy abut aable ato arespond ato avoice acommands. aWhile
aassessing athe apatient, afor awhat areason awould athe anurse acheck athe abedclothes
aunderneath athe apatient?
a) Determine adrainage afrom atubes aor adrains
b) Assess afor afluid abalance
c) Detect afor apossible ahemorrhage
d) Monitor aperspiration a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aDetect afor apossible ahemorrhage
11. A a65-year-old awas adiagnosed aand atreated afor aright alower alobe apneumonia
a4 adays aago. aToday, athe apatient acame ato athe aED areporting aabrupt aonset aof
achest apain athat ais aworse awith ainspiration. aThe anurse aknows athat athe
asymptoms aare aconsistent awith:
a) Pleurisy
b) Stable aangina
c) Bacteremia
d) Meningitis a- aCORRECT aANSWER-a) aPleurisy
12. The aED anurse ais acaring afor aGinny, aa a45-year-old afemale awith aa arecent
ahistory aof asexual aassault. aGinny acame ato athe aED acrying aand ashaking aand
astated athat ashe ahad adyspnea, afeeling alike ashe awas achoking aand acouldn't
abreathe, achest apain, aand asweating. aGinny areports athat athe asymptoms astarted
aabout a15 aminutes abefore ashe acame ato athe aED. aGinny's asymptoms aare
aconsistent awith:
a) Myocardial aInfarction
b) Pneumonia
c) Panic aAttack
d) Influenza a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aPanic aAttack
13. A a86-year-old afemale ahas arecent achanges ain aher amental astatus, areports
ahaving ano aappetite, aand ais arunning aa alow agrade afever. aThe anurse asuspects:
a) Delirium
b) Dementia
c) Urinary atract ainfection
d) Hypokalemia a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aUrinary atract ainfection
14. Ted ais aa a76-year-old amale awho afell aat ahome aand asustained aa afracture aof ahis
aright ahip. aHe ais abeing aadmitted ato ayour aunit aand awill ahave asurgery ain athe
amorning. aTed ahas aa apast
, medical ahistory aof aurinary acalculi, abenign aprostatic ahypertrophy, aand ahypertension.
aWhen ahe aarrived ato athe amedical-surgical aunit, ahe ahas aa astrong abody aodor aand
avisible adirt aon ahis abody. aAn aindwelling aurinary acatheter awas aplaced ain athe aED.
aTed ais aat agreatest arisk afor aa aUTI ais arelated ato:
a) History aof abenign aprostatic ahypertrophy a(BPH)
b) Poor ahygiene
c) Indwelling aurinary acatheter
d) History aof aurinary acalculi
e) His aage a- aCORRECT aANSWER-c) aIndwelling aurinary acatheter
15. A anurse aknows athat athe apatient ateaching aon athe apneumococcal avaccine ato aa
a65-year- aold apatient ahas abeen aeffective awhen athe apatient astates:
a) "The ainjection awill aprotect ame afrom athe aflu athis ayear"
b) "I aam anow aprotected afrom agetting apneumonia aduring amy alifetime"
c) "I awill aneed are-vaccination ain afive ayears"
d) "Now aI awon't aneed aantibiotics awhen aI aget apneumonia" a- aCORRECT aANSWER-
c) a"I awill aneed are-vaccination ain afive ayears"
16. A apatient ais a14 ahours apostop afrom aa asurgical adecompression afor
acompartment asyndrome aat athe asite aof aan aORIF aon athe aleft afemur. aOn
aassessment, athe aurine aoutput ais a100mL ain a8 ahours, aand ahas aa adark, areddish
abrown acolor. aBased aon athis aassessment afinding, athe anurse awill:
a) Check ato asee aif athe amyoglobin alevels adecreased
b) Administer aan aordered aprn afluid abolus ato areverse afluid avolume adeficit
c) Nothing; athis ais aan aexpected afinding afollowing asurgery
d) Assess athe apatient afor asigns aof aacute akidney ainjury a- aCORRECT aANSWER-d)
aAssess athe apatient afor asigns aof aacute akidney ainjury
17. A anurse ahas acompleted acast acare ateaching afollowing athe aapplication aof aa
aplaster acast. aThe anurse aknows athat apatient ateaching ahas abeen aeffective awhen
athe apatient astates:
a) "I acan ashower aand athen apat athe acast adry."
b) "If aI awrap amy acast ain aplastic, ait awill alast alonger."
c) "I awill acall amy aphysician aif aI ahave aan aincrease ain apain aor aswelling."
d) "I awill aapply aice aon athe acast aover athe afracture asite afor athe anext a48 ahours." a-
aCORRECT aANSWER-c) a"I awill acall amy aphysician aif aI ahave aan aincrease ain apain
aor aswelling."
18. A a75-year-old amale awith aa ahistory aof aheart afailure a(HF) aand adiabetes amellitus
atype a2 apresents ato athe aED awith aabdominal apain. aA aCT ascan awith acontrast
areveals aa abowel aobstruction athat arequires asurgical aresection. aOn apost-operative
aday a1, athe apatient adevelops aa asevere aheadache aand amental astatus achanges.
aThe aresident aorders aa aCT a scan awith acontrast aof athe ahead. aBefore asending athe
apatient ato athe aCT ascan, awhat aaction ais aa apriority afor athe anurse?
a) Perform aa acomplete aneurological aassessment abefore asending athe apatient ato
athe aCT ascan
b) Evaluate athe amorning acreatinine aand aBUN alab aresults
