NSG 3113 Pathophysiology for Nursing Exam 1
Practice Test | Comprehensive Question Bank with
Verified Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales |
Latest Update 2026/2027 || South College
Question 1
A heart failure client has become confused and took too many of his "water pills"
(diuretics). On admission, his serum potassium level was 2.6 mEq/L (2.6 mmol/L).
Which assessments correlate to this hypokalemia finding?
A. Spina bifida, Anencephaly, Encephalocele
B. Sentinel node is used to describe the initial lymph node to which the primary tumor
drains.
C. Polyuria, Constipation, Bradycardia
D. Administer diuretics as ordered
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypokalemia (potassium < 3.5 mEq/L) causes polyuria due to impaired
renal concentrating ability, constipation due to decreased gastrointestinal motility, and
bradycardia due to effects on cardiac conduction.
Question 2
Which process associated with cellular injury is most likely to be reversible?
A. Cell damage resulting from genetic mutations
B. Cell damage due to chronic inflammation
C. Cell damage caused by bacterial infection
D. Cell damage resulting from accumulation of fat in the cytoplasm
Answer: D
Rationale: Fatty accumulation (steatosis) in the cytoplasm is a reversible cellular
injury. If the underlying cause is removed, the cell can recover. Genetic mutations and
chronic inflammation often cause irreversible damage.
pg. 1
,Question 3
The nurse is explaining congenital defects to a newly pregnant client. She explains that
one of the most common birth defects is:
A. Heart valve defect
B. Cleft lip with or without cleft palate
C. Neural tube defect
D. Spinal cord malformation
Answer: C
Rationale: Neural tube defects (such as spina bifida and anencephaly) are among the
most common birth defects. Cleft lip/palate is also common, but neural tube defects are
more frequently discussed in prenatal care.
Question 4
The nurse is conducting a physical assessment of a homeless man during a night when
the wind chill factor is -10°F (-23°C). When assessing the man's fingers and toes for
frostbite, the nurse looks for which type of cellular injury?
A. Aerobic
B. Hypertoxic
C. Stagnant
D. Hypoxic
Answer: D
Rationale: Frostbite causes hypoxic cellular injury due to reduced blood flow and
oxygen delivery to the extremities. Cold exposure leads to vasoconstriction and ice
crystal formation, damaging cells.
Question 5
The practitioner examines his client's foot and observes the great toe to be black and
dry. The practitioner explains to the client that the dead tissue is caused by:
A. Wet gangrene
B. Dry gangrene
C. Neural tube defects
D. Moist gangrene
Answer: B
Rationale: Dry gangrene appears black, dry, and shrunken due to ischemic necrosis
without infection. It results from slow arterial occlusion and is commonly seen in
peripheral vascular disease.
pg. 2
,Question 6
When caring for a client during the proliferative phase of wound healing, the nurse
teaches the client that which of these processes is taking place?
A. Epithelial cells dissolve tissue
B. Macrophages break down collagen
C. Fibroblasts secrete collagen for wound healing
D. Lymphocytes inhibit tissue growth
Answer: C
Rationale: During the proliferative phase, fibroblasts secrete collagen and extracellular
matrix to promote wound healing and tissue strength. This phase also involves
angiogenesis and epithelialization.
Question 7
When preparing educational materials on autosomal dominant disorders, the nurse will
include information on which disease inheritance?
A. Intermittent muscle spasms and reports of numbness around her mouth
B. Marfan syndrome, Osteogenesis imperfecta, Huntington chorea, von Willebrand
disease
C. Hypoxia and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion
D. One of two members of a gene pair, for a particular trait, in a chromosome pair
Answer: B
Rationale: Autosomal dominant disorders include Marfan syndrome, osteogenesis
imperfecta, Huntington chorea, and von Willebrand disease. Each requires only one
affected allele for expression.
Question 8
A client's condition has resulted in a decrease in work demands of most cells in the
body. Which change within the cell will likely result from this decrease in work?
A. Decreased programmed cellular death
B. Decreased size of organelles
C. Decreased programmed cell death
D. Increased mitochondrial growth
Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased work demands lead to atrophy, characterized by a decrease in
cell size and organelle size. This is a reversible adaptive change.
pg. 3
, Question 9
A nurse conducting a staff inservice on wound healing in older adults determines that
the participants are understanding the information when they state that older adults
may experience delayed wound healing due to which aging process?
A. Cancer cells enter the body's lymph system and thereby spread to other parts of the
body
B. To promote secondary sex characteristics
C. Decreased collagen synthesis, Slower re-epithelialization, Impaired wound
contraction
D. Gompertzian
Answer: C
Rationale: Older adults experience delayed wound healing due to decreased collagen
synthesis, slower re-epithelialization, and impaired wound contraction. These changes
result from age-related declines in cellular function.
Question 10
A breast cancer client has just learned that her tumor clinical stage is T3, N2, M0. After
the physician leaves, the client asks the nurse to explain this to her again. The nurse will
use which statement in his or her answer?
A. Tumor is localized and one lymph node is negative for cancer cells
B. Tumor is small and no lymph nodes are affected
C. Tumor is large and at least two lymph nodes are positive for cancer cells
D. Tumor is microscopic and all lymph nodes are clear of cancer cells
Answer: C
Rationale: T3 indicates a large tumor, N2 indicates at least two positive lymph nodes,
and M0 indicates no distant metastases. This staging system helps determine prognosis
and treatment.
Question 11
Which disease is caused by a genetic defect of chloride transport?
A. Cystic fibrosis
B. Von Recklinghausen disease
C. Asthma
D. Tay-Sachs disease
Answer: A
pg. 4
Practice Test | Comprehensive Question Bank with
Verified Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales |
Latest Update 2026/2027 || South College
Question 1
A heart failure client has become confused and took too many of his "water pills"
(diuretics). On admission, his serum potassium level was 2.6 mEq/L (2.6 mmol/L).
Which assessments correlate to this hypokalemia finding?
A. Spina bifida, Anencephaly, Encephalocele
B. Sentinel node is used to describe the initial lymph node to which the primary tumor
drains.
C. Polyuria, Constipation, Bradycardia
D. Administer diuretics as ordered
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypokalemia (potassium < 3.5 mEq/L) causes polyuria due to impaired
renal concentrating ability, constipation due to decreased gastrointestinal motility, and
bradycardia due to effects on cardiac conduction.
Question 2
Which process associated with cellular injury is most likely to be reversible?
A. Cell damage resulting from genetic mutations
B. Cell damage due to chronic inflammation
C. Cell damage caused by bacterial infection
D. Cell damage resulting from accumulation of fat in the cytoplasm
Answer: D
Rationale: Fatty accumulation (steatosis) in the cytoplasm is a reversible cellular
injury. If the underlying cause is removed, the cell can recover. Genetic mutations and
chronic inflammation often cause irreversible damage.
pg. 1
,Question 3
The nurse is explaining congenital defects to a newly pregnant client. She explains that
one of the most common birth defects is:
A. Heart valve defect
B. Cleft lip with or without cleft palate
C. Neural tube defect
D. Spinal cord malformation
Answer: C
Rationale: Neural tube defects (such as spina bifida and anencephaly) are among the
most common birth defects. Cleft lip/palate is also common, but neural tube defects are
more frequently discussed in prenatal care.
Question 4
The nurse is conducting a physical assessment of a homeless man during a night when
the wind chill factor is -10°F (-23°C). When assessing the man's fingers and toes for
frostbite, the nurse looks for which type of cellular injury?
A. Aerobic
B. Hypertoxic
C. Stagnant
D. Hypoxic
Answer: D
Rationale: Frostbite causes hypoxic cellular injury due to reduced blood flow and
oxygen delivery to the extremities. Cold exposure leads to vasoconstriction and ice
crystal formation, damaging cells.
Question 5
The practitioner examines his client's foot and observes the great toe to be black and
dry. The practitioner explains to the client that the dead tissue is caused by:
A. Wet gangrene
B. Dry gangrene
C. Neural tube defects
D. Moist gangrene
Answer: B
Rationale: Dry gangrene appears black, dry, and shrunken due to ischemic necrosis
without infection. It results from slow arterial occlusion and is commonly seen in
peripheral vascular disease.
pg. 2
,Question 6
When caring for a client during the proliferative phase of wound healing, the nurse
teaches the client that which of these processes is taking place?
A. Epithelial cells dissolve tissue
B. Macrophages break down collagen
C. Fibroblasts secrete collagen for wound healing
D. Lymphocytes inhibit tissue growth
Answer: C
Rationale: During the proliferative phase, fibroblasts secrete collagen and extracellular
matrix to promote wound healing and tissue strength. This phase also involves
angiogenesis and epithelialization.
Question 7
When preparing educational materials on autosomal dominant disorders, the nurse will
include information on which disease inheritance?
A. Intermittent muscle spasms and reports of numbness around her mouth
B. Marfan syndrome, Osteogenesis imperfecta, Huntington chorea, von Willebrand
disease
C. Hypoxia and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion
D. One of two members of a gene pair, for a particular trait, in a chromosome pair
Answer: B
Rationale: Autosomal dominant disorders include Marfan syndrome, osteogenesis
imperfecta, Huntington chorea, and von Willebrand disease. Each requires only one
affected allele for expression.
Question 8
A client's condition has resulted in a decrease in work demands of most cells in the
body. Which change within the cell will likely result from this decrease in work?
A. Decreased programmed cellular death
B. Decreased size of organelles
C. Decreased programmed cell death
D. Increased mitochondrial growth
Answer: B
Rationale: Decreased work demands lead to atrophy, characterized by a decrease in
cell size and organelle size. This is a reversible adaptive change.
pg. 3
, Question 9
A nurse conducting a staff inservice on wound healing in older adults determines that
the participants are understanding the information when they state that older adults
may experience delayed wound healing due to which aging process?
A. Cancer cells enter the body's lymph system and thereby spread to other parts of the
body
B. To promote secondary sex characteristics
C. Decreased collagen synthesis, Slower re-epithelialization, Impaired wound
contraction
D. Gompertzian
Answer: C
Rationale: Older adults experience delayed wound healing due to decreased collagen
synthesis, slower re-epithelialization, and impaired wound contraction. These changes
result from age-related declines in cellular function.
Question 10
A breast cancer client has just learned that her tumor clinical stage is T3, N2, M0. After
the physician leaves, the client asks the nurse to explain this to her again. The nurse will
use which statement in his or her answer?
A. Tumor is localized and one lymph node is negative for cancer cells
B. Tumor is small and no lymph nodes are affected
C. Tumor is large and at least two lymph nodes are positive for cancer cells
D. Tumor is microscopic and all lymph nodes are clear of cancer cells
Answer: C
Rationale: T3 indicates a large tumor, N2 indicates at least two positive lymph nodes,
and M0 indicates no distant metastases. This staging system helps determine prognosis
and treatment.
Question 11
Which disease is caused by a genetic defect of chloride transport?
A. Cystic fibrosis
B. Von Recklinghausen disease
C. Asthma
D. Tay-Sachs disease
Answer: A
pg. 4
