,NUR 210 Final Exam Medical-Surgical Nursing II Questions And
Answers 2026/2027 Jersey College
Q1. A patient with suspected Clostridioides difficile infection has
frequent watery stools. Which infection-control measure is most
appropriate?
A) Use contact precautions and wash hands with soap and water after care
B) Use airborne precautions only
C) Place the patient in a positive-pressure room
D) Use sterile gloves for every interaction
Correct Answer: A) Use contact precautions and wash hands with soap and
water after care
Rationale: C. difficile spores are resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizer,
making soap-and-water handwashing important after patient contact.
Q2. A patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis is admitted
with persistent cough, weight loss, night sweats, and hemoptysis.
Which precaution is required?
A) Contact precautions
B) Airborne precautions with appropriate respiratory protection
C) Droplet precautions only
D) Protective isolation
Correct Answer: B) Airborne precautions with appropriate respiratory
protection
Rationale: Pulmonary tuberculosis spreads through airborne particles and
requires airborne infection-isolation precautions.
Q3. A hospitalized patient develops fever, tachycardia, hypotension,
confusion, and elevated lactate in the setting of a known infection.
Which complication should be prioritized?
A) Mild dehydration
B) Localized infection only
C) Sepsis with impaired tissue perfusion
D) Chronic inflammatory disease
Correct Answer: C) Sepsis with impaired tissue perfusion
Rationale: Infection accompanied by circulatory and neurologic dysfunction
can indicate sepsis progressing toward shock.
,Q4. Which action is most important before administering the first
dose of an IV antibiotic when blood cultures have been ordered and
obtaining them will not significantly delay treatment?
A) Give an antipyretic first
B) Encourage ambulation
C) Wait until the fever resolves
D) Obtain the ordered cultures before starting antimicrobial therapy
Correct Answer: D) Obtain the ordered cultures before starting antimicrobial
therapy
Rationale: Cultures obtained before antimicrobial exposure improve the
likelihood of identifying the causative organism.
Q5. Which finding is most concerning in a patient with suspected
meningococcal infection?
A) Rapidly developing petechial or purpuric rash with hypotension
B) Mild nasal congestion
C) Chronic joint pain
D) Stable appetite
Correct Answer: A) Rapidly developing petechial or purpuric rash with
hypotension
Rationale: Purpura with circulatory instability may indicate severe invasive
meningococcal disease and requires immediate treatment.
Q6. A patient with herpes zoster has localized vesicular lesions that
can be completely covered and is immunocompetent. Which
precaution is generally appropriate in addition to standard
precautions?
A) Airborne isolation indefinitely
B) Cover the lesions and follow appropriate contact-related precautions
according to facility policy
C) Positive-pressure isolation
D) No infection-control measures
Correct Answer: B) Cover the lesions and follow appropriate contact-related
precautions according to facility policy
Rationale: Localized zoster can spread through contact with lesions, and
appropriate covering and infection-control practices reduce transmission.
, Q7. Which patient is at greatest risk for developing an opportunistic
infection?
A) An adult with a healed ankle fracture
B) A patient with stable osteoarthritis
C) A patient receiving intensive immunosuppressive therapy with severe
neutropenia
D) A patient with corrected myopia
Correct Answer: C) A patient receiving intensive immunosuppressive therapy
with severe neutropenia
Rationale: Severe suppression of immune defenses greatly increases
susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens.
Q8. A patient receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics develops
frequent watery diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Which action is
most appropriate?
A) Administer an antidiarrheal without assessment
B) Encourage the patient to share a bathroom
C) Stop all fluids
D) Evaluate for antibiotic-associated C. difficile infection
Correct Answer: D) Evaluate for antibiotic-associated C. difficile infection
Rationale: Broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure can disrupt normal intestinal
flora and predispose to C. difficile infection.
Q9. Which finding best indicates improvement after treatment of a
serious bacterial infection?
A) Temperature normalizes, mental status improves, and hemodynamic
stability returns
B) Lactate continues to rise
C) Urine output declines
D) Hypotension worsens
Correct Answer: A) Temperature normalizes, mental status improves, and
hemodynamic stability returns
Rationale: Improvement in systemic signs and organ perfusion suggests
that infection and associated physiologic stress are resolving.
Q10. Which patient should be assessed first?
Answers 2026/2027 Jersey College
Q1. A patient with suspected Clostridioides difficile infection has
frequent watery stools. Which infection-control measure is most
appropriate?
A) Use contact precautions and wash hands with soap and water after care
B) Use airborne precautions only
C) Place the patient in a positive-pressure room
D) Use sterile gloves for every interaction
Correct Answer: A) Use contact precautions and wash hands with soap and
water after care
Rationale: C. difficile spores are resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizer,
making soap-and-water handwashing important after patient contact.
Q2. A patient with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis is admitted
with persistent cough, weight loss, night sweats, and hemoptysis.
Which precaution is required?
A) Contact precautions
B) Airborne precautions with appropriate respiratory protection
C) Droplet precautions only
D) Protective isolation
Correct Answer: B) Airborne precautions with appropriate respiratory
protection
Rationale: Pulmonary tuberculosis spreads through airborne particles and
requires airborne infection-isolation precautions.
Q3. A hospitalized patient develops fever, tachycardia, hypotension,
confusion, and elevated lactate in the setting of a known infection.
Which complication should be prioritized?
A) Mild dehydration
B) Localized infection only
C) Sepsis with impaired tissue perfusion
D) Chronic inflammatory disease
Correct Answer: C) Sepsis with impaired tissue perfusion
Rationale: Infection accompanied by circulatory and neurologic dysfunction
can indicate sepsis progressing toward shock.
,Q4. Which action is most important before administering the first
dose of an IV antibiotic when blood cultures have been ordered and
obtaining them will not significantly delay treatment?
A) Give an antipyretic first
B) Encourage ambulation
C) Wait until the fever resolves
D) Obtain the ordered cultures before starting antimicrobial therapy
Correct Answer: D) Obtain the ordered cultures before starting antimicrobial
therapy
Rationale: Cultures obtained before antimicrobial exposure improve the
likelihood of identifying the causative organism.
Q5. Which finding is most concerning in a patient with suspected
meningococcal infection?
A) Rapidly developing petechial or purpuric rash with hypotension
B) Mild nasal congestion
C) Chronic joint pain
D) Stable appetite
Correct Answer: A) Rapidly developing petechial or purpuric rash with
hypotension
Rationale: Purpura with circulatory instability may indicate severe invasive
meningococcal disease and requires immediate treatment.
Q6. A patient with herpes zoster has localized vesicular lesions that
can be completely covered and is immunocompetent. Which
precaution is generally appropriate in addition to standard
precautions?
A) Airborne isolation indefinitely
B) Cover the lesions and follow appropriate contact-related precautions
according to facility policy
C) Positive-pressure isolation
D) No infection-control measures
Correct Answer: B) Cover the lesions and follow appropriate contact-related
precautions according to facility policy
Rationale: Localized zoster can spread through contact with lesions, and
appropriate covering and infection-control practices reduce transmission.
, Q7. Which patient is at greatest risk for developing an opportunistic
infection?
A) An adult with a healed ankle fracture
B) A patient with stable osteoarthritis
C) A patient receiving intensive immunosuppressive therapy with severe
neutropenia
D) A patient with corrected myopia
Correct Answer: C) A patient receiving intensive immunosuppressive therapy
with severe neutropenia
Rationale: Severe suppression of immune defenses greatly increases
susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens.
Q8. A patient receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics develops
frequent watery diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Which action is
most appropriate?
A) Administer an antidiarrheal without assessment
B) Encourage the patient to share a bathroom
C) Stop all fluids
D) Evaluate for antibiotic-associated C. difficile infection
Correct Answer: D) Evaluate for antibiotic-associated C. difficile infection
Rationale: Broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure can disrupt normal intestinal
flora and predispose to C. difficile infection.
Q9. Which finding best indicates improvement after treatment of a
serious bacterial infection?
A) Temperature normalizes, mental status improves, and hemodynamic
stability returns
B) Lactate continues to rise
C) Urine output declines
D) Hypotension worsens
Correct Answer: A) Temperature normalizes, mental status improves, and
hemodynamic stability returns
Rationale: Improvement in systemic signs and organ perfusion suggests
that infection and associated physiologic stress are resolving.
Q10. Which patient should be assessed first?
