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GALEN NUR 257 EXAM 2 – CONCEPTS OF AGING &
CHRONIC ILLNESS 2026/2027 COMPLETE (150) CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES.
NUR
Prepare effectively for the Galen NUR 257 Exam 2 with this focused study resource. It
supports review of aging concepts, chronic illness, gerontological nursing, health
promotion, disease management, patient assessment, and nursing interventions. Use
the material to reinforce your understanding, review key topics, and identify areas that
may require additional study. This resource is suited for Galen nursing students, NUR
257 learners, and candidates preparing for Exam 2.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Chronic Illness & Self-Management (Questions 1–20)
A nurse is teaching a patient with a new diagnosis of chronic illness about
self-management. Which statement indicates the patient understands the
concept of self-management?
A) "I will do whatever my doctor tells me to do."
B) "I will be responsible for managing my condition on a daily basis."
C) "I will only need to see my doctor when I have symptoms."
D) "I can stop my medications once I feel better."
Answer: B) "I will be responsible for managing my condition on a daily
basis."
Rationale: Self-management involves the patient taking an active, daily
role in managing their chronic condition, including monitoring symptoms,
adhering to treatment, and making lifestyle changes. It is a collaborative
process between the patient and healthcare team.
A patient with diabetes is struggling with self-management. Which factor is
most likely contributing to poor self-management?
A) Understanding of the disease process
B) Adequate financial resources
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C) Lack of social support
D) Positive attitude toward health
Answer: C) Lack of social support
Rationale: Social support is a critical factor in chronic illness self-
management. Lack of support can lead to poor adherence, increased
stress, and worse health outcomes.
The nurse is teaching a patient about the chronic illness trajectory. Which
statement best describes the trajectory?
A) It follows a predictable, linear path
B) It is characterized by periods of stability and exacerbation
C) It always gets progressively worse
D) It is always completely cured
Answer: B) It is characterized by periods of stability and exacerbation
Rationale: The chronic illness trajectory involves fluctuations in symptom
severity and functional ability, with periods of stability and acute
exacerbations. This unpredictable pattern requires ongoing adaptation
and management.
A patient with chronic heart failure is being educated about daily self-
monitoring. Which instruction is most important?
A) "Weigh yourself daily and report any sudden weight gain."
B) "Check your blood sugar every morning."
C) "Monitor your temperature daily."
D) "Check your blood pressure once a week."
Answer: A) "Weigh yourself daily and report any sudden weight gain."
Rationale: Daily weight monitoring is critical for heart failure patients to
detect fluid retention early. A weight gain of 2-3 pounds in a day or 5
pounds in a week should be reported to the provider.
A patient with COPD is learning self-management strategies. Which of the
following should the nurse include in the teaching?
A) Pursed-lip breathing
B) Increasing physical activity gradually
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C) Avoiding respiratory infections
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Rationale: Self-management for COPD includes pursed-lip breathing to
reduce dyspnea, gradual physical activity to maintain function, and
avoidance of respiratory infections (vaccinations, hand hygiene).
The nurse is assessing a patient's readiness to learn about self-management.
Which factor is most important to assess?
A) The patient's age
B) The patient's emotional state
C) The patient's income
D) The patient's family history
Answer: B) The patient's emotional state
Rationale: Readiness to learn is influenced by the patient's emotional
state, physical condition, and cognitive abilities. A patient who is anxious,
depressed, or in pain may not be ready to learn new information.
A patient with chronic illness is experiencing an exacerbation. Which nursing
intervention is a priority?
A) Assess the patient and implement interventions to manage the acute
episode
B) Wait for the patient to recover on their own
C) Discontinue all medications
D) Refer the patient to a specialist
Answer: A) Assess the patient and implement interventions to manage the
acute episode
Rationale: During an exacerbation, the nurse should conduct a thorough
assessment and implement appropriate interventions to manage the
acute episode and prevent complications.
A nurse is teaching a patient about the importance of social support in
chronic illness management. Which statement indicates understanding?
A) "I should handle everything on my own."
B) "It's helpful to have family and friends to support me."
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C) "Social support is only for people who are depressed."
D) "I don't need to tell anyone about my illness."
Answer: B) "It's helpful to have family and friends to support me."
Rationale: Social support from family, friends, and support groups is
important for coping with chronic illness, managing stress, and improving
outcomes.
A patient with chronic pain is learning self-management strategies. Which
strategy should the nurse recommend?
A) Focusing only on pharmacological interventions
B) Using relaxation techniques and pacing activities
C) Avoiding all physical activity
D) Increasing medication doses without consulting the provider
Answer: B) Using relaxation techniques and pacing activities
Rationale: Self-management of chronic pain includes non-
pharmacological strategies such as relaxation techniques, activity
pacing, and cognitive-behavioral strategies in addition to medications.
The nurse is caring for a patient with a chronic illness who is non-adherent to
their treatment regimen. What is the most appropriate initial nursing action?
A) Blame the patient for non-adherence
B) Explore barriers to adherence
C) Discharge the patient from the practice
D) Increase the medication dose
Answer: B) Explore barriers to adherence
Rationale: The nurse should use a non-judgmental approach to explore
barriers to adherence (cost, side effects, lack of understanding) and
provide support, education, and resources to improve adherence.
A patient with chronic kidney disease is being educated about dietary
management. Which instruction should the nurse include?
A) Increase protein intake
B) Limit potassium-rich foods
C) Increase sodium intake
D) Avoid all fluids
GALEN NUR 257 EXAM 2 – CONCEPTS OF AGING &
CHRONIC ILLNESS 2026/2027 COMPLETE (150) CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES.
NUR
Prepare effectively for the Galen NUR 257 Exam 2 with this focused study resource. It
supports review of aging concepts, chronic illness, gerontological nursing, health
promotion, disease management, patient assessment, and nursing interventions. Use
the material to reinforce your understanding, review key topics, and identify areas that
may require additional study. This resource is suited for Galen nursing students, NUR
257 learners, and candidates preparing for Exam 2.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Chronic Illness & Self-Management (Questions 1–20)
A nurse is teaching a patient with a new diagnosis of chronic illness about
self-management. Which statement indicates the patient understands the
concept of self-management?
A) "I will do whatever my doctor tells me to do."
B) "I will be responsible for managing my condition on a daily basis."
C) "I will only need to see my doctor when I have symptoms."
D) "I can stop my medications once I feel better."
Answer: B) "I will be responsible for managing my condition on a daily
basis."
Rationale: Self-management involves the patient taking an active, daily
role in managing their chronic condition, including monitoring symptoms,
adhering to treatment, and making lifestyle changes. It is a collaborative
process between the patient and healthcare team.
A patient with diabetes is struggling with self-management. Which factor is
most likely contributing to poor self-management?
A) Understanding of the disease process
B) Adequate financial resources
, Page 2 of 50
C) Lack of social support
D) Positive attitude toward health
Answer: C) Lack of social support
Rationale: Social support is a critical factor in chronic illness self-
management. Lack of support can lead to poor adherence, increased
stress, and worse health outcomes.
The nurse is teaching a patient about the chronic illness trajectory. Which
statement best describes the trajectory?
A) It follows a predictable, linear path
B) It is characterized by periods of stability and exacerbation
C) It always gets progressively worse
D) It is always completely cured
Answer: B) It is characterized by periods of stability and exacerbation
Rationale: The chronic illness trajectory involves fluctuations in symptom
severity and functional ability, with periods of stability and acute
exacerbations. This unpredictable pattern requires ongoing adaptation
and management.
A patient with chronic heart failure is being educated about daily self-
monitoring. Which instruction is most important?
A) "Weigh yourself daily and report any sudden weight gain."
B) "Check your blood sugar every morning."
C) "Monitor your temperature daily."
D) "Check your blood pressure once a week."
Answer: A) "Weigh yourself daily and report any sudden weight gain."
Rationale: Daily weight monitoring is critical for heart failure patients to
detect fluid retention early. A weight gain of 2-3 pounds in a day or 5
pounds in a week should be reported to the provider.
A patient with COPD is learning self-management strategies. Which of the
following should the nurse include in the teaching?
A) Pursed-lip breathing
B) Increasing physical activity gradually
, Page 3 of 50
C) Avoiding respiratory infections
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Rationale: Self-management for COPD includes pursed-lip breathing to
reduce dyspnea, gradual physical activity to maintain function, and
avoidance of respiratory infections (vaccinations, hand hygiene).
The nurse is assessing a patient's readiness to learn about self-management.
Which factor is most important to assess?
A) The patient's age
B) The patient's emotional state
C) The patient's income
D) The patient's family history
Answer: B) The patient's emotional state
Rationale: Readiness to learn is influenced by the patient's emotional
state, physical condition, and cognitive abilities. A patient who is anxious,
depressed, or in pain may not be ready to learn new information.
A patient with chronic illness is experiencing an exacerbation. Which nursing
intervention is a priority?
A) Assess the patient and implement interventions to manage the acute
episode
B) Wait for the patient to recover on their own
C) Discontinue all medications
D) Refer the patient to a specialist
Answer: A) Assess the patient and implement interventions to manage the
acute episode
Rationale: During an exacerbation, the nurse should conduct a thorough
assessment and implement appropriate interventions to manage the
acute episode and prevent complications.
A nurse is teaching a patient about the importance of social support in
chronic illness management. Which statement indicates understanding?
A) "I should handle everything on my own."
B) "It's helpful to have family and friends to support me."
, Page 4 of 50
C) "Social support is only for people who are depressed."
D) "I don't need to tell anyone about my illness."
Answer: B) "It's helpful to have family and friends to support me."
Rationale: Social support from family, friends, and support groups is
important for coping with chronic illness, managing stress, and improving
outcomes.
A patient with chronic pain is learning self-management strategies. Which
strategy should the nurse recommend?
A) Focusing only on pharmacological interventions
B) Using relaxation techniques and pacing activities
C) Avoiding all physical activity
D) Increasing medication doses without consulting the provider
Answer: B) Using relaxation techniques and pacing activities
Rationale: Self-management of chronic pain includes non-
pharmacological strategies such as relaxation techniques, activity
pacing, and cognitive-behavioral strategies in addition to medications.
The nurse is caring for a patient with a chronic illness who is non-adherent to
their treatment regimen. What is the most appropriate initial nursing action?
A) Blame the patient for non-adherence
B) Explore barriers to adherence
C) Discharge the patient from the practice
D) Increase the medication dose
Answer: B) Explore barriers to adherence
Rationale: The nurse should use a non-judgmental approach to explore
barriers to adherence (cost, side effects, lack of understanding) and
provide support, education, and resources to improve adherence.
A patient with chronic kidney disease is being educated about dietary
management. Which instruction should the nurse include?
A) Increase protein intake
B) Limit potassium-rich foods
C) Increase sodium intake
D) Avoid all fluids
