Galen NSG 3280 Exam 1 | Pathophysiology for Nurses I
(2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. A nurse is explaining the focus of pathophysiology to a newly licensed nurse. Which
statement by the newly licensed nurse indicates a 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: It examines the functional changes in the body that result from disease.
Rationale: 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. Option C
describes a psychological or psychosocial aspect of illness. 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 which of the following?
A) Iatrogenic
B) Idiopathic
C) Hereditary
D) Nosocomial
Correct Answer: Idiopathic
,Rationale: Idiopathic refers to a disease with an unknown cause. Iatrogenic is caused by a
medical treatment. Hereditary is genetic in origin. Nosocomial is an infection acquired in a
healthcare setting.
3. While taking a patient's history, the nurse notes that the patient developed a severe
infection following a surgical procedure. The nurse identifies this as what type of disease?
A) Idiopathic
B) Communicable
C) Iatrogenic
D) Nosocomial
Correct Answer: Iatrogenic
Rationale: Iatrogenic conditions are those that result from a medical or surgical treatment,
either as an unintended or unwanted effect.
4. A patient asks, "What exactly is the 'cause' of my high blood pressure?" The nurse's
response will be based on the understanding that the study of the cause of a disease is
known as:
A) Pathogenesis
B) Etiology
C) Epidemiology
D) Morphology
Correct Answer: Etiology
Rationale: Etiology is the study of the causes or reasons for a disease or phenomenon.
,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: The development or evolution of a disease from initial stimulus to its full
expression.
Rationale: Pathogenesis is the sequence of events that occurs in the development of a
disease, from the initial stimulus to the ultimate expression of the manifestations.
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: Symptoms
Rationale: Symptoms are subjective feelings or sensations reported by the patient that
cannot be measured or observed by an outsider, such as nausea, pain, or fatigue.
7. During a physical assessment, the nurse observes that a patient has a fever of 101.5°F.
The nurse documents this as:
A) A symptom
B) A sign
, C) A syndrome
D) A sequela
Correct Answer: A sign
Rationale: Signs are objective or observed manifestations of disease that can be measured
or seen by the nurse, such as a fever, rash, or laboratory result.
8. A patient with a history of heavy smoking presents with chronic cough and difficulty
breathing. A biopsy of the bronchial tissue reveals a change in the epithelial lining from
ciliated columnar cells to stratified squamous epithelium. Which specific type of cellular
adaptation is the pathologist describing?
A) Hyperplasia
B) Metaplasia
C) Dysplasia
D) Anaplasia
Correct Answer: Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia occurs when one mature cell type is replaced by another mature cell
type, often in response to chronic stress or irritation like smoking. While hyperplasia is an
increase in the number of cells, the question describes a change in cell type to better
withstand the new environment.
9. During a lecture on cellular injury, the instructor explains that the cell is exposed to a
stressor but is able to return to its normal state once the stressor is removed. Which stage
of cellular injury is being described?
A) Reversible cell injury
B) Irreversible cell injury
(2026) Actual Q&A PDF
1. A nurse is explaining the focus of pathophysiology to a newly licensed nurse. Which
statement by the newly licensed nurse indicates a 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: It examines the functional changes in the body that result from disease.
Rationale: 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. Option C
describes a psychological or psychosocial aspect of illness. 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 which of the following?
A) Iatrogenic
B) Idiopathic
C) Hereditary
D) Nosocomial
Correct Answer: Idiopathic
,Rationale: Idiopathic refers to a disease with an unknown cause. Iatrogenic is caused by a
medical treatment. Hereditary is genetic in origin. Nosocomial is an infection acquired in a
healthcare setting.
3. While taking a patient's history, the nurse notes that the patient developed a severe
infection following a surgical procedure. The nurse identifies this as what type of disease?
A) Idiopathic
B) Communicable
C) Iatrogenic
D) Nosocomial
Correct Answer: Iatrogenic
Rationale: Iatrogenic conditions are those that result from a medical or surgical treatment,
either as an unintended or unwanted effect.
4. A patient asks, "What exactly is the 'cause' of my high blood pressure?" The nurse's
response will be based on the understanding that the study of the cause of a disease is
known as:
A) Pathogenesis
B) Etiology
C) Epidemiology
D) Morphology
Correct Answer: Etiology
Rationale: Etiology is the study of the causes or reasons for a disease or phenomenon.
,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: The development or evolution of a disease from initial stimulus to its full
expression.
Rationale: Pathogenesis is the sequence of events that occurs in the development of a
disease, from the initial stimulus to the ultimate expression of the manifestations.
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: Symptoms
Rationale: Symptoms are subjective feelings or sensations reported by the patient that
cannot be measured or observed by an outsider, such as nausea, pain, or fatigue.
7. During a physical assessment, the nurse observes that a patient has a fever of 101.5°F.
The nurse documents this as:
A) A symptom
B) A sign
, C) A syndrome
D) A sequela
Correct Answer: A sign
Rationale: Signs are objective or observed manifestations of disease that can be measured
or seen by the nurse, such as a fever, rash, or laboratory result.
8. A patient with a history of heavy smoking presents with chronic cough and difficulty
breathing. A biopsy of the bronchial tissue reveals a change in the epithelial lining from
ciliated columnar cells to stratified squamous epithelium. Which specific type of cellular
adaptation is the pathologist describing?
A) Hyperplasia
B) Metaplasia
C) Dysplasia
D) Anaplasia
Correct Answer: Metaplasia
Rationale: Metaplasia occurs when one mature cell type is replaced by another mature cell
type, often in response to chronic stress or irritation like smoking. While hyperplasia is an
increase in the number of cells, the question describes a change in cell type to better
withstand the new environment.
9. During a lecture on cellular injury, the instructor explains that the cell is exposed to a
stressor but is able to return to its normal state once the stressor is removed. Which stage
of cellular injury is being described?
A) Reversible cell injury
B) Irreversible cell injury
