RN VATI ADULT MEDICAL SURGICAL ASSESSMENT EXAM
300 COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS & RATIONALES | CURRENTLY TESTING
AND FREQUENTLY TESTED VERSIONS | EXPERT VERIFIED
FOR GUARANTEED PASS |
LATEST UPDATE
SECTION 1: CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS (Questions 1-45)
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a client with left-sided heart failure. Which finding is an early
indication of left-sided heart failure?
A. Peripheral edema
B. Jugular vein distention
C. Crackles in the lung bases
D. Hepatomegaly
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes fluid to back up into the pulmonary
circulation, leading to crackles (rales) in the lung bases, dyspnea, and orthopnea.
Peripheral edema, jugular vein distention, and hepatomegaly are signs of right-
sided heart failure.
Question 2
A nurse is caring for a client who has heart failure and a prescription for digoxin.
Which of the following findings indicates digoxin toxicity?
A. Heart rate of 62 beats per minute
B. Serum digoxin level of 1.2 ng/mL
C. Anorexia and nausea
D. Blood pressure of 130/80 mmHg
Correct Answer: C
1
,Rationale: Early signs of digoxin toxicity include gastrointestinal symptoms such as
anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Serum digoxin levels greater
than 2.0 ng/mL are considered toxic. A heart rate below 60 beats per minute is
also a sign of toxicity.
Question 3
A nurse is assessing a client who has pericarditis. Which of the following findings
should the nurse expect?
A. Pericardial friction rub
B. Bounding peripheral pulses
C. Jugular vein distention
D. Crackles in the lung bases
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium. A pericardial friction
rub is a classic finding, heard as a high-pitched scratching sound during
auscultation. Jugular vein distention and crackles are associated with heart
failure.
Question 4
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has hypertension. Which of the
following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching?
A. "I should check my blood pressure once a week."
B. "I can stop taking my medication when my blood pressure is normal."
C. "I should limit my sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day."
D. "I should avoid all physical activity."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet recommends
limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day (or 1,500 mg for certain
individuals). Blood pressure should be monitored regularly, medications should
not be stopped without provider guidance, and regular physical activity is
encouraged.
2
,Question 5
A nurse is caring for a client who has atrial fibrillation. Which of the following
medications should the nurse expect to administer?
A. Atropine
B. Epinephrine
C. Amiodarone
D. Nifedipine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic medication used to treat atrial
fibrillation. Atropine is used for bradycardia, epinephrine is used in cardiac arrest,
and nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker used for hypertension and angina.
Question 6
A nurse is assessing a client who has infective endocarditis. Which of the following
findings should the nurse expect?
A. Splinter hemorrhages
B. Pitting edema
C. Crackles in the lungs
D. Peripheral cyanosis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Splinter hemorrhages (linear, reddish-brown streaks under the
fingernails) are a classic finding in infective endocarditis. Other findings include
Osler's nodes, Janeway lesions, and Roth spots. Pitting edema, crackles, and
peripheral cyanosis are associated with heart failure.
Question 7
A nurse is preparing to administer a loop diuretic to a client who has heart failure.
Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse monitor?
A. Serum sodium
B. Serum potassium
3
, C. Serum calcium
D. Serum magnesium
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Loop diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix) cause potassium depletion
(hypokalemia). The nurse should monitor serum potassium levels closely and
assess for signs of hypokalemia such as muscle weakness and cardiac
dysrhythmias.
Question 8
A nurse is assessing a client who has an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Which of the
following findings is a sign of impending rupture?
A. Hypotension
B. Back pain
C. Pulsatile abdominal mass
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Signs of impending rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm include
hypotension, severe back or abdominal pain, and a pulsatile abdominal mass. This
is a medical emergency requiring immediate surgical intervention.
Question 9
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has coronary artery
disease. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
A. "You should take nitroglycerin only when you have chest pain."
B. "You should wait 30 minutes between each dose of nitroglycerin."
C. "You should call 911 if chest pain is not relieved after one dose of
nitroglycerin."
D. "You should take nitroglycerin with food to prevent stomach upset."
Correct Answer: A
4
300 COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS & RATIONALES | CURRENTLY TESTING
AND FREQUENTLY TESTED VERSIONS | EXPERT VERIFIED
FOR GUARANTEED PASS |
LATEST UPDATE
SECTION 1: CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS (Questions 1-45)
Question 1
A nurse is assessing a client with left-sided heart failure. Which finding is an early
indication of left-sided heart failure?
A. Peripheral edema
B. Jugular vein distention
C. Crackles in the lung bases
D. Hepatomegaly
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Left-sided heart failure causes fluid to back up into the pulmonary
circulation, leading to crackles (rales) in the lung bases, dyspnea, and orthopnea.
Peripheral edema, jugular vein distention, and hepatomegaly are signs of right-
sided heart failure.
Question 2
A nurse is caring for a client who has heart failure and a prescription for digoxin.
Which of the following findings indicates digoxin toxicity?
A. Heart rate of 62 beats per minute
B. Serum digoxin level of 1.2 ng/mL
C. Anorexia and nausea
D. Blood pressure of 130/80 mmHg
Correct Answer: C
1
,Rationale: Early signs of digoxin toxicity include gastrointestinal symptoms such as
anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Serum digoxin levels greater
than 2.0 ng/mL are considered toxic. A heart rate below 60 beats per minute is
also a sign of toxicity.
Question 3
A nurse is assessing a client who has pericarditis. Which of the following findings
should the nurse expect?
A. Pericardial friction rub
B. Bounding peripheral pulses
C. Jugular vein distention
D. Crackles in the lung bases
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium. A pericardial friction
rub is a classic finding, heard as a high-pitched scratching sound during
auscultation. Jugular vein distention and crackles are associated with heart
failure.
Question 4
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has hypertension. Which of the
following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching?
A. "I should check my blood pressure once a week."
B. "I can stop taking my medication when my blood pressure is normal."
C. "I should limit my sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day."
D. "I should avoid all physical activity."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet recommends
limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day (or 1,500 mg for certain
individuals). Blood pressure should be monitored regularly, medications should
not be stopped without provider guidance, and regular physical activity is
encouraged.
2
,Question 5
A nurse is caring for a client who has atrial fibrillation. Which of the following
medications should the nurse expect to administer?
A. Atropine
B. Epinephrine
C. Amiodarone
D. Nifedipine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic medication used to treat atrial
fibrillation. Atropine is used for bradycardia, epinephrine is used in cardiac arrest,
and nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker used for hypertension and angina.
Question 6
A nurse is assessing a client who has infective endocarditis. Which of the following
findings should the nurse expect?
A. Splinter hemorrhages
B. Pitting edema
C. Crackles in the lungs
D. Peripheral cyanosis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Splinter hemorrhages (linear, reddish-brown streaks under the
fingernails) are a classic finding in infective endocarditis. Other findings include
Osler's nodes, Janeway lesions, and Roth spots. Pitting edema, crackles, and
peripheral cyanosis are associated with heart failure.
Question 7
A nurse is preparing to administer a loop diuretic to a client who has heart failure.
Which of the following laboratory values should the nurse monitor?
A. Serum sodium
B. Serum potassium
3
, C. Serum calcium
D. Serum magnesium
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Loop diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix) cause potassium depletion
(hypokalemia). The nurse should monitor serum potassium levels closely and
assess for signs of hypokalemia such as muscle weakness and cardiac
dysrhythmias.
Question 8
A nurse is assessing a client who has an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Which of the
following findings is a sign of impending rupture?
A. Hypotension
B. Back pain
C. Pulsatile abdominal mass
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Signs of impending rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm include
hypotension, severe back or abdominal pain, and a pulsatile abdominal mass. This
is a medical emergency requiring immediate surgical intervention.
Question 9
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has coronary artery
disease. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
A. "You should take nitroglycerin only when you have chest pain."
B. "You should wait 30 minutes between each dose of nitroglycerin."
C. "You should call 911 if chest pain is not relieved after one dose of
nitroglycerin."
D. "You should take nitroglycerin with food to prevent stomach upset."
Correct Answer: A
4
