MED SURG FINAL EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS MEDICAL-SURGICAL
NURSING STUDY GUIDE AND A+ EXAM
PREP
A nurse is preparing to provide self-care teaching to a client who is 4 days
postoperative following the creation of a colostomy and refuses to look at
the stoma. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a. Postpone any teaching with the client at this time
b. Reinforce the preoperative information with the client
c. Encourage the client to empty the colostomy bag first
d. Ask the client to begin assuming responsibility for self-care of the
colostomy - CORRECT ANSWER-A. Postpone any teaching with the client
at this time---The nurse should postpone any teaching with the client at this
time and should encourage the client to look at and touch the stoma before
continuing to teach about self-care. Refusal to look at the stoma indicates
the client is in the denial stage of grief and might not be able to learn
anything further at this time about self-care of the colostomy.
A nurse is teaching a client with Barrett's esophagus who is scheduled to
undergo an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Which of the following
statements should the nurse include in the teaching?
a. "This procedure is performed to measure the presence of acid in your
esophagus."
,b. "This procedure can determine how well the lower part of your
esophagus works."
c. "This procedure is performed while you are under general anesthesia."
d. "This procedure can determine if you have colon cancer." - CORRECT
ANSWER-B. "This procedure can determine how well the lower part of
your esophagus works."---An EGD is useful in determining the function of
the esophageal lining and the extent of inflammation, potential scarring,
and strictures.
A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing perforation of a peptic
ulcer. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect?
a. Increased blood pressure
b. Decreased heart rate
c. Yellowing of the skin
d. Boardlike abdomen - CORRECT ANSWER-Correct Answer: D.
Boardlike abdomen---The nurse should expect this client who is
experiencing perforation of a peptic ulcer to exhibit manifestations of a
board-like abdomen and severe pain in the abdomen or back that radiates
to the right shoulder. Vomiting of blood and shock can occur if the
perforation causes hemorrhaging.
A nurse in a provider's office is reviewing the medical records of a group of
clients. Which of the following clients is at risk for iron deficiency? (Select
all that apply.)
a. A client who is postmenopausal
b. A client who is a vegetarian
,c. A middle adult male client
d. A client who is pregnant
e. A toddler who is overweight - CORRECT ANSWER-B. A client who is a
vegetarian
D. A client who is pregnant
E. A toddler who is overweight---A client who is a vegetarian might require
additional iron because the availability of iron in vegetable food sources is
limited. During pregnancy, maternal blood volume increases, and the fetus
requires additional iron. Therefore, the RDA of iron for clients who are
pregnant is increased to 27 mg per day. Toddlers who are overweight may
get most of their calories from milk and foods that are not considered
healthy, which increases their risk for iron-deficiency anemia.
A nurse is assessing a client who has an exacerbation of herpes zoster.
Which of the following manifestations of the client's skin should the nurse
expect?
a. Confluent, honey-colored, crusted lesions
b. A large, tender nodule located on a hair follicle
c. Unilateral, localized, nodular skin lesions
d. A fluid-filled vesicular rash in the genital region - CORRECT ANSWER-
C. Unilateral, localized, nodular skin lesions--- Herpes zoster, or shingles,
results from the reactivation of a dormant varicella virus. It is the acute,
unilateral inflammation of the dorsal root ganglion. The infection typically
develops in adults and produces localized vesicular lesions confined to a
dermatome. It produces localized, nodular skin lesions.
A nurse is conducting a home visit for an older adult client who has
diabetes mellitus and takes regular insulin subcutaneously before each
, meal. The client appears disoriented and weak and has slurred speech.
Which of the following conditions should the nurse consider first when
responding to these manifestations?
a. Dementia
b. Hypoglycemia
c. Infection
d. Transient ischemic attack - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Hypoglycemia---
Evidence-based practice indicates the nurse should first check the client for
hypoglycemia by drawing a blood glucose level. A client who has
hypoglycemia can have slurred speech, disorientation, weakness, and
confusion near meal time each day because regular insulin peaks in 2 to 4
hours, causing a drop in the client's blood glucose. Other manifestations of
hypoglycemia include irritability, mental confusion, double vision, hunger,
tachycardia, diaphoresis, and palpitations.
A nurse is teaching a client who has diabetes mellitus about hypoglycemia.
Which of the following manifestations should the nurse include? (Select all
that apply.)
a. Bradycardia
b. Diaphoresis
c. Deep, rapid respirations
d. Palpitations
e. Shakiness - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Diaphoresis
D. Palpitations
E. Shakiness---Diaphoresis, palpitations, and shakiness are sympathetic
nervous system responses to hypoglycemia.
AND ANSWERS MEDICAL-SURGICAL
NURSING STUDY GUIDE AND A+ EXAM
PREP
A nurse is preparing to provide self-care teaching to a client who is 4 days
postoperative following the creation of a colostomy and refuses to look at
the stoma. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a. Postpone any teaching with the client at this time
b. Reinforce the preoperative information with the client
c. Encourage the client to empty the colostomy bag first
d. Ask the client to begin assuming responsibility for self-care of the
colostomy - CORRECT ANSWER-A. Postpone any teaching with the client
at this time---The nurse should postpone any teaching with the client at this
time and should encourage the client to look at and touch the stoma before
continuing to teach about self-care. Refusal to look at the stoma indicates
the client is in the denial stage of grief and might not be able to learn
anything further at this time about self-care of the colostomy.
A nurse is teaching a client with Barrett's esophagus who is scheduled to
undergo an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Which of the following
statements should the nurse include in the teaching?
a. "This procedure is performed to measure the presence of acid in your
esophagus."
,b. "This procedure can determine how well the lower part of your
esophagus works."
c. "This procedure is performed while you are under general anesthesia."
d. "This procedure can determine if you have colon cancer." - CORRECT
ANSWER-B. "This procedure can determine how well the lower part of
your esophagus works."---An EGD is useful in determining the function of
the esophageal lining and the extent of inflammation, potential scarring,
and strictures.
A nurse is assessing a client who is experiencing perforation of a peptic
ulcer. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect?
a. Increased blood pressure
b. Decreased heart rate
c. Yellowing of the skin
d. Boardlike abdomen - CORRECT ANSWER-Correct Answer: D.
Boardlike abdomen---The nurse should expect this client who is
experiencing perforation of a peptic ulcer to exhibit manifestations of a
board-like abdomen and severe pain in the abdomen or back that radiates
to the right shoulder. Vomiting of blood and shock can occur if the
perforation causes hemorrhaging.
A nurse in a provider's office is reviewing the medical records of a group of
clients. Which of the following clients is at risk for iron deficiency? (Select
all that apply.)
a. A client who is postmenopausal
b. A client who is a vegetarian
,c. A middle adult male client
d. A client who is pregnant
e. A toddler who is overweight - CORRECT ANSWER-B. A client who is a
vegetarian
D. A client who is pregnant
E. A toddler who is overweight---A client who is a vegetarian might require
additional iron because the availability of iron in vegetable food sources is
limited. During pregnancy, maternal blood volume increases, and the fetus
requires additional iron. Therefore, the RDA of iron for clients who are
pregnant is increased to 27 mg per day. Toddlers who are overweight may
get most of their calories from milk and foods that are not considered
healthy, which increases their risk for iron-deficiency anemia.
A nurse is assessing a client who has an exacerbation of herpes zoster.
Which of the following manifestations of the client's skin should the nurse
expect?
a. Confluent, honey-colored, crusted lesions
b. A large, tender nodule located on a hair follicle
c. Unilateral, localized, nodular skin lesions
d. A fluid-filled vesicular rash in the genital region - CORRECT ANSWER-
C. Unilateral, localized, nodular skin lesions--- Herpes zoster, or shingles,
results from the reactivation of a dormant varicella virus. It is the acute,
unilateral inflammation of the dorsal root ganglion. The infection typically
develops in adults and produces localized vesicular lesions confined to a
dermatome. It produces localized, nodular skin lesions.
A nurse is conducting a home visit for an older adult client who has
diabetes mellitus and takes regular insulin subcutaneously before each
, meal. The client appears disoriented and weak and has slurred speech.
Which of the following conditions should the nurse consider first when
responding to these manifestations?
a. Dementia
b. Hypoglycemia
c. Infection
d. Transient ischemic attack - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Hypoglycemia---
Evidence-based practice indicates the nurse should first check the client for
hypoglycemia by drawing a blood glucose level. A client who has
hypoglycemia can have slurred speech, disorientation, weakness, and
confusion near meal time each day because regular insulin peaks in 2 to 4
hours, causing a drop in the client's blood glucose. Other manifestations of
hypoglycemia include irritability, mental confusion, double vision, hunger,
tachycardia, diaphoresis, and palpitations.
A nurse is teaching a client who has diabetes mellitus about hypoglycemia.
Which of the following manifestations should the nurse include? (Select all
that apply.)
a. Bradycardia
b. Diaphoresis
c. Deep, rapid respirations
d. Palpitations
e. Shakiness - CORRECT ANSWER-B. Diaphoresis
D. Palpitations
E. Shakiness---Diaphoresis, palpitations, and shakiness are sympathetic
nervous system responses to hypoglycemia.
