Diabetes management and complications
150 practice questions with answer rationales
COURSE Diabetes management
QUESTIONS 150
PREPARED August 2026
,Diabetes management
Exam Overview
This academic exam resource gives Nursing School a focused 150-question practice set for Diabetes
management. The material is written to support careful review, practical reasoning, and steady
preparation without promotional claims or repeated title wording. Questions use clear professional
language, credible answer choices, and concise rationales that help students understand why one
option is best. The document provides high-quality academic material for independent revision,
classroom reinforcement, and identifying knowledge gaps before assessments. Students should pair it
with course notes, textbooks, instructor guidance, and current academic standards for the strongest
preparation. Each item supports careful review, confident practice, and steady academic.
Question 1: Which test best reflects average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months?
A. Random plasma glucose
B. Hemoglobin A1c
C. Urine ketones
D. Fasting insulin
Answer: B
Rationale: Hemoglobin A1c reflects long-term glycemic control over roughly 8 to 12 weeks.
Question 2: Which symptom is most suggestive of hypoglycemia?
A. Polyuria
B. Warm dry skin
C. Sweating and shakiness
D. Slow wound healing
Answer: C
Rationale: Adrenergic symptoms such as sweating and shakiness are common early signs of low
blood glucose.
Question 3: What does the A1C test measure in diabetes care?
A. Blood glucose at the moment the blood sample is drawn
B. Average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months
C. How much insulin the pancreas releases after a meal
D. The amount of glucose excreted in the urine during the day
Answer: B
Rationale: A1C reflects glucose attached to hemoglobin over the lifespan of red blood cells, so it
estimates longer-term control. A single finger-stick glucose only shows a current value, not an
average.
Page 1 of 42
,Diabetes management
Question 4: A patient with diabetes is NPO for a procedure. Which action should the nurse
anticipate?
A. Give usual mealtime insulin regardless of blood glucose
B. Hold all glucose monitoring until after the procedure
C. Check blood glucose and follow the ordered insulin protocol
D. Encourage a large carbohydrate meal before transport
Answer: C
Rationale: NPO patients still need glucose monitoring and insulin adjustments based on provider
orders.
Question 5: Which food choice is most appropriate for a patient counting carbohydrates?
A. Baked chicken breast
B. Unsweetened tea
C. One slice of whole-wheat bread
D. Steamed broccoli
Answer: C
Rationale: Bread contains a measurable amount of carbohydrate, which can be counted for meal
planning.
Question 6: A patient reports feeling confused and diaphoretic. The blood glucose is 54
mg/dL. What should the nurse do first?
A. Administer oral fast-acting carbohydrate if the patient can swallow
B. Notify the provider and recheck in 1 hour
C. Give long-acting insulin
D. Prepare for immediate discharge
Answer: A
Rationale: For symptomatic hypoglycemia with a safe swallow, rapid carbohydrate is the priority.
Question 7: Which statement about type 1 diabetes is correct?
A. It is caused by insulin resistance alone
B. It requires lifelong insulin replacement
C. It is always managed with diet alone
D. It occurs only in older adults
Answer: B
Rationale: Type 1 diabetes involves little or no endogenous insulin and requires insulin therapy.
Page 2 of 42
, Diabetes management
Question 8: A patient with diabetes is scheduled for a morning colonoscopy and will be
NPO after midnight. Which nursing action is most appropriate regarding the patient's
usual insulin plan?
A. Give the usual morning insulin dose and hold food until after the procedure
B. Hold all insulin until the patient is eating again
C. Anticipate a reduced or held dose of short-acting insulin and monitor glucose closely
D. Give an extra dose of rapid-acting insulin to prevent stress hyperglycemia
Answer: C
Rationale: When oral intake is withheld, the nurse must prevent hypoglycemia by adjusting prandial
insulin and checking blood glucose. Holding all insulin can allow hyperglycemia and ketosis in
insulin-dependent patients.
Question 9: Which finding is most consistent with hyperglycemia in a patient with
diabetes?
A. Tremors and palpitations
B. Cool, clammy skin
C. Polyuria and increased thirst
D. Sudden onset of hunger with confusion
Answer: C
Rationale: Excess glucose in the blood draws water into the urine, causing frequent urination and
thirst. Tremors, clamminess, and sudden confusion are more typical warning signs of hypoglycemia.
Question 10: Which laboratory result is commonly used to diagnose diabetes when
confirmed on a repeat test?
A. Fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher
B. Serum sodium of 126 mEq/L or higher
C. Hemoglobin level below 12 g/dL
D. Urine ketones present after fasting
Answer: A
Rationale: A fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or greater meets a standard diagnostic threshold
when confirmed. Sodium and hemoglobin do not diagnose diabetes, and ketones indicate a
complication rather than the diagnosis itself.
Question 11: Which laboratory finding is most consistent with diabetic ketoacidosis rather
than uncomplicated hyperglycemia?
A. Serum bicarbonate of 14 mEq/L
B. Hemoglobin A1c of 8.4%
Page 3 of 42
150 practice questions with answer rationales
COURSE Diabetes management
QUESTIONS 150
PREPARED August 2026
,Diabetes management
Exam Overview
This academic exam resource gives Nursing School a focused 150-question practice set for Diabetes
management. The material is written to support careful review, practical reasoning, and steady
preparation without promotional claims or repeated title wording. Questions use clear professional
language, credible answer choices, and concise rationales that help students understand why one
option is best. The document provides high-quality academic material for independent revision,
classroom reinforcement, and identifying knowledge gaps before assessments. Students should pair it
with course notes, textbooks, instructor guidance, and current academic standards for the strongest
preparation. Each item supports careful review, confident practice, and steady academic.
Question 1: Which test best reflects average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months?
A. Random plasma glucose
B. Hemoglobin A1c
C. Urine ketones
D. Fasting insulin
Answer: B
Rationale: Hemoglobin A1c reflects long-term glycemic control over roughly 8 to 12 weeks.
Question 2: Which symptom is most suggestive of hypoglycemia?
A. Polyuria
B. Warm dry skin
C. Sweating and shakiness
D. Slow wound healing
Answer: C
Rationale: Adrenergic symptoms such as sweating and shakiness are common early signs of low
blood glucose.
Question 3: What does the A1C test measure in diabetes care?
A. Blood glucose at the moment the blood sample is drawn
B. Average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months
C. How much insulin the pancreas releases after a meal
D. The amount of glucose excreted in the urine during the day
Answer: B
Rationale: A1C reflects glucose attached to hemoglobin over the lifespan of red blood cells, so it
estimates longer-term control. A single finger-stick glucose only shows a current value, not an
average.
Page 1 of 42
,Diabetes management
Question 4: A patient with diabetes is NPO for a procedure. Which action should the nurse
anticipate?
A. Give usual mealtime insulin regardless of blood glucose
B. Hold all glucose monitoring until after the procedure
C. Check blood glucose and follow the ordered insulin protocol
D. Encourage a large carbohydrate meal before transport
Answer: C
Rationale: NPO patients still need glucose monitoring and insulin adjustments based on provider
orders.
Question 5: Which food choice is most appropriate for a patient counting carbohydrates?
A. Baked chicken breast
B. Unsweetened tea
C. One slice of whole-wheat bread
D. Steamed broccoli
Answer: C
Rationale: Bread contains a measurable amount of carbohydrate, which can be counted for meal
planning.
Question 6: A patient reports feeling confused and diaphoretic. The blood glucose is 54
mg/dL. What should the nurse do first?
A. Administer oral fast-acting carbohydrate if the patient can swallow
B. Notify the provider and recheck in 1 hour
C. Give long-acting insulin
D. Prepare for immediate discharge
Answer: A
Rationale: For symptomatic hypoglycemia with a safe swallow, rapid carbohydrate is the priority.
Question 7: Which statement about type 1 diabetes is correct?
A. It is caused by insulin resistance alone
B. It requires lifelong insulin replacement
C. It is always managed with diet alone
D. It occurs only in older adults
Answer: B
Rationale: Type 1 diabetes involves little or no endogenous insulin and requires insulin therapy.
Page 2 of 42
, Diabetes management
Question 8: A patient with diabetes is scheduled for a morning colonoscopy and will be
NPO after midnight. Which nursing action is most appropriate regarding the patient's
usual insulin plan?
A. Give the usual morning insulin dose and hold food until after the procedure
B. Hold all insulin until the patient is eating again
C. Anticipate a reduced or held dose of short-acting insulin and monitor glucose closely
D. Give an extra dose of rapid-acting insulin to prevent stress hyperglycemia
Answer: C
Rationale: When oral intake is withheld, the nurse must prevent hypoglycemia by adjusting prandial
insulin and checking blood glucose. Holding all insulin can allow hyperglycemia and ketosis in
insulin-dependent patients.
Question 9: Which finding is most consistent with hyperglycemia in a patient with
diabetes?
A. Tremors and palpitations
B. Cool, clammy skin
C. Polyuria and increased thirst
D. Sudden onset of hunger with confusion
Answer: C
Rationale: Excess glucose in the blood draws water into the urine, causing frequent urination and
thirst. Tremors, clamminess, and sudden confusion are more typical warning signs of hypoglycemia.
Question 10: Which laboratory result is commonly used to diagnose diabetes when
confirmed on a repeat test?
A. Fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher
B. Serum sodium of 126 mEq/L or higher
C. Hemoglobin level below 12 g/dL
D. Urine ketones present after fasting
Answer: A
Rationale: A fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or greater meets a standard diagnostic threshold
when confirmed. Sodium and hemoglobin do not diagnose diabetes, and ketones indicate a
complication rather than the diagnosis itself.
Question 11: Which laboratory finding is most consistent with diabetic ketoacidosis rather
than uncomplicated hyperglycemia?
A. Serum bicarbonate of 14 mEq/L
B. Hemoglobin A1c of 8.4%
Page 3 of 42
