BRUNNER & SUDDARTH MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING 16TH
EDITION TEST BANK: 150 HIGH-YIELD MULTIPLE-CHOICE
PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES FOR NCLEX-RN AND
HESI EXAM PREPARATION – COMPREHENSIVE UNIT-BY-UNIT
REVIEW FOR ADVANCED NURSING STUDENTS AND
PROFESSIONALS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit Topic Questions
1 Principles of Nursing Practice & Ethics 1–10
2 Cardiovascular System 11–25
3 Respiratory System 26–40
4 Neurological System 41–55
5 Renal & Urinary System 56–70
6 Gastrointestinal & Hepatic System 71–85
7 Endocrine System 86–100
8 Musculoskeletal System 101–110
9 Integumentary System 111–120
10 Hematology & Oncology 121–130
11 Immune System & Infectious Disease 131–140
,Unit Topic Questions
12 Perioperative Nursing 141–145
13 Fluid, Electrolyte & Acid-Base Balance 146–148
14 Pain Management & Palliative Care 149–150
UNIT 1: PRINCIPLES OF NURSING PRACTICE & ETHICS
🟢 1. A nurse discovers that a colleague has been documenting medication administration without
actually giving the medications. What is the nurse's PRIORITY action?
A. Confront the colleague directly and ask for an explanation
B. Report the observation to the nurse manager or appropriate authority
C. Document the observation in the patient's medical record
D. Ignore the situation as it may be a misunderstanding
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nurses have a professional and ethical obligation to report unsafe or unethical practice.
Reporting to the nurse manager follows the chain of command and protects patient safety. Confronting
the colleague directly is not the priority. Documenting in the patient record is inappropriate. Ignoring
the situation violates the nursing Code of Ethics.
🟢 2. A client refuses a blood transfusion based on religious beliefs. The physician insists the transfusion is
medically necessary. What is the nurse's role?
A. Administer the transfusion because the physician ordered it
B. Advocate for the client's right to refuse treatment
C. Consult the ethics committee immediately
D. Notify the family to override the client's decision
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Competent adults have the legal and ethical right to refuse any medical treatment, including
life-saving treatment. The nurse's role is to advocate for the client's autonomy. The nurse should not
administer treatment against a competent client's wishes. Ethics committee consultation may follow,
but advocacy is the immediate priority.
,🟢 3. Which action by a newly licensed nurse demonstrates an understanding of the scope of nursing
practice?
A. Diagnosing the client with heart failure based on assessment findings
B. Developing a nursing care plan based on nursing diagnoses
C. Prescribing furosemide for a client with fluid overload
D. Determining the medical treatment plan for a post-op client
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nursing practice includes assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and
evaluation. Developing care plans based on nursing diagnoses is within the nurse's scope. Medical
diagnosis and prescribing medications are outside the nurse's scope (unless an advanced practice
nurse). Ordering medications is the physician's or APRN's role.
🟢 4. A nurse is using the nursing process to care for a patient. Which step involves the nurse collecting
subjective and objective data about the patient?
A. Planning
B. Implementation
C. Evaluation
D. Assessment
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Assessment is the first step of the nursing process and involves systematic collection of
subjective data (what the patient reports) and objective data (what the nurse observes or measures) to
form the basis for clinical decision-making.
🟢 5. A nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis for a patient with chronic pain. Which component is
essential when writing a nursing diagnosis?
A. Medical diagnosis
B. Physician's order
C. Laboratory values
D. Problem, etiology, and defining characteristics
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: D
, Rationale: A correctly written nursing diagnosis includes the problem (what is happening), the etiology
(related to/cause), and defining characteristics (evidence/signs and symptoms), following the PES format
used in clinical practice.
🟢 6. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates patient-centered care?
A. Completing all tasks on time
B. Following physician orders without question
C. Including the patient in developing the care plan
D. Administering medications promptly
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Patient-centered care is defined by involving the patient as an active partner in all aspects of
care, including planning. This approach respects autonomy, improves outcomes, and reflects core
principles of modern nursing practice.
🟢 7. A nurse is preparing to teach a newly diagnosed diabetic patient. Which factor should the nurse
assess first before beginning education?
A. The patient's insurance coverage
B. The physician's teaching plan
C. The patient's readiness to learn
D. Available educational materials
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Readiness to learn is the most critical factor in patient education. A patient who is in pain,
anxious, or in denial will not retain information effectively. Assessing readiness ensures that teaching is
timely and effective.
🟢 8. A nurse applies evidence-based practice (EBP) when making clinical decisions. Which action
demonstrates EBP?
A. Following hospital policy without question
B. Using personal experience only
C. Integrating best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences
D. Relying on physician instructions alone
EDITION TEST BANK: 150 HIGH-YIELD MULTIPLE-CHOICE
PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES FOR NCLEX-RN AND
HESI EXAM PREPARATION – COMPREHENSIVE UNIT-BY-UNIT
REVIEW FOR ADVANCED NURSING STUDENTS AND
PROFESSIONALS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit Topic Questions
1 Principles of Nursing Practice & Ethics 1–10
2 Cardiovascular System 11–25
3 Respiratory System 26–40
4 Neurological System 41–55
5 Renal & Urinary System 56–70
6 Gastrointestinal & Hepatic System 71–85
7 Endocrine System 86–100
8 Musculoskeletal System 101–110
9 Integumentary System 111–120
10 Hematology & Oncology 121–130
11 Immune System & Infectious Disease 131–140
,Unit Topic Questions
12 Perioperative Nursing 141–145
13 Fluid, Electrolyte & Acid-Base Balance 146–148
14 Pain Management & Palliative Care 149–150
UNIT 1: PRINCIPLES OF NURSING PRACTICE & ETHICS
🟢 1. A nurse discovers that a colleague has been documenting medication administration without
actually giving the medications. What is the nurse's PRIORITY action?
A. Confront the colleague directly and ask for an explanation
B. Report the observation to the nurse manager or appropriate authority
C. Document the observation in the patient's medical record
D. Ignore the situation as it may be a misunderstanding
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nurses have a professional and ethical obligation to report unsafe or unethical practice.
Reporting to the nurse manager follows the chain of command and protects patient safety. Confronting
the colleague directly is not the priority. Documenting in the patient record is inappropriate. Ignoring
the situation violates the nursing Code of Ethics.
🟢 2. A client refuses a blood transfusion based on religious beliefs. The physician insists the transfusion is
medically necessary. What is the nurse's role?
A. Administer the transfusion because the physician ordered it
B. Advocate for the client's right to refuse treatment
C. Consult the ethics committee immediately
D. Notify the family to override the client's decision
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Competent adults have the legal and ethical right to refuse any medical treatment, including
life-saving treatment. The nurse's role is to advocate for the client's autonomy. The nurse should not
administer treatment against a competent client's wishes. Ethics committee consultation may follow,
but advocacy is the immediate priority.
,🟢 3. Which action by a newly licensed nurse demonstrates an understanding of the scope of nursing
practice?
A. Diagnosing the client with heart failure based on assessment findings
B. Developing a nursing care plan based on nursing diagnoses
C. Prescribing furosemide for a client with fluid overload
D. Determining the medical treatment plan for a post-op client
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Nursing practice includes assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and
evaluation. Developing care plans based on nursing diagnoses is within the nurse's scope. Medical
diagnosis and prescribing medications are outside the nurse's scope (unless an advanced practice
nurse). Ordering medications is the physician's or APRN's role.
🟢 4. A nurse is using the nursing process to care for a patient. Which step involves the nurse collecting
subjective and objective data about the patient?
A. Planning
B. Implementation
C. Evaluation
D. Assessment
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Assessment is the first step of the nursing process and involves systematic collection of
subjective data (what the patient reports) and objective data (what the nurse observes or measures) to
form the basis for clinical decision-making.
🟢 5. A nurse formulates a nursing diagnosis for a patient with chronic pain. Which component is
essential when writing a nursing diagnosis?
A. Medical diagnosis
B. Physician's order
C. Laboratory values
D. Problem, etiology, and defining characteristics
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: D
, Rationale: A correctly written nursing diagnosis includes the problem (what is happening), the etiology
(related to/cause), and defining characteristics (evidence/signs and symptoms), following the PES format
used in clinical practice.
🟢 6. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates patient-centered care?
A. Completing all tasks on time
B. Following physician orders without question
C. Including the patient in developing the care plan
D. Administering medications promptly
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Patient-centered care is defined by involving the patient as an active partner in all aspects of
care, including planning. This approach respects autonomy, improves outcomes, and reflects core
principles of modern nursing practice.
🟢 7. A nurse is preparing to teach a newly diagnosed diabetic patient. Which factor should the nurse
assess first before beginning education?
A. The patient's insurance coverage
B. The physician's teaching plan
C. The patient's readiness to learn
D. Available educational materials
🔴🔴 Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Readiness to learn is the most critical factor in patient education. A patient who is in pain,
anxious, or in denial will not retain information effectively. Assessing readiness ensures that teaching is
timely and effective.
🟢 8. A nurse applies evidence-based practice (EBP) when making clinical decisions. Which action
demonstrates EBP?
A. Following hospital policy without question
B. Using personal experience only
C. Integrating best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences
D. Relying on physician instructions alone
