,GCN|NSG 3100 Exam 1 | Diagnostic Testing, Elimination &
1. A nurse is reviewing a patient's complete blood count (CBC) results. Which hemoglobin level is
within the normal range for an adult male?
A) 10 g/dL
B) 14 g/dL
C) 18 g/dL
D) 20 g/dL
Correct Answer: 14 g/dL
Rationale: Normal hemoglobin for an adult male is 14–18 g/dL. A level of 14 g/dL falls within this
range. 10 g/dL is below normal and indicates anemia. 18 g/dL is at the upper limit but still within
normal range; however, 14 g/dL is the most clearly normal value. 20 g/dL is elevated and may indicate
polycythemia or dehydration.
2. A nurse is reviewing a female patient's laboratory results. Which hematocrit value is within the
normal range for an adult female?
A) 35%
B) 40%
C) 45%
D) 50%
Correct Answer: 40%
Rationale: Normal hematocrit for an adult female is 37–47%. A value of 40% falls within this range.
35% is below normal and may indicate anemia. 45% is within the normal range as well, but 40% is the
clearest mid-range normal value. 50% is elevated and may indicate polycythemia or dehydration.
3. A nurse is reviewing a patient's complete blood count. Which platelet count would indicate a
critical level requiring immediate intervention?
A) 150,000
,B) 100,000
C) 50,000
D) 8,000
Correct Answer: 8,000
Rationale: Normal platelet count is 150,000–400,000. A platelet count below 10,000 is critical and
places the patient at significant risk for spontaneous bleeding. 150,000 is the lower limit of normal.
100,000 and 50,000 are below normal but not immediately critical.
4. A nurse is reviewing a patient's white blood cell (WBC) count. Which value is within the normal
range?
A) 4,000
B) 7,500
C) 12,000
D) 15,000
Correct Answer: 7,500
Rationale: Normal WBC count is 5,000–10,000. A value of 7,500 falls within this range. 4,000 is below
normal (leukopenia). 12,000 and 15,000 are elevated and may indicate infection (leukocytosis).
5. A nurse notes that a patient's erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is elevated. This finding is most
consistent with which condition?
A) Anemia
B) Infection or inflammation
C) Dehydration
D) Liver disease
Correct Answer: Infection or inflammation
, Rationale: ESR is a nonspecific marker of inflammatory activity. An elevated ESR indicates the
presence of inflammation or infection in the body. Anemia is reflected in hemoglobin and hematocrit
levels. Dehydration affects BUN and creatinine. Liver disease affects liver enzymes and bilirubin.
6. A patient's laboratory results show a BUN of 28 mg/dL and creatinine of 1.0 mg/dL. Which
interpretation by the nurse is most accurate?
A) The patient has normal kidney function
B) The patient has acute kidney injury
C) The patient may be dehydrated
D) The patient has liver failure
Correct Answer: The patient may be dehydrated
Rationale: Normal BUN is 10–20 mg/dL. A BUN of 28 mg/dL is elevated, which may indicate
dehydration, high protein intake, or kidney dysfunction. The creatinine of 1.0 mg/dL is within normal
range (0.5–1.1 for females; 0.6–1.2 for males). Elevated BUN with normal creatinine is suggestive of
prerenal azotemia, often due to dehydration. If both BUN and creatinine were elevated, it would
suggest kidney dysfunction.
7. A nurse is teaching a patient about capillary blood glucose monitoring. Which instruction is correct
regarding the procedure?
A) Use the center of the fingertip for the blood sample
B) Wipe away the first drop of blood and use the second drop
C) Calibrate the meter after obtaining the blood sample
D) Use the thumb for the blood sample
Correct Answer: Wipe away the first drop of blood and use the second drop
Rationale: For capillary blood glucose monitoring, the nurse should use the side of the fingertip (not
the center), wipe away the first drop of blood, and collect the second drop onto the test strip. The
meter should be calibrated before use, not after. The thumb is not the recommended site.
1. A nurse is reviewing a patient's complete blood count (CBC) results. Which hemoglobin level is
within the normal range for an adult male?
A) 10 g/dL
B) 14 g/dL
C) 18 g/dL
D) 20 g/dL
Correct Answer: 14 g/dL
Rationale: Normal hemoglobin for an adult male is 14–18 g/dL. A level of 14 g/dL falls within this
range. 10 g/dL is below normal and indicates anemia. 18 g/dL is at the upper limit but still within
normal range; however, 14 g/dL is the most clearly normal value. 20 g/dL is elevated and may indicate
polycythemia or dehydration.
2. A nurse is reviewing a female patient's laboratory results. Which hematocrit value is within the
normal range for an adult female?
A) 35%
B) 40%
C) 45%
D) 50%
Correct Answer: 40%
Rationale: Normal hematocrit for an adult female is 37–47%. A value of 40% falls within this range.
35% is below normal and may indicate anemia. 45% is within the normal range as well, but 40% is the
clearest mid-range normal value. 50% is elevated and may indicate polycythemia or dehydration.
3. A nurse is reviewing a patient's complete blood count. Which platelet count would indicate a
critical level requiring immediate intervention?
A) 150,000
,B) 100,000
C) 50,000
D) 8,000
Correct Answer: 8,000
Rationale: Normal platelet count is 150,000–400,000. A platelet count below 10,000 is critical and
places the patient at significant risk for spontaneous bleeding. 150,000 is the lower limit of normal.
100,000 and 50,000 are below normal but not immediately critical.
4. A nurse is reviewing a patient's white blood cell (WBC) count. Which value is within the normal
range?
A) 4,000
B) 7,500
C) 12,000
D) 15,000
Correct Answer: 7,500
Rationale: Normal WBC count is 5,000–10,000. A value of 7,500 falls within this range. 4,000 is below
normal (leukopenia). 12,000 and 15,000 are elevated and may indicate infection (leukocytosis).
5. A nurse notes that a patient's erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is elevated. This finding is most
consistent with which condition?
A) Anemia
B) Infection or inflammation
C) Dehydration
D) Liver disease
Correct Answer: Infection or inflammation
, Rationale: ESR is a nonspecific marker of inflammatory activity. An elevated ESR indicates the
presence of inflammation or infection in the body. Anemia is reflected in hemoglobin and hematocrit
levels. Dehydration affects BUN and creatinine. Liver disease affects liver enzymes and bilirubin.
6. A patient's laboratory results show a BUN of 28 mg/dL and creatinine of 1.0 mg/dL. Which
interpretation by the nurse is most accurate?
A) The patient has normal kidney function
B) The patient has acute kidney injury
C) The patient may be dehydrated
D) The patient has liver failure
Correct Answer: The patient may be dehydrated
Rationale: Normal BUN is 10–20 mg/dL. A BUN of 28 mg/dL is elevated, which may indicate
dehydration, high protein intake, or kidney dysfunction. The creatinine of 1.0 mg/dL is within normal
range (0.5–1.1 for females; 0.6–1.2 for males). Elevated BUN with normal creatinine is suggestive of
prerenal azotemia, often due to dehydration. If both BUN and creatinine were elevated, it would
suggest kidney dysfunction.
7. A nurse is teaching a patient about capillary blood glucose monitoring. Which instruction is correct
regarding the procedure?
A) Use the center of the fingertip for the blood sample
B) Wipe away the first drop of blood and use the second drop
C) Calibrate the meter after obtaining the blood sample
D) Use the thumb for the blood sample
Correct Answer: Wipe away the first drop of blood and use the second drop
Rationale: For capillary blood glucose monitoring, the nurse should use the side of the fingertip (not
the center), wipe away the first drop of blood, and collect the second drop onto the test strip. The
meter should be calibrated before use, not after. The thumb is not the recommended site.
