NSG 320 EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALES Q&A INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
49 QUESTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
# TOPIC
1 Apply pathophysiologic and pharmacologic principles to prioritize nursing interventions for acutely ill
adults
2 Analyze laboratory and diagnostic data to detect subtle clinical deterioration and evaluate treatment
response
3 Demonstrate safe medication administration and infection-control practices using current national
standards
4 NSG 320 EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
5 VERIFIED ANSWERS
6 PLUS RATIONALES Q&A INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
7 Foundations of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment
8 Applied Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment
9 Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment
10 Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment Review
ABSTRACT
This study document brings together 49 carefully worded exam questions drawn from NSG 320
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
Q&A INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF, with the strongest emphasis placed on Apply pathophysiologic
and pharmacologic principles to prioritize nursing interventions for acutely ill adults, Analyze
laboratory and diagnostic data to detect subtle clinical deterioration and evaluate treatment
response and Demonstrate safe medication administration and infection-control practices using
current national standards. Every item follows the wording style and level of reasoning you meet in
the real paper, and each one is paired with a clear rationale so the correct choice is never a guess.
Work through the set at your own pace, mark the questions that slow you down, then come back to
them until the reasoning feels automatic. Learners who revise this way walk into the exam room
recognising the pattern behind the questions instead of meeting them for the first time. Keep going
- steady, honest practice is what turns a difficult paper into a comfortable pass.
Page 1
,Q1 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
A patient receiving continuous IV heparin for venous thromboembolism has an
aPTT of 112 seconds (therapeutic range 60-80 seconds) and new hematuria. Which
action should the nurse anticipate implementing first?
A. Administer vitamin K 10 mg IV push
B. Stop the heparin infusion and prepare to administer protamine sulfate CORRECT
C. Continue the infusion and recheck aPTT in 6 hours
D. Transfuse fresh frozen plasma and maintain the current rate
RATIONALE: Supratherapeutic aPTT with bleeding requires immediate cessation of heparin and
reversal with protamine sulfate, which binds heparin directly. Vitamin K reverses warfarin, not
heparin; continuing the infusion worsens bleeding risk; FFP is not first-line for heparin reversal.
Q2 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
Which set of arterial blood gas values is most consistent with a patient who has
been vomiting for 3 days and is now lethargic?
A. pH 7.50, PaCO2 40 mm Hg, HCO3- 32 mEq/L CORRECT
B. pH 7.28, PaCO2 30 mm Hg, HCO3- 18 mEq/L
C. pH 7.32, PaCO2 55 mm Hg, HCO3- 26 mEq/L
D. pH 7.48, PaCO2 30 mm Hg, HCO3- 22 mEq/L
RATIONALE: Prolonged vomiting causes loss of gastric hydrochloric acid, producing metabolic
alkalosis with compensatory hypoventilation; pH is alkalotic with elevated HCO3- and normal
PaCO2. The other options reflect metabolic acidosis, respiratory acidosis, and respiratory
alkalosis, respectively.
Page 2
, Q3 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
A patient with a new colostomy has liquid stool and reports the pouch leaking at
the skin barrier within hours of application. Which action best addresses the
underlying cause?
A. Apply a larger pouch to extend beyond the leak area
B. Change the pouch more frequently without altering technique
C. Measure the stoma and use a skin barrier with a snug, correctly sized opening CORRECT
D. Place gauze over the stoma before applying the pouch
RATIONALE: Leakage most commonly results from an improperly sized barrier opening that
exposes skin to effluent; correct measurement and a snug fit prevent this. A larger pouch or
gauze does not seal the stoma, and simply increasing change frequency does not fix the root
cause.
Q4 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
A patient is prescribed enoxaparin 1 mg/kg subcutaneously every 12 hours. Which
assessment finding requires the nurse to hold the dose and notify the provider?
A. Platelet count decreased from 250,000 to 140,000/mm³ CORRECT
B. Hemoglobin 11.8 g/dL
C. Creatinine clearance 35 mL/min
D. INR 1.1
RATIONALE: A significant platelet drop raises concern for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, a
life-threatening complication requiring dose interruption and provider notification. Mild anemia,
reduced creatinine clearance, and a normal INR do not mandate holding enoxaparin in this
context.
Page 3
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS
RATIONALES Q&A INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
49 QUESTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
# TOPIC
1 Apply pathophysiologic and pharmacologic principles to prioritize nursing interventions for acutely ill
adults
2 Analyze laboratory and diagnostic data to detect subtle clinical deterioration and evaluate treatment
response
3 Demonstrate safe medication administration and infection-control practices using current national
standards
4 NSG 320 EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
5 VERIFIED ANSWERS
6 PLUS RATIONALES Q&A INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
7 Foundations of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment
8 Applied Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment
9 Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment
10 Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, and Clinical Judgment Review
ABSTRACT
This study document brings together 49 carefully worded exam questions drawn from NSG 320
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
Q&A INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF, with the strongest emphasis placed on Apply pathophysiologic
and pharmacologic principles to prioritize nursing interventions for acutely ill adults, Analyze
laboratory and diagnostic data to detect subtle clinical deterioration and evaluate treatment
response and Demonstrate safe medication administration and infection-control practices using
current national standards. Every item follows the wording style and level of reasoning you meet in
the real paper, and each one is paired with a clear rationale so the correct choice is never a guess.
Work through the set at your own pace, mark the questions that slow you down, then come back to
them until the reasoning feels automatic. Learners who revise this way walk into the exam room
recognising the pattern behind the questions instead of meeting them for the first time. Keep going
- steady, honest practice is what turns a difficult paper into a comfortable pass.
Page 1
,Q1 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
A patient receiving continuous IV heparin for venous thromboembolism has an
aPTT of 112 seconds (therapeutic range 60-80 seconds) and new hematuria. Which
action should the nurse anticipate implementing first?
A. Administer vitamin K 10 mg IV push
B. Stop the heparin infusion and prepare to administer protamine sulfate CORRECT
C. Continue the infusion and recheck aPTT in 6 hours
D. Transfuse fresh frozen plasma and maintain the current rate
RATIONALE: Supratherapeutic aPTT with bleeding requires immediate cessation of heparin and
reversal with protamine sulfate, which binds heparin directly. Vitamin K reverses warfarin, not
heparin; continuing the infusion worsens bleeding risk; FFP is not first-line for heparin reversal.
Q2 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
Which set of arterial blood gas values is most consistent with a patient who has
been vomiting for 3 days and is now lethargic?
A. pH 7.50, PaCO2 40 mm Hg, HCO3- 32 mEq/L CORRECT
B. pH 7.28, PaCO2 30 mm Hg, HCO3- 18 mEq/L
C. pH 7.32, PaCO2 55 mm Hg, HCO3- 26 mEq/L
D. pH 7.48, PaCO2 30 mm Hg, HCO3- 22 mEq/L
RATIONALE: Prolonged vomiting causes loss of gastric hydrochloric acid, producing metabolic
alkalosis with compensatory hypoventilation; pH is alkalotic with elevated HCO3- and normal
PaCO2. The other options reflect metabolic acidosis, respiratory acidosis, and respiratory
alkalosis, respectively.
Page 2
, Q3 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
A patient with a new colostomy has liquid stool and reports the pouch leaking at
the skin barrier within hours of application. Which action best addresses the
underlying cause?
A. Apply a larger pouch to extend beyond the leak area
B. Change the pouch more frequently without altering technique
C. Measure the stoma and use a skin barrier with a snug, correctly sized opening CORRECT
D. Place gauze over the stoma before applying the pouch
RATIONALE: Leakage most commonly results from an improperly sized barrier opening that
exposes skin to effluent; correct measurement and a snug fit prevent this. A larger pouch or
gauze does not seal the stoma, and simply increasing change frequency does not fix the root
cause.
Q4 APPLY PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC AND PHARMACOLOGIC PRINCIPLES TO PRIORITIZE
NURSING INTERVENTIONS FOR ACUTELY ILL ADULTS
A patient is prescribed enoxaparin 1 mg/kg subcutaneously every 12 hours. Which
assessment finding requires the nurse to hold the dose and notify the provider?
A. Platelet count decreased from 250,000 to 140,000/mm³ CORRECT
B. Hemoglobin 11.8 g/dL
C. Creatinine clearance 35 mL/min
D. INR 1.1
RATIONALE: A significant platelet drop raises concern for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, a
life-threatening complication requiring dose interruption and provider notification. Mild anemia,
reduced creatinine clearance, and a normal INR do not mandate holding enoxaparin in this
context.
Page 3
