ATI RN Medical-Surgical Nursing Study Guide, Practice
Questions & Comprehensive Exam Prep Workbook for
Nursing Students | Master Adult Health Concepts,
Pathophysiology, Clinical Judgement, and NCLEX-RN
Success Strategies for Guaranteed Exam Readiness
Question 1: A nurse is assessing a client who has a prescription for a new antihypertensive
medication. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as a priority assessment
before administering the medication?
A. Skin turgor
B. Blood pressure
C. Bowel sounds
D. Pupil reaction
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Blood pressure
Rationale: Antihypertensive medications lower blood pressure; therefore, assessing the
baseline blood pressure is critical to prevent hypotension and ensure safety before
administration.
Question 2: A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prevent dislocation of the prosthesis?
A. Place a pillow between the client's legs when turning.
B. Encourage the client to bend at the waist to pick up items.
C. Maintain the client's hips in internal rotation.
D. Elevate the head of the bed to 90 degrees.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Place a pillow between the client's legs when turning.
Rationale: Placing a pillow between the legs maintains abduction and prevents adduction,
which reduces the risk of hip dislocation after arthroplasty.
Question 3: A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has chronic kidney
disease. Which of the following values should the nurse expect to be elevated?
A. Hemoglobin
B. Creatinine
C. Calcium
D. Albumin
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Creatinine
,Rationale: Creatinine is a waste product filtered by the kidneys; elevated levels indicate
impaired kidney function and are common in chronic kidney disease.
Question 4: A nurse is administering a blood transfusion to a client. Which of the following
findings indicates a possible hemolytic transfusion reaction?
A. Flank pain
B. Mild itching
C. Slow heart rate
D. Increased urine output
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Flank pain
Rationale: Flank pain is a classic sign of a hemolytic transfusion reaction, caused by the
destruction of red blood cells and kidney stress.
Question 5: A nurse is teaching a client who has a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus
about foot care. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
A. Soak feet in hot water daily.
B. Cut toenails straight across.
C. Apply lotion between the toes.
D. Walk barefoot inside the house.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Cut toenails straight across.
Rationale: Cutting toenails straight across prevents ingrown toenails and reduces the risk of
infection in clients with diabetes who may have poor circulation.
Question 6: A nurse is assessing a client with heart failure. Which of the following findings
suggests fluid volume overload?
A. Dry mucous membranes
B. Distended neck veins
C. Decreased blood pressure
D. Weight loss
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Distended neck veins
Rationale: Distended neck veins indicate increased venous pressure and fluid volume overload,
common in heart failure exacerbations.
,Question 7: A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving mechanical ventilation. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia?
A. Keep the head of the bed elevated at 30 to 45 degrees.
B. Suction the airway every hour regardless of need.
C. Change the ventilator tubing every 24 hours.
D. Provide oral care once per shift.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Keep the head of the bed elevated at 30 to 45 degrees.
Rationale: Elevating the head of the bed reduces the risk of aspiration and ventilator-associated
pneumonia by promoting drainage and preventing reflux.
Question 8: A nurse is preparing to administer insulin glargine to a client. Which of the
following actions is appropriate?
A. Mix the insulin with regular insulin in the same syringe.
B. Administer the insulin subcutaneously.
C. Shake the vial vigorously before drawing up the dose.
D. Administer the insulin intravenously.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Administer the insulin subcutaneously.
Rationale: Insulin glargine is a long-acting basal insulin that must be administered
subcutaneously and should not be mixed with other insulins.
Question 9: A nurse is assessing a client who has a suspected pulmonary embolism. Which of
the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Bradycardia
B. Sudden onset of dyspnea
C. Productive cough with green sputum
D. Decreased respiratory rate
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Sudden onset of dyspnea
Rationale: Sudden onset of dyspnea is a hallmark symptom of pulmonary embolism due to
blocked blood flow in the lungs.
Question 10: A nurse is caring for a client who has a nasogastric tube connected to suction.
Which of the following findings indicates the tube is functioning properly?
, A. The client reports nausea.
B. The drainage is greenish-yellow.
C. The abdomen is distended.
D. The suction canister is empty.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. The drainage is greenish-yellow.
Rationale: Greenish-yellow drainage indicates gastric contents are being effectively removed,
suggesting the tube is functioning properly.
Question 11: A nurse is teaching a client about a low-sodium diet. Which of the following food
choices should the nurse recommend?
A. Canned soup
B. Fresh fruit
C. Processed cheese
D. Pickles
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Fresh fruit
Rationale: Fresh fruits are naturally low in sodium, whereas canned soups, processed cheeses,
and pickles are typically high in sodium.
Question 12: A nurse is monitoring a client who is receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN).
Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse monitor closely?
A. Glucose
B. Potassium
C. Hemoglobin
D. White blood cell count
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Glucose
Rationale: TPN solutions contain high concentrations of dextrose, requiring close monitoring of
blood glucose levels to prevent hyperglycemia.
Question 13: A nurse is caring for a client with a chest tube. Which of the following findings
should be reported to the provider immediately?
A. Continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber.
B. Tidaling in the water seal chamber.
Questions & Comprehensive Exam Prep Workbook for
Nursing Students | Master Adult Health Concepts,
Pathophysiology, Clinical Judgement, and NCLEX-RN
Success Strategies for Guaranteed Exam Readiness
Question 1: A nurse is assessing a client who has a prescription for a new antihypertensive
medication. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as a priority assessment
before administering the medication?
A. Skin turgor
B. Blood pressure
C. Bowel sounds
D. Pupil reaction
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Blood pressure
Rationale: Antihypertensive medications lower blood pressure; therefore, assessing the
baseline blood pressure is critical to prevent hypotension and ensure safety before
administration.
Question 2: A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prevent dislocation of the prosthesis?
A. Place a pillow between the client's legs when turning.
B. Encourage the client to bend at the waist to pick up items.
C. Maintain the client's hips in internal rotation.
D. Elevate the head of the bed to 90 degrees.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Place a pillow between the client's legs when turning.
Rationale: Placing a pillow between the legs maintains abduction and prevents adduction,
which reduces the risk of hip dislocation after arthroplasty.
Question 3: A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has chronic kidney
disease. Which of the following values should the nurse expect to be elevated?
A. Hemoglobin
B. Creatinine
C. Calcium
D. Albumin
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Creatinine
,Rationale: Creatinine is a waste product filtered by the kidneys; elevated levels indicate
impaired kidney function and are common in chronic kidney disease.
Question 4: A nurse is administering a blood transfusion to a client. Which of the following
findings indicates a possible hemolytic transfusion reaction?
A. Flank pain
B. Mild itching
C. Slow heart rate
D. Increased urine output
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Flank pain
Rationale: Flank pain is a classic sign of a hemolytic transfusion reaction, caused by the
destruction of red blood cells and kidney stress.
Question 5: A nurse is teaching a client who has a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus
about foot care. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
A. Soak feet in hot water daily.
B. Cut toenails straight across.
C. Apply lotion between the toes.
D. Walk barefoot inside the house.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Cut toenails straight across.
Rationale: Cutting toenails straight across prevents ingrown toenails and reduces the risk of
infection in clients with diabetes who may have poor circulation.
Question 6: A nurse is assessing a client with heart failure. Which of the following findings
suggests fluid volume overload?
A. Dry mucous membranes
B. Distended neck veins
C. Decreased blood pressure
D. Weight loss
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Distended neck veins
Rationale: Distended neck veins indicate increased venous pressure and fluid volume overload,
common in heart failure exacerbations.
,Question 7: A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving mechanical ventilation. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia?
A. Keep the head of the bed elevated at 30 to 45 degrees.
B. Suction the airway every hour regardless of need.
C. Change the ventilator tubing every 24 hours.
D. Provide oral care once per shift.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Keep the head of the bed elevated at 30 to 45 degrees.
Rationale: Elevating the head of the bed reduces the risk of aspiration and ventilator-associated
pneumonia by promoting drainage and preventing reflux.
Question 8: A nurse is preparing to administer insulin glargine to a client. Which of the
following actions is appropriate?
A. Mix the insulin with regular insulin in the same syringe.
B. Administer the insulin subcutaneously.
C. Shake the vial vigorously before drawing up the dose.
D. Administer the insulin intravenously.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Administer the insulin subcutaneously.
Rationale: Insulin glargine is a long-acting basal insulin that must be administered
subcutaneously and should not be mixed with other insulins.
Question 9: A nurse is assessing a client who has a suspected pulmonary embolism. Which of
the following findings should the nurse expect?
A. Bradycardia
B. Sudden onset of dyspnea
C. Productive cough with green sputum
D. Decreased respiratory rate
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Sudden onset of dyspnea
Rationale: Sudden onset of dyspnea is a hallmark symptom of pulmonary embolism due to
blocked blood flow in the lungs.
Question 10: A nurse is caring for a client who has a nasogastric tube connected to suction.
Which of the following findings indicates the tube is functioning properly?
, A. The client reports nausea.
B. The drainage is greenish-yellow.
C. The abdomen is distended.
D. The suction canister is empty.
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. The drainage is greenish-yellow.
Rationale: Greenish-yellow drainage indicates gastric contents are being effectively removed,
suggesting the tube is functioning properly.
Question 11: A nurse is teaching a client about a low-sodium diet. Which of the following food
choices should the nurse recommend?
A. Canned soup
B. Fresh fruit
C. Processed cheese
D. Pickles
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** B. Fresh fruit
Rationale: Fresh fruits are naturally low in sodium, whereas canned soups, processed cheeses,
and pickles are typically high in sodium.
Question 12: A nurse is monitoring a client who is receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN).
Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse monitor closely?
A. Glucose
B. Potassium
C. Hemoglobin
D. White blood cell count
**CORRECT ANSWER: ** A. Glucose
Rationale: TPN solutions contain high concentrations of dextrose, requiring close monitoring of
blood glucose levels to prevent hyperglycemia.
Question 13: A nurse is caring for a client with a chest tube. Which of the following findings
should be reported to the provider immediately?
A. Continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber.
B. Tidaling in the water seal chamber.
