GALEN NUR 283 EXAM 3 WITH VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS|| GUARANTEED
PASS|| ALREADY GRADED A+
Section 1: Prioritization and Delegation (Questions 1–40)
1. The charge nurse is assigning patients on a medical-surgical unit. Which
patient should be assigned to the LPN?
A) A patient with newly diagnosed diabetic ketoacidosis on an insulin drip
B) A patient with pneumonia who is hemodynamically stable and requires
scheduled IV antibiotics
C) A patient post-cardiac arrest requiring frequent neurological assessments
D) A patient with an epidural catheter for post-op pain management
Answer: B
Rationale: LPNs can care for stable patients with predictable outcomes and
perform tasks like administering IV antibiotics to stable patients. Unstable
patients, those requiring frequent assessments, or those with complex titratable
drips (insulin, epidurals) require an RN.
2. The nurse is caring for four clients who are 24 hours postoperative.
Which change in condition should the nurse identify as the priority?
A) The client who reports an increased pain level of 8/10 after receiving an
opioid analgesic
B) The client who reports nausea after receiving prescribed antibiotics
C) The client whose dressing has a small amount of new serosanguineous
drainage
D) The client who has voided 200 mL in the last 4 hours
Answer: A
Rationale: Unrelieved or increasing pain after opioids may signal
complications such as hemorrhage, compartment syndrome, or anastomotic
leak. This change from baseline is the most concerning and needs prompt
evaluation.
,3. A nurse is caring for a client after lumbar surgery. Which nursing
intervention is most important in the immediate postoperative period?
A) Encourage the client to ambulate without assistance
B) Provide pain medication as prescribed
C) Monitor for signs of infection
D) Assess for return of bowel sounds
Answer: B
Rationale: Pain management is a priority in the immediate postoperative period
to promote comfort, mobility, and prevent complications such as atelectasis and
DVT. Ambulation without assistance is unsafe immediately after lumbar
surgery.
4. The nurse is delegating tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP).
Which task should the nurse instruct the UAP to perform first?
A) Assist a patient who had a hip replacement to ambulate for the first time
B) Measure fingerstick blood glucose for a patient who had hypoglycemia 30
minutes ago and received glucose
C) Change bed linens for an incontinent patient
D) Measure vital signs for a patient preparing for discharge
Answer: B
Rationale: UAPs can perform basic assessments and glucose monitoring under
RN supervision. A patient who recently had hypoglycemia needs timely glucose
monitoring to evaluate the effect of the glucose infusion. UAPs cannot perform
sterile procedures or first-time ambulation without specialized training.
5. The nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should the nurse assess
first?
A) A client with type 2 diabetes with a pre-meal glucose of 85 mg/dL and post-
meal glucose of 220 mg/dL
B) A client 24 hours post-abdominal surgery whose wound drainage changed
from sanguineous to serosanguineous
C) A client preparing for a colonoscopy whose blood pressure dropped from
128/74 mmHg to 106/60 mmHg
D) A client with acute pancreatitis whose pain remains 7/10 30 minutes after
oral pain medication
Answer: C
Rationale: A significant drop in blood pressure (from 128/74 to 106/60) may
indicate hypovolemia or shock and requires immediate evaluation. Changes in
blood pressure are a key indicator of hemodynamic instability and should be
prioritized under the ABCs framework.
,6. A newly licensed RN is about to administer morning medications. Which
action best demonstrates the transition from "task-focused" (LPN) to
"outcome-focused" (RN) practice?
A) Giving a patient their medications exactly on time
B) Checking the patient’s lab results before administering a potassium
supplement
C) Documenting medication administration immediately after giving the drug
D) Verifying the patient’s name and date of birth before administration
Answer: B
Rationale: The RN role emphasizes clinical judgment and outcome-focused
practice. Checking lab results before administering a potassium supplement
demonstrates synthesis of data to prevent harm (e.g., hyperkalemia), which is a
higher-level nursing function than simply completing a task.
7. The nurse preceptor is teaching a newly hired nurse about legal
principles. Which situation is an example of malpractice?
A) A nurse documents care at the end of the shift instead of in real time
B) A nurse delays administering a routine oral medication by 30 minutes
C) A client who is competent refuses an antidepressant. The nurse dissolves the
medication in food and administers it without the client’s knowledge
D) A nurse forgets to orient a new client to the call-bell system
Answer: C
Rationale: Giving medication against a competent client’s wishes and
disguising it violates autonomy, informed consent, and constitutes battery and
malpractice because harm can result from intentional deception.
8. The nurse has attended a conference on informed consent. It indicates a
correct understanding if the nurse states that informed consent:
A) May be obtained verbally if the client is anxious
B) Can be waived, per facility policy, for urgent medical or surgical treatment if
the client is unconscious
C) Can be signed by a family member even if the client is competent
D) Is not needed if the procedure is minimally invasive
Answer: B
Rationale: Informed consent can be waived in emergency situations when the
client is unconscious and immediate treatment is necessary to preserve life or
health, according to facility policy and state law.
9. A nurse manager is assigning patients on a telemetry unit. Which patient
is most appropriate for the RN to assign to a float LPN from a
rehabilitation unit?
, A) A patient with new-onset atrial fibrillation receiving diltiazem drip
B) A patient with chronic heart failure awaiting discharge and needing
education
C) A patient scheduled for cardioversion in 1 hour
D) A patient with chest pain unrelieved by nitroglycerin
Answer: B
Rationale: A stable chronic heart failure patient awaiting discharge is
appropriate for an LPN, especially one from a rehabilitation background.
Unstable cardiac patients (new-onset afib, pre-procedure, unrelieved chest pain)
require an RN.
10. The nurse is prioritizing care for four clients. Which client should the
nurse see first?
A) A client with COPD whose oxygen saturation is 88% on 2 L nasal cannula
B) A client with a urinary tract infection requesting pain medication
C) A client who is 1 day postoperative and needs a dressing change
D) A client with diabetes who is refusing breakfast
Answer: A
Rationale: An oxygen saturation of 88% indicates hypoxemia and requires
immediate intervention. Airway and breathing take priority over other needs.
11. A nurse is delegating to a UAP. Which task is appropriate to delegate?
A) Assessing a patient’s IV site for phlebitis
B) Teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer
C) Obtaining a blood glucose reading on a stable patient
D) Administering a PRN pain medication
Answer: C
Rationale: Obtaining a blood glucose reading on a stable patient is within the
scope of a UAP under RN supervision. Assessment, teaching, and medication
administration require an RN or LPN according to state practice acts.
12. The nurse is caring for a patient with a new tracheostomy. Which
action should the nurse take first?
A) Suction the tracheostomy
B) Auscultate lung sounds
C) Check the tracheostomy ties
D) Assess the stoma site
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment (auscultating lung sounds) precedes intervention. The
nurse must determine if suctioning is needed based on assessment findings.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS|| GUARANTEED
PASS|| ALREADY GRADED A+
Section 1: Prioritization and Delegation (Questions 1–40)
1. The charge nurse is assigning patients on a medical-surgical unit. Which
patient should be assigned to the LPN?
A) A patient with newly diagnosed diabetic ketoacidosis on an insulin drip
B) A patient with pneumonia who is hemodynamically stable and requires
scheduled IV antibiotics
C) A patient post-cardiac arrest requiring frequent neurological assessments
D) A patient with an epidural catheter for post-op pain management
Answer: B
Rationale: LPNs can care for stable patients with predictable outcomes and
perform tasks like administering IV antibiotics to stable patients. Unstable
patients, those requiring frequent assessments, or those with complex titratable
drips (insulin, epidurals) require an RN.
2. The nurse is caring for four clients who are 24 hours postoperative.
Which change in condition should the nurse identify as the priority?
A) The client who reports an increased pain level of 8/10 after receiving an
opioid analgesic
B) The client who reports nausea after receiving prescribed antibiotics
C) The client whose dressing has a small amount of new serosanguineous
drainage
D) The client who has voided 200 mL in the last 4 hours
Answer: A
Rationale: Unrelieved or increasing pain after opioids may signal
complications such as hemorrhage, compartment syndrome, or anastomotic
leak. This change from baseline is the most concerning and needs prompt
evaluation.
,3. A nurse is caring for a client after lumbar surgery. Which nursing
intervention is most important in the immediate postoperative period?
A) Encourage the client to ambulate without assistance
B) Provide pain medication as prescribed
C) Monitor for signs of infection
D) Assess for return of bowel sounds
Answer: B
Rationale: Pain management is a priority in the immediate postoperative period
to promote comfort, mobility, and prevent complications such as atelectasis and
DVT. Ambulation without assistance is unsafe immediately after lumbar
surgery.
4. The nurse is delegating tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP).
Which task should the nurse instruct the UAP to perform first?
A) Assist a patient who had a hip replacement to ambulate for the first time
B) Measure fingerstick blood glucose for a patient who had hypoglycemia 30
minutes ago and received glucose
C) Change bed linens for an incontinent patient
D) Measure vital signs for a patient preparing for discharge
Answer: B
Rationale: UAPs can perform basic assessments and glucose monitoring under
RN supervision. A patient who recently had hypoglycemia needs timely glucose
monitoring to evaluate the effect of the glucose infusion. UAPs cannot perform
sterile procedures or first-time ambulation without specialized training.
5. The nurse is caring for four clients. Which client should the nurse assess
first?
A) A client with type 2 diabetes with a pre-meal glucose of 85 mg/dL and post-
meal glucose of 220 mg/dL
B) A client 24 hours post-abdominal surgery whose wound drainage changed
from sanguineous to serosanguineous
C) A client preparing for a colonoscopy whose blood pressure dropped from
128/74 mmHg to 106/60 mmHg
D) A client with acute pancreatitis whose pain remains 7/10 30 minutes after
oral pain medication
Answer: C
Rationale: A significant drop in blood pressure (from 128/74 to 106/60) may
indicate hypovolemia or shock and requires immediate evaluation. Changes in
blood pressure are a key indicator of hemodynamic instability and should be
prioritized under the ABCs framework.
,6. A newly licensed RN is about to administer morning medications. Which
action best demonstrates the transition from "task-focused" (LPN) to
"outcome-focused" (RN) practice?
A) Giving a patient their medications exactly on time
B) Checking the patient’s lab results before administering a potassium
supplement
C) Documenting medication administration immediately after giving the drug
D) Verifying the patient’s name and date of birth before administration
Answer: B
Rationale: The RN role emphasizes clinical judgment and outcome-focused
practice. Checking lab results before administering a potassium supplement
demonstrates synthesis of data to prevent harm (e.g., hyperkalemia), which is a
higher-level nursing function than simply completing a task.
7. The nurse preceptor is teaching a newly hired nurse about legal
principles. Which situation is an example of malpractice?
A) A nurse documents care at the end of the shift instead of in real time
B) A nurse delays administering a routine oral medication by 30 minutes
C) A client who is competent refuses an antidepressant. The nurse dissolves the
medication in food and administers it without the client’s knowledge
D) A nurse forgets to orient a new client to the call-bell system
Answer: C
Rationale: Giving medication against a competent client’s wishes and
disguising it violates autonomy, informed consent, and constitutes battery and
malpractice because harm can result from intentional deception.
8. The nurse has attended a conference on informed consent. It indicates a
correct understanding if the nurse states that informed consent:
A) May be obtained verbally if the client is anxious
B) Can be waived, per facility policy, for urgent medical or surgical treatment if
the client is unconscious
C) Can be signed by a family member even if the client is competent
D) Is not needed if the procedure is minimally invasive
Answer: B
Rationale: Informed consent can be waived in emergency situations when the
client is unconscious and immediate treatment is necessary to preserve life or
health, according to facility policy and state law.
9. A nurse manager is assigning patients on a telemetry unit. Which patient
is most appropriate for the RN to assign to a float LPN from a
rehabilitation unit?
, A) A patient with new-onset atrial fibrillation receiving diltiazem drip
B) A patient with chronic heart failure awaiting discharge and needing
education
C) A patient scheduled for cardioversion in 1 hour
D) A patient with chest pain unrelieved by nitroglycerin
Answer: B
Rationale: A stable chronic heart failure patient awaiting discharge is
appropriate for an LPN, especially one from a rehabilitation background.
Unstable cardiac patients (new-onset afib, pre-procedure, unrelieved chest pain)
require an RN.
10. The nurse is prioritizing care for four clients. Which client should the
nurse see first?
A) A client with COPD whose oxygen saturation is 88% on 2 L nasal cannula
B) A client with a urinary tract infection requesting pain medication
C) A client who is 1 day postoperative and needs a dressing change
D) A client with diabetes who is refusing breakfast
Answer: A
Rationale: An oxygen saturation of 88% indicates hypoxemia and requires
immediate intervention. Airway and breathing take priority over other needs.
11. A nurse is delegating to a UAP. Which task is appropriate to delegate?
A) Assessing a patient’s IV site for phlebitis
B) Teaching a patient how to use an incentive spirometer
C) Obtaining a blood glucose reading on a stable patient
D) Administering a PRN pain medication
Answer: C
Rationale: Obtaining a blood glucose reading on a stable patient is within the
scope of a UAP under RN supervision. Assessment, teaching, and medication
administration require an RN or LPN according to state practice acts.
12. The nurse is caring for a patient with a new tracheostomy. Which
action should the nurse take first?
A) Suction the tracheostomy
B) Auscultate lung sounds
C) Check the tracheostomy ties
D) Assess the stoma site
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment (auscultating lung sounds) precedes intervention. The
nurse must determine if suctioning is needed based on assessment findings.
