NUR 1211 Final Cumulative Exam
Questions 2025-2026 Updated with
Guaranteed Correct Solved Solutions.
You are caring for a patient who has a diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic
hormone secretion (SIADH). Your patient's plan of care includes assessment of specific gravity
every 4 hours. The results of this test will allow the nurse to assess what aspect of the patient's
health?
A). Nutritional status
B). Potassium balance
C). Calcium balance
D). Fluid volume status - Answer D). Fluid volume status
Rationale:
A specific gravity will detect if the patient has a fluid volume deficit or fluid volume excess.
Nutrition, potassium, and calcium levels are not directly indicated.
You are caring for a patient admitted with a diagnosis of acute kidney injury. When you review
your patient's most recent laboratory reports, you note that the patient's magnesium levels are
high. You should prioritize assessment for which of the following health problems?
A). Diminished deep tendon reflexes
B). Tachycardia
C). Cool, clammy skin
D). Acute flank pain - Answer A). Diminished deep tendon reflexes
Rationale:
To gauge a patient's magnesium status, the nurse should check deep tendon reflexes. If the
reflex is absent, this may indicate high serum magnesium. Tachycardia, flank pain, and cool,
clammy skin are not typically associated with hypermagnesemia.
You are working on a burns unit and one of your acutely ill patients is exhibiting signs and
symptoms of third spacing. Based on this change in status, you should expect the patient to
,C). Hypercalcemia
D). Hypovolemia - Answer D). Hypovolemia
Rationale:
Third-spacing fluid shift, which occurs when fluid moves out of the intravascular space but not
into the intracellular space, can cause hypovolemia. Increased calcium and magnesium levels
are not indicators of third-spacing fluid shift. Burns typically cause acidosis, not alkalosis.
A patient with a longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder presents to the
emergency room. The triage nurse notes upon assessment that the patient is hyperventilating.
The triage nurse is aware that hyperventilation is the most common cause of which acid-base
imbalance?
A). Respiratory acidosis
B). Respiratory alkalosis
C). Increased PaCO2
D). CNS disturbances - Answer B). Respiratory alkalosis
Rationale:
The most common cause of acute respiratory alkalosis is hyperventilation. Extreme anxiety can
lead to hyperventilation. Acute respiratory acidosis occurs in emergencies, such as pulmonary
edema, and is exhibited by hypoventilation and decreased PaCO2. CNS disturbances are found
in extreme hyponatremia and fluid overload.
You are an emergency-room nurse caring for a trauma patient. Your patient has the following
arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO2 28, HCO3 11 mEq/L. How would you interpret these
results?
A). Respiratory acidosis with no compensation
B). Metabolic alkalosis with a compensatory alkalosis
C). Metabolic acidosis with no compensation
D). Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis - Answer D). Metabolic
acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
Rationale:
,You are making initial shift assessments on your patients. While assessing one patient's
peripheral IV site, you note edema around the insertion site. How should you document this
complication related to IV therapy?
A). Air emboli
B). Phlebitis
C). Infiltration
D). Fluid overload - Answer C). Infiltration
Rationale:
Infiltration is the administration of non-vesicant solution or medication into the surrounding
tissue. This can occur when the IV cannula dislodges or perforates the wall of the vein.
Infiltration is characterized by edema around the insertion site, leakage of IV fluid from the
insertion site, discomfort and coolness in the area of infiltration, and a significant decrease in
the flow rate. Air emboli, phlebitis, and fluid overload are not indications of infiltration.
You are performing an admission assessment on an older adult patient newly admitted for end-
stage liver disease. What principle should guide your assessment of the patient's skin turgor?
A). Overhydration is common among healthy older adults.
B). Dehydration causes the skin to appear spongy.
C). Inelastic skin turgor is a normal part of aging.
D). Skin turgor cannot be assessed in patients over 70. - Answer C). Inelastic skin turgor is a
normal part of aging.
Rationale:
Inelastic skin is a normal change of aging. However, this does not mean that skin turgor cannot
be assessed in older patients. Dehydration, not overhydration, causes inelastic skin with tenting.
Overhydration, not dehydration, causes the skin to appear edematous and spongy.
The physician has ordered a peripheral IV to be inserted before the patient goes for computed
tomography. What should the nurse do when selecting a site on the hand or arm for insertion of
an IV catheter?
A). Choose a hairless site if available.
, Rationale:
Ideally, both arms and hands are carefully inspected before choosing a specific venipuncture
site that does not interfere with mobility. Instruct the patient to hold his arm in a dependent
position to increase blood flow. Never leave a tourniquet in place longer than 2 minutes. The
site does not necessarily need to be devoid of hair.
A nurse in the neurologic ICU has orders to infuse a hypertonic solution into a patient with
increased intracranial pressure. This solution will increase the number of dissolved particles in
the patient's blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and
increase the blood volume. This process is best described as which of the following?
A). Hydrostatic pressure
B). Osmosis and osmolality
C). Diffusion
D). Active transport - Answer B). Osmosis and osmolality
Rationale:
Osmosis is the movement of fluid from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high
solute concentration across a semipermeable membrane. Hydrostatic pressure refers to
changes in water or volume related to water pressure. Diffusion is the movement of solutes
from an area of greater concentration to lesser concentration; the solutes in an intact vascular
system are unable to move so diffusion normally should not be taking place. Active transport is
the movement of molecules against the concentration gradient and requires adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) as an energy source; this process typically takes place at the cellular level
and is not involved in vascular volume changes.
You are the surgical nurse caring for a 65-year-old female patient who is postoperative day 1
following a thyroidectomy. During your shift assessment, the patient complains of tingling in her
lips and fingers. She tells you that she has an intermittent spasm in her wrist and hand and she
exhibits increased muscle tone. What electrolyte imbalance should you first suspect?
A). Hypophosphatemia
B). Hypocalcemia
C). Hypermagnesemia
D). Hyperkalemia - Answer B). Hypocalcemia
Questions 2025-2026 Updated with
Guaranteed Correct Solved Solutions.
You are caring for a patient who has a diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic
hormone secretion (SIADH). Your patient's plan of care includes assessment of specific gravity
every 4 hours. The results of this test will allow the nurse to assess what aspect of the patient's
health?
A). Nutritional status
B). Potassium balance
C). Calcium balance
D). Fluid volume status - Answer D). Fluid volume status
Rationale:
A specific gravity will detect if the patient has a fluid volume deficit or fluid volume excess.
Nutrition, potassium, and calcium levels are not directly indicated.
You are caring for a patient admitted with a diagnosis of acute kidney injury. When you review
your patient's most recent laboratory reports, you note that the patient's magnesium levels are
high. You should prioritize assessment for which of the following health problems?
A). Diminished deep tendon reflexes
B). Tachycardia
C). Cool, clammy skin
D). Acute flank pain - Answer A). Diminished deep tendon reflexes
Rationale:
To gauge a patient's magnesium status, the nurse should check deep tendon reflexes. If the
reflex is absent, this may indicate high serum magnesium. Tachycardia, flank pain, and cool,
clammy skin are not typically associated with hypermagnesemia.
You are working on a burns unit and one of your acutely ill patients is exhibiting signs and
symptoms of third spacing. Based on this change in status, you should expect the patient to
,C). Hypercalcemia
D). Hypovolemia - Answer D). Hypovolemia
Rationale:
Third-spacing fluid shift, which occurs when fluid moves out of the intravascular space but not
into the intracellular space, can cause hypovolemia. Increased calcium and magnesium levels
are not indicators of third-spacing fluid shift. Burns typically cause acidosis, not alkalosis.
A patient with a longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder presents to the
emergency room. The triage nurse notes upon assessment that the patient is hyperventilating.
The triage nurse is aware that hyperventilation is the most common cause of which acid-base
imbalance?
A). Respiratory acidosis
B). Respiratory alkalosis
C). Increased PaCO2
D). CNS disturbances - Answer B). Respiratory alkalosis
Rationale:
The most common cause of acute respiratory alkalosis is hyperventilation. Extreme anxiety can
lead to hyperventilation. Acute respiratory acidosis occurs in emergencies, such as pulmonary
edema, and is exhibited by hypoventilation and decreased PaCO2. CNS disturbances are found
in extreme hyponatremia and fluid overload.
You are an emergency-room nurse caring for a trauma patient. Your patient has the following
arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO2 28, HCO3 11 mEq/L. How would you interpret these
results?
A). Respiratory acidosis with no compensation
B). Metabolic alkalosis with a compensatory alkalosis
C). Metabolic acidosis with no compensation
D). Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis - Answer D). Metabolic
acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
Rationale:
,You are making initial shift assessments on your patients. While assessing one patient's
peripheral IV site, you note edema around the insertion site. How should you document this
complication related to IV therapy?
A). Air emboli
B). Phlebitis
C). Infiltration
D). Fluid overload - Answer C). Infiltration
Rationale:
Infiltration is the administration of non-vesicant solution or medication into the surrounding
tissue. This can occur when the IV cannula dislodges or perforates the wall of the vein.
Infiltration is characterized by edema around the insertion site, leakage of IV fluid from the
insertion site, discomfort and coolness in the area of infiltration, and a significant decrease in
the flow rate. Air emboli, phlebitis, and fluid overload are not indications of infiltration.
You are performing an admission assessment on an older adult patient newly admitted for end-
stage liver disease. What principle should guide your assessment of the patient's skin turgor?
A). Overhydration is common among healthy older adults.
B). Dehydration causes the skin to appear spongy.
C). Inelastic skin turgor is a normal part of aging.
D). Skin turgor cannot be assessed in patients over 70. - Answer C). Inelastic skin turgor is a
normal part of aging.
Rationale:
Inelastic skin is a normal change of aging. However, this does not mean that skin turgor cannot
be assessed in older patients. Dehydration, not overhydration, causes inelastic skin with tenting.
Overhydration, not dehydration, causes the skin to appear edematous and spongy.
The physician has ordered a peripheral IV to be inserted before the patient goes for computed
tomography. What should the nurse do when selecting a site on the hand or arm for insertion of
an IV catheter?
A). Choose a hairless site if available.
, Rationale:
Ideally, both arms and hands are carefully inspected before choosing a specific venipuncture
site that does not interfere with mobility. Instruct the patient to hold his arm in a dependent
position to increase blood flow. Never leave a tourniquet in place longer than 2 minutes. The
site does not necessarily need to be devoid of hair.
A nurse in the neurologic ICU has orders to infuse a hypertonic solution into a patient with
increased intracranial pressure. This solution will increase the number of dissolved particles in
the patient's blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and
increase the blood volume. This process is best described as which of the following?
A). Hydrostatic pressure
B). Osmosis and osmolality
C). Diffusion
D). Active transport - Answer B). Osmosis and osmolality
Rationale:
Osmosis is the movement of fluid from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high
solute concentration across a semipermeable membrane. Hydrostatic pressure refers to
changes in water or volume related to water pressure. Diffusion is the movement of solutes
from an area of greater concentration to lesser concentration; the solutes in an intact vascular
system are unable to move so diffusion normally should not be taking place. Active transport is
the movement of molecules against the concentration gradient and requires adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) as an energy source; this process typically takes place at the cellular level
and is not involved in vascular volume changes.
You are the surgical nurse caring for a 65-year-old female patient who is postoperative day 1
following a thyroidectomy. During your shift assessment, the patient complains of tingling in her
lips and fingers. She tells you that she has an intermittent spasm in her wrist and hand and she
exhibits increased muscle tone. What electrolyte imbalance should you first suspect?
A). Hypophosphatemia
B). Hypocalcemia
C). Hypermagnesemia
D). Hyperkalemia - Answer B). Hypocalcemia
