Exam 1 NSG 3280 Pathophysiology for Nurses – Exam 1
Review (2026/2027 Update) Pathophysiology for Nurses I |
Review Questions and Answers | Grade A | 100% Correct
(Verified Solutions) Instant pdf - Galen
Based on the search results and the course syllabus, Exam 1 focuses on fundamental
pathophysiology concepts, including cellular adaptation and injury, homeostasis and
stress response, genetics, and the foundational framework of disease processes. Below is
a comprehensive practice exam with verified answers and detailed rationales.
Section 1: Foundational Concepts & Cellular Adaptation
1. A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about pathophysiology. Which
statement by the newly licensed nurse indicates correct understanding?
A) "Pathophysiology is the study of the structure of the human body."
B) "It examines the functional changes in the body that result from disease."
C) "It is primarily concerned with the psychological response to illness."
D) "Pathophysiology focuses on the appropriate pharmacological treatments for
diseases."
Correct Answer: B
Pathophysiology is the study of the underlying functional changes in the body that occur
as a result of a disease process or injury. Option A describes anatomy, and option D
describes pharmacology .
,2. A patient is diagnosed with a disease for which the cause remains unknown. The
nurse correctly documents this disease as:
A) Iatrogenic
B) Idiopathic
C) Hereditary
D) Nosocomial
Correct Answer: B
Idiopathic refers to a disease with an unknown cause. Iatrogenic conditions result from
medical treatment, hereditary conditions are genetic in origin, and nosocomial infections
are acquired in healthcare settings .
3. A patient developed a severe infection following a surgical procedure. The nurse
identifies this type of disease as:
A) Idiopathic
B) Communicable
C) Iatrogenic
D) Congenital
Correct Answer: C
Iatrogenic conditions result from medical or surgical treatment as an unintended or
unwanted effect. The infection developed as a complication of the surgical procedure .
4. The study of the cause of a disease is known as:
A) Pathogenesis
B) Etiology
C) Epidemiology
D) Morphology
Correct Answer: B
Etiology is the study of the causes or reasons for phenomena, identifying causative factors
that provoke disease. Pathogenesis refers to the development of the disease, epidemiology
is the study of disease patterns in populations, and morphology is the study of structure .
,5. Which of the following best describes the concept of "pathogenesis"?
A) The predicted outcome of a disease
B) The number of new cases of a disease in a population
C) The development or evolution of a disease from initial stimulus to its full expression
D) The subjective feelings reported by a patient
Correct Answer: C
Pathogenesis describes the development or evolution of a disease from the initial stimulus
to the ultimate expression of its manifestations. It encompasses the sequence of events
that lead to disease expression .
6. A patient reports feeling "nauseous and tired all the time." The nurse
documents these as:
A) Signs
B) Symptoms
C) Syndromes
D) Sequelae
Correct Answer: B
Symptoms are subjective feelings or sensations reported by the patient that cannot be
measured or observed by an examiner, such as nausea, pain, or fatigue. Signs are
objective, observable manifestations that can be detected by an examiner .
7. During a physical assessment, the nurse observes that a patient has a yellow
discoloration of the skin, which is documented as jaundice. This finding is a:
A) Symptom
B) Sign
C) Risk Factor
D) Prodrome
, Correct Answer: B
Signs are objective, observable, or measurable manifestations of a disease that can be
detected by an examiner, such as jaundice, rash, or fever. This is distinguished from
symptoms, which are subjective .
8. A patient's laboratory results show elevated liver enzymes (AST and ALT). The
nurse understands this indicates:
A) Liver inflammation and injury
B) Kidney dysfunction
C) Pancreatic damage
D) Cardiac ischemia
Correct Answer: A
AST and ALT are enzymes released from damaged hepatocytes, indicating liver injury.
Elevated levels suggest inflammation, necrosis, or cell damage in the liver .
9. The nurse is caring for a patient with chronic hypertension who develops left
ventricular hypertrophy. This cellular adaptation is best described as:
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Metaplasia
D) Atrophy
Correct Answer: B
Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size without an increase in cell number. In hypertension,
the heart works harder against high pressure, causing cardiac muscle cells to enlarge,
which thickens the ventricular wall .
Review (2026/2027 Update) Pathophysiology for Nurses I |
Review Questions and Answers | Grade A | 100% Correct
(Verified Solutions) Instant pdf - Galen
Based on the search results and the course syllabus, Exam 1 focuses on fundamental
pathophysiology concepts, including cellular adaptation and injury, homeostasis and
stress response, genetics, and the foundational framework of disease processes. Below is
a comprehensive practice exam with verified answers and detailed rationales.
Section 1: Foundational Concepts & Cellular Adaptation
1. A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about pathophysiology. Which
statement by the newly licensed nurse indicates correct understanding?
A) "Pathophysiology is the study of the structure of the human body."
B) "It examines the functional changes in the body that result from disease."
C) "It is primarily concerned with the psychological response to illness."
D) "Pathophysiology focuses on the appropriate pharmacological treatments for
diseases."
Correct Answer: B
Pathophysiology is the study of the underlying functional changes in the body that occur
as a result of a disease process or injury. Option A describes anatomy, and option D
describes pharmacology .
,2. A patient is diagnosed with a disease for which the cause remains unknown. The
nurse correctly documents this disease as:
A) Iatrogenic
B) Idiopathic
C) Hereditary
D) Nosocomial
Correct Answer: B
Idiopathic refers to a disease with an unknown cause. Iatrogenic conditions result from
medical treatment, hereditary conditions are genetic in origin, and nosocomial infections
are acquired in healthcare settings .
3. A patient developed a severe infection following a surgical procedure. The nurse
identifies this type of disease as:
A) Idiopathic
B) Communicable
C) Iatrogenic
D) Congenital
Correct Answer: C
Iatrogenic conditions result from medical or surgical treatment as an unintended or
unwanted effect. The infection developed as a complication of the surgical procedure .
4. The study of the cause of a disease is known as:
A) Pathogenesis
B) Etiology
C) Epidemiology
D) Morphology
Correct Answer: B
Etiology is the study of the causes or reasons for phenomena, identifying causative factors
that provoke disease. Pathogenesis refers to the development of the disease, epidemiology
is the study of disease patterns in populations, and morphology is the study of structure .
,5. Which of the following best describes the concept of "pathogenesis"?
A) The predicted outcome of a disease
B) The number of new cases of a disease in a population
C) The development or evolution of a disease from initial stimulus to its full expression
D) The subjective feelings reported by a patient
Correct Answer: C
Pathogenesis describes the development or evolution of a disease from the initial stimulus
to the ultimate expression of its manifestations. It encompasses the sequence of events
that lead to disease expression .
6. A patient reports feeling "nauseous and tired all the time." The nurse
documents these as:
A) Signs
B) Symptoms
C) Syndromes
D) Sequelae
Correct Answer: B
Symptoms are subjective feelings or sensations reported by the patient that cannot be
measured or observed by an examiner, such as nausea, pain, or fatigue. Signs are
objective, observable manifestations that can be detected by an examiner .
7. During a physical assessment, the nurse observes that a patient has a yellow
discoloration of the skin, which is documented as jaundice. This finding is a:
A) Symptom
B) Sign
C) Risk Factor
D) Prodrome
, Correct Answer: B
Signs are objective, observable, or measurable manifestations of a disease that can be
detected by an examiner, such as jaundice, rash, or fever. This is distinguished from
symptoms, which are subjective .
8. A patient's laboratory results show elevated liver enzymes (AST and ALT). The
nurse understands this indicates:
A) Liver inflammation and injury
B) Kidney dysfunction
C) Pancreatic damage
D) Cardiac ischemia
Correct Answer: A
AST and ALT are enzymes released from damaged hepatocytes, indicating liver injury.
Elevated levels suggest inflammation, necrosis, or cell damage in the liver .
9. The nurse is caring for a patient with chronic hypertension who develops left
ventricular hypertrophy. This cellular adaptation is best described as:
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Metaplasia
D) Atrophy
Correct Answer: B
Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size without an increase in cell number. In hypertension,
the heart works harder against high pressure, causing cardiac muscle cells to enlarge,
which thickens the ventricular wall .
