Page 1 of 169
NUR 170 Final Exam Practice Questions &
Rationales VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
NUR 170 Final Exam Practice Questions
Exam Coverage Summary
Based on Galen College of Nursing's NUR 170 Concepts of Medical-Surgical Nursing course, the
final exam covers:
Foundation Concepts: Nursing process (Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation,
Evaluation), ANA Code of Ethics, HIPAA regulations, evidence-based practice (PICO), levels of
health care (restorative, primary, secondary, tertiary), sentinel events, documentation errors .
Health & Wellness: 7 components of wellness (Environmental, Occupational, Intellectual,
Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Social), caloric content of macronutrients (Carbs=4 cal/g,
Protein=4 cal/g, Fat=9 cal/g), health continuum, illness types, levels of prevention,
internal/external variables influencing health, Health Belief Model .
Pharmacokinetics: Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion; routes of administration
(enteral, parenteral, topical); first-pass effect; bioavailability; half-life; protein binding; blood-
brain barrier .
Sleep: NREM vs. REM sleep stages, circadian rhythm, normal sleep cycles (90-110 minutes),
developmental sleep needs (adolescents needing 8-10 hours) .
Infection Control & Asepsis: Surgical asepsis (goal: micro-organism-free environment), sterile
field principles, surgical scrub technique (hands above elbows to encourage water/soap to flow
away from clean hands), open-gloving method (grasp inside of glove with ungloved hand), PPE
for surgical area, contaminated areas under fingernails .
Nutrition: Protein deficiency signs (muscle wasting, edema, anemia), complementary proteins,
diabetes management (limit regular soda), cultural/socioeconomic influences .
Pain Management: Visceral pain types, breakthrough pain management, alternative therapies
(distraction, hot/cold therapy, repositioning), half-life of pain medications .
Safety & Mobility: Pressure ulcer staging, wound care (alginate packing for heavily draining
wounds), dehiscence risk factors (nutritional deficiencies), mobility complications (pneumonia,
muscle atrophy), contracture prevention, body mechanics .
Med-Surg Conditions: GI disorders (GERD, hiatal hernia, PUD, Crohn's, ulcerative colitis,
obstructions, bariatric surgery), acid-base imbalances (ABG interpretation), fluid/electrolyte
imbalances (hypokalemia, hypercalcemia), urinary elimination (UTI risk, oliguria), IV therapy
complications .
,Page 2 of 169
QUESTIONS 1-50
1. The nurse is working in a Rehabilitation Center. What level of health care service is
expected in this setting?
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Restorative care
D) Tertiary prevention
Answer: C) Restorative care focuses on helping patients regain optimal function after an illness
or injury. Rehabilitation centers provide this level of care to help patients return to their highest
level of independence, which is distinct from primary prevention (health promotion) or tertiary
prevention (disease management) .
2. Which of the following describes the guidelines that govern nurses' morals and behaviors?
,Page 3 of 169
A) Nurse Practice Act
B) ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses
C) HIPAA regulations
D) State Board of Nursing standards
Answer: B) The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses provides the ethical framework that guides
nursing practice, outlining the professional obligations and moral duties of nurses. While the
Nurse Practice Act defines legal scope of practice, the Code of Ethics specifically addresses
morals and behaviors .
3. The acronym HIPAA stands for which of the following?
A) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
B) Health Information Privacy and Access Act
C) Healthcare Insurance Protection and Accountability Act
D) Health Information Portability and Access Act
, Page 4 of 169
Answer: A) HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a federal law that
protects patient health information privacy and establishes standards for the electronic
exchange of healthcare data .
4. When using Evidence Based Practice, nursing actions are guided by PICO. What does PICO
represent?
A) Patient population of Interest, Comparison of Interest, Outcome
B) Patient population of Interest, Intervention of Interest, Comparison of Interest, Outcome
C) Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
D) Patient, Intervention, Context, Outcome
Answer: B) PICO stands for Patient population of interest, Intervention of interest, Comparison
of interest, and Outcome. This framework helps nurses formulate clinical questions and search
for evidence to guide practice decisions .
NUR 170 Final Exam Practice Questions &
Rationales VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
NUR 170 Final Exam Practice Questions
Exam Coverage Summary
Based on Galen College of Nursing's NUR 170 Concepts of Medical-Surgical Nursing course, the
final exam covers:
Foundation Concepts: Nursing process (Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation,
Evaluation), ANA Code of Ethics, HIPAA regulations, evidence-based practice (PICO), levels of
health care (restorative, primary, secondary, tertiary), sentinel events, documentation errors .
Health & Wellness: 7 components of wellness (Environmental, Occupational, Intellectual,
Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Social), caloric content of macronutrients (Carbs=4 cal/g,
Protein=4 cal/g, Fat=9 cal/g), health continuum, illness types, levels of prevention,
internal/external variables influencing health, Health Belief Model .
Pharmacokinetics: Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion; routes of administration
(enteral, parenteral, topical); first-pass effect; bioavailability; half-life; protein binding; blood-
brain barrier .
Sleep: NREM vs. REM sleep stages, circadian rhythm, normal sleep cycles (90-110 minutes),
developmental sleep needs (adolescents needing 8-10 hours) .
Infection Control & Asepsis: Surgical asepsis (goal: micro-organism-free environment), sterile
field principles, surgical scrub technique (hands above elbows to encourage water/soap to flow
away from clean hands), open-gloving method (grasp inside of glove with ungloved hand), PPE
for surgical area, contaminated areas under fingernails .
Nutrition: Protein deficiency signs (muscle wasting, edema, anemia), complementary proteins,
diabetes management (limit regular soda), cultural/socioeconomic influences .
Pain Management: Visceral pain types, breakthrough pain management, alternative therapies
(distraction, hot/cold therapy, repositioning), half-life of pain medications .
Safety & Mobility: Pressure ulcer staging, wound care (alginate packing for heavily draining
wounds), dehiscence risk factors (nutritional deficiencies), mobility complications (pneumonia,
muscle atrophy), contracture prevention, body mechanics .
Med-Surg Conditions: GI disorders (GERD, hiatal hernia, PUD, Crohn's, ulcerative colitis,
obstructions, bariatric surgery), acid-base imbalances (ABG interpretation), fluid/electrolyte
imbalances (hypokalemia, hypercalcemia), urinary elimination (UTI risk, oliguria), IV therapy
complications .
,Page 2 of 169
QUESTIONS 1-50
1. The nurse is working in a Rehabilitation Center. What level of health care service is
expected in this setting?
A) Primary prevention
B) Secondary prevention
C) Restorative care
D) Tertiary prevention
Answer: C) Restorative care focuses on helping patients regain optimal function after an illness
or injury. Rehabilitation centers provide this level of care to help patients return to their highest
level of independence, which is distinct from primary prevention (health promotion) or tertiary
prevention (disease management) .
2. Which of the following describes the guidelines that govern nurses' morals and behaviors?
,Page 3 of 169
A) Nurse Practice Act
B) ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses
C) HIPAA regulations
D) State Board of Nursing standards
Answer: B) The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses provides the ethical framework that guides
nursing practice, outlining the professional obligations and moral duties of nurses. While the
Nurse Practice Act defines legal scope of practice, the Code of Ethics specifically addresses
morals and behaviors .
3. The acronym HIPAA stands for which of the following?
A) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
B) Health Information Privacy and Access Act
C) Healthcare Insurance Protection and Accountability Act
D) Health Information Portability and Access Act
, Page 4 of 169
Answer: A) HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a federal law that
protects patient health information privacy and establishes standards for the electronic
exchange of healthcare data .
4. When using Evidence Based Practice, nursing actions are guided by PICO. What does PICO
represent?
A) Patient population of Interest, Comparison of Interest, Outcome
B) Patient population of Interest, Intervention of Interest, Comparison of Interest, Outcome
C) Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
D) Patient, Intervention, Context, Outcome
Answer: B) PICO stands for Patient population of interest, Intervention of interest, Comparison
of interest, and Outcome. This framework helps nurses formulate clinical questions and search
for evidence to guide practice decisions .
