MED SURG NUR 440 – Final Comprehensive Exam Study Guide –
[ODU] – Academic Year [2025/2026] – Medical-Surgical Nursing
Review
You have a patient who was admitted from the ER, which labs should you notify the doctor
about
a. Sodium 142
b. BUN 23
c. Creatinine 1.5
d. Potassium 4.0 - correct answer ✔✔ Answer: B, C, D
Normal range of sodium is 135 to 145
BUN WNL Value? - correct answer ✔✔ Generally - 7 to 20 mg / dl is within normal limits
Creatinine WHN Value? - correct answer ✔✔ Males 0.6 mg/dl to 1.2 mg/ld Females 0.5 mg/dl
to 1.1 mg/dl
Magnesium WNL blood serum concentration? - correct answer ✔✔ 5 to 6 meq/L
Symptoms and Signs of HYPERmagnesemia? SATA
A - hypotension
B - Bradycardia
C - Respiratory Depression
D - Cardiac arrest
E - Seizures - correct answer ✔✔ A, B, C, D
Seizures are not commonly associated with hypermagnesemia.
,Mrs. Floyd, and 85 year old woman, is brought into the E.R. complaining of severe muscle
cramping, numbness, and tingling. She states that she had been sick a few days ago with severe
diarrhea and vomiting. Which of the following electrolyte deficiencies is Mrs. Floyd
experiencing?
A.Hypercalcemia
B.Hypomagnesia
C. Hypermagnesia
D. Hypocalcemia - correct answer ✔✔ Answer: D. Hypocalcemia can be caused by loss of body
fluids and is characterized by muscle cramping, numbness and tingling
A patient is showing a positive Chvostek sign. What is this a sign of?
A. hyerpkalemia
B. hypocalcemia
C. hypercalcemia
D. hypokalemia - correct answer ✔✔ Hypocalcemia
What test do you use to test for hypocalcemia? - correct answer ✔✔ Chvostek sign -tap the side
of neck gently and observe for facial twitching. Tests for hypocalcemia and tetany.
Chvostek = Cheek
What other test can you use to test for hypocalcemia? - correct answer ✔✔ Trousseau's Sign
Upon assessment, you notice your patient has a decreased urinary output, skin tneting and
bounding pulses. What type of fluids do you anticipate the doctor will order? - correct answer
✔✔ Isotonic - the patient's assessment infers they are dehydrated - isotonic solutinos would be
used to rehydrate the patient.
Which are potential omplications of IV Therapy (select all that apply)
, A. Thrombosis
B. Vancomycin
C. Amoxicillin
D. Phlebitis - correct answer ✔✔ A, B, D
When a patient is on TPN, what do you need to monitor (select all that apply)
a. Blood sugar
b. Potassium
c. Creatinine
d. Sodium - correct answer ✔✔ A, B, D
If your patient begins to experience malignant hyperthermia, which medication would you give?
a. Diprivan
b. Dantrium
c. Demerol
d. Danazol - correct answer ✔✔ B - Dantrium
Per the SCIP protocol, when do you give the preoperative antibiotic and how long after surgery
are they usually discontinued?
a. Two hours before and within 48-hours after
b. One hour before and within 48-hours after
c. 30 minutes before and within 24-hours after
d. One hour before and within 24-hours after - correct answer ✔✔ D
The patient in the ED is complaining of a headache, stating "It's the worst headache of my life!".
She can point to the exact location of where the headache is. What would the nurse suspect be
occurring?
[ODU] – Academic Year [2025/2026] – Medical-Surgical Nursing
Review
You have a patient who was admitted from the ER, which labs should you notify the doctor
about
a. Sodium 142
b. BUN 23
c. Creatinine 1.5
d. Potassium 4.0 - correct answer ✔✔ Answer: B, C, D
Normal range of sodium is 135 to 145
BUN WNL Value? - correct answer ✔✔ Generally - 7 to 20 mg / dl is within normal limits
Creatinine WHN Value? - correct answer ✔✔ Males 0.6 mg/dl to 1.2 mg/ld Females 0.5 mg/dl
to 1.1 mg/dl
Magnesium WNL blood serum concentration? - correct answer ✔✔ 5 to 6 meq/L
Symptoms and Signs of HYPERmagnesemia? SATA
A - hypotension
B - Bradycardia
C - Respiratory Depression
D - Cardiac arrest
E - Seizures - correct answer ✔✔ A, B, C, D
Seizures are not commonly associated with hypermagnesemia.
,Mrs. Floyd, and 85 year old woman, is brought into the E.R. complaining of severe muscle
cramping, numbness, and tingling. She states that she had been sick a few days ago with severe
diarrhea and vomiting. Which of the following electrolyte deficiencies is Mrs. Floyd
experiencing?
A.Hypercalcemia
B.Hypomagnesia
C. Hypermagnesia
D. Hypocalcemia - correct answer ✔✔ Answer: D. Hypocalcemia can be caused by loss of body
fluids and is characterized by muscle cramping, numbness and tingling
A patient is showing a positive Chvostek sign. What is this a sign of?
A. hyerpkalemia
B. hypocalcemia
C. hypercalcemia
D. hypokalemia - correct answer ✔✔ Hypocalcemia
What test do you use to test for hypocalcemia? - correct answer ✔✔ Chvostek sign -tap the side
of neck gently and observe for facial twitching. Tests for hypocalcemia and tetany.
Chvostek = Cheek
What other test can you use to test for hypocalcemia? - correct answer ✔✔ Trousseau's Sign
Upon assessment, you notice your patient has a decreased urinary output, skin tneting and
bounding pulses. What type of fluids do you anticipate the doctor will order? - correct answer
✔✔ Isotonic - the patient's assessment infers they are dehydrated - isotonic solutinos would be
used to rehydrate the patient.
Which are potential omplications of IV Therapy (select all that apply)
, A. Thrombosis
B. Vancomycin
C. Amoxicillin
D. Phlebitis - correct answer ✔✔ A, B, D
When a patient is on TPN, what do you need to monitor (select all that apply)
a. Blood sugar
b. Potassium
c. Creatinine
d. Sodium - correct answer ✔✔ A, B, D
If your patient begins to experience malignant hyperthermia, which medication would you give?
a. Diprivan
b. Dantrium
c. Demerol
d. Danazol - correct answer ✔✔ B - Dantrium
Per the SCIP protocol, when do you give the preoperative antibiotic and how long after surgery
are they usually discontinued?
a. Two hours before and within 48-hours after
b. One hour before and within 48-hours after
c. 30 minutes before and within 24-hours after
d. One hour before and within 24-hours after - correct answer ✔✔ D
The patient in the ED is complaining of a headache, stating "It's the worst headache of my life!".
She can point to the exact location of where the headache is. What would the nurse suspect be
occurring?
