Med Surg 1 exam question with
correct answers
1. A patient is being admitted to the hospital c)
"What type of surgery are you having and why are you on the day before a scheduled surgery.
having it done?"
What is the most appropriate initial
question for the nurse to ask this
preoperative patient?
a) "What did your surgeon say to you
about the type of surgery you are
having?"
b) "What questions do you have about
your surgery?"
c) "What type of surgery are you having
and why are you having it done?"
d) "What do you know about what will
be done to you?"
,2. A benzodiazepine has been administered a) Anxiety
to a patient preoperatively. After the drug d) Level of
Consciousness has been administered, the nurse plans to e)
Sedation
monitor the patient for which side effects?
Select all that apply.
a)Anxiety
b) Hypotension
c) Hypocalcemia
d) Level of Consciousness
e) Sedation
3.A preoperative patient has an elevated d)
Dehydration hemoglobin and hematocrit. What would
the nurse suspect regarding the
significance of this increased value?
a) Immune deficiency
b) Kidney dysfunction
c) Malignancy
d) Dehydration
4.Which activities should the nurse carry a) Identify potential or actual health
problems. out in the preoperative period for a client b) Verify the presence of a signed
consent form.
scheduled for surgery? Select all that apply. e) Assess effectiveness of teaching related to postoperative
a) Identify potential or actual health
recovery. problems.
b) Verify the presence of a signed
consent form.
c) Assess patient's response to interventions.
d) Intervene to prevent complications.
e)Assess effectiveness of teaching
related to postoperative recovery.
5.A patient having surgery has a degree of b) Involvement of vital organs
risk associated with the surgery. The nurse e) A history of respiratory disease and
diabetes would evaluate which patient-related
factors as contributing to a high degree
of risk associated with surgery? Select
all that apply.
a)Type of institution where
surgery is performed
b) Involvement of vital organs
c) Average nutritional status
d) Low likelihood of
procedure complications
e)A history of respiratory disease
and diabetes
,6.A patient has just entered the a) Vital signs, level of consciousness, presence of
pain postanesthesia care unit (PACU) from
surgery. For which priority needs should
the nurse immediately assess the
postoperative patient?
a)Vital signs, level of
consciousness, presence of pain
b) Skin coloring, surgical incision,
limb movements
c) Skin temperature, blood pressure,
mental status
d) Temperature, emotional status,
wound drainage
7. The nurse in the
postanesthesia care unit a) Pallor or
cyanosis (PACU) is assessing a postoperative patient.
d) Fluid loss
Which indicators suggest to the nurse an e) Decreased urinary
output alteration in tissue perfusion? Select all that
apply.
a) Pallor or cyanosis
b) Difficulty with mobility
c) Pain in the incision area
d) Fluid loss
e) Decreased urinary output
8. After surgery, the nurse encourages the d) Let
the lungs alternatively achieve maximum expansion patient to move from side to side at least
every 2 hours. The patient questions
this activity. How does the nurse
explain the purpose of this
intervention?
a)Assist peristalsis to return more quickly
b) Lessen muscle weakness
c) Increase patient's ability to sleep
d) Let the lungs alternatively
achieve maximum expansion
9. The nurse is creating a plan of care
for a c) Absence of nonverbal signs of pain
postoperative patient. The nursing diagnosis e) Verbally rates pain as 3 on a 1
to 10 scale in acute pain. What would be appropriate
outcomes for this patient? Select all that
apply.
a) Balanced fluid intake and output
b) Seeks help as needed
c) Absence of nonverbal signs of pain
d) Performs leg exercises as instructed
e)Verbally rates pain as 3 on a 1 to 10 scale
, 10. The patient has been in the
c) Detect for possible hemorrhage postanesthesia care unit (PACU) for
one
hour. The patient is now groggy but
able to respond to voice commands.
While assessing the patient, for what
reason would the nurse check the
bedclothes underneath the patient?
a) Determine drainage from tubes or drains
b)Assess for fluid balance
c) Detect for possible hemorrhage
d) Monitor perspiration
11. A 65-
year-old was diagnosed and treated a)
Pleurisy for right lower lobe pneumonia 4 days ago.
Today, the patient came to the ED
reporting abrupt onset of chest pain that
is worse with inspiration. The nurse
knows that the symptoms are
consistent with:
a) Pleurisy
b) Stable angina
c) Bacteremia
d) Meningitis
12. The ED
nurse is caring for Ginny, a 45- c) Panic Attack
year-old female with a recent history of
sexual assault. Ginny came to the ED
crying and shaking and stated that she
had dyspnea, feeling like she was
choking and couldn't breathe, chest
pain, and sweating. Ginny reports that
the symptoms started about 15 minutes
before she came to the ED. Ginny's
symptoms are consistent with:
a) Myocardial Infarction
b) Pneumonia
c) Panic Attack
d) Influenza
13. A 86-year-old female
has recent changes c) Urinary tract
infection in her mental status, reports having no
appetite, and is running a low grade fever.
The nurse suspects:
a) Delirium
b) Dementia
c) Urinary tract infection
d) Hypokalemia
correct answers
1. A patient is being admitted to the hospital c)
"What type of surgery are you having and why are you on the day before a scheduled surgery.
having it done?"
What is the most appropriate initial
question for the nurse to ask this
preoperative patient?
a) "What did your surgeon say to you
about the type of surgery you are
having?"
b) "What questions do you have about
your surgery?"
c) "What type of surgery are you having
and why are you having it done?"
d) "What do you know about what will
be done to you?"
,2. A benzodiazepine has been administered a) Anxiety
to a patient preoperatively. After the drug d) Level of
Consciousness has been administered, the nurse plans to e)
Sedation
monitor the patient for which side effects?
Select all that apply.
a)Anxiety
b) Hypotension
c) Hypocalcemia
d) Level of Consciousness
e) Sedation
3.A preoperative patient has an elevated d)
Dehydration hemoglobin and hematocrit. What would
the nurse suspect regarding the
significance of this increased value?
a) Immune deficiency
b) Kidney dysfunction
c) Malignancy
d) Dehydration
4.Which activities should the nurse carry a) Identify potential or actual health
problems. out in the preoperative period for a client b) Verify the presence of a signed
consent form.
scheduled for surgery? Select all that apply. e) Assess effectiveness of teaching related to postoperative
a) Identify potential or actual health
recovery. problems.
b) Verify the presence of a signed
consent form.
c) Assess patient's response to interventions.
d) Intervene to prevent complications.
e)Assess effectiveness of teaching
related to postoperative recovery.
5.A patient having surgery has a degree of b) Involvement of vital organs
risk associated with the surgery. The nurse e) A history of respiratory disease and
diabetes would evaluate which patient-related
factors as contributing to a high degree
of risk associated with surgery? Select
all that apply.
a)Type of institution where
surgery is performed
b) Involvement of vital organs
c) Average nutritional status
d) Low likelihood of
procedure complications
e)A history of respiratory disease
and diabetes
,6.A patient has just entered the a) Vital signs, level of consciousness, presence of
pain postanesthesia care unit (PACU) from
surgery. For which priority needs should
the nurse immediately assess the
postoperative patient?
a)Vital signs, level of
consciousness, presence of pain
b) Skin coloring, surgical incision,
limb movements
c) Skin temperature, blood pressure,
mental status
d) Temperature, emotional status,
wound drainage
7. The nurse in the
postanesthesia care unit a) Pallor or
cyanosis (PACU) is assessing a postoperative patient.
d) Fluid loss
Which indicators suggest to the nurse an e) Decreased urinary
output alteration in tissue perfusion? Select all that
apply.
a) Pallor or cyanosis
b) Difficulty with mobility
c) Pain in the incision area
d) Fluid loss
e) Decreased urinary output
8. After surgery, the nurse encourages the d) Let
the lungs alternatively achieve maximum expansion patient to move from side to side at least
every 2 hours. The patient questions
this activity. How does the nurse
explain the purpose of this
intervention?
a)Assist peristalsis to return more quickly
b) Lessen muscle weakness
c) Increase patient's ability to sleep
d) Let the lungs alternatively
achieve maximum expansion
9. The nurse is creating a plan of care
for a c) Absence of nonverbal signs of pain
postoperative patient. The nursing diagnosis e) Verbally rates pain as 3 on a 1
to 10 scale in acute pain. What would be appropriate
outcomes for this patient? Select all that
apply.
a) Balanced fluid intake and output
b) Seeks help as needed
c) Absence of nonverbal signs of pain
d) Performs leg exercises as instructed
e)Verbally rates pain as 3 on a 1 to 10 scale
, 10. The patient has been in the
c) Detect for possible hemorrhage postanesthesia care unit (PACU) for
one
hour. The patient is now groggy but
able to respond to voice commands.
While assessing the patient, for what
reason would the nurse check the
bedclothes underneath the patient?
a) Determine drainage from tubes or drains
b)Assess for fluid balance
c) Detect for possible hemorrhage
d) Monitor perspiration
11. A 65-
year-old was diagnosed and treated a)
Pleurisy for right lower lobe pneumonia 4 days ago.
Today, the patient came to the ED
reporting abrupt onset of chest pain that
is worse with inspiration. The nurse
knows that the symptoms are
consistent with:
a) Pleurisy
b) Stable angina
c) Bacteremia
d) Meningitis
12. The ED
nurse is caring for Ginny, a 45- c) Panic Attack
year-old female with a recent history of
sexual assault. Ginny came to the ED
crying and shaking and stated that she
had dyspnea, feeling like she was
choking and couldn't breathe, chest
pain, and sweating. Ginny reports that
the symptoms started about 15 minutes
before she came to the ED. Ginny's
symptoms are consistent with:
a) Myocardial Infarction
b) Pneumonia
c) Panic Attack
d) Influenza
13. A 86-year-old female
has recent changes c) Urinary tract
infection in her mental status, reports having no
appetite, and is running a low grade fever.
The nurse suspects:
a) Delirium
b) Dementia
c) Urinary tract infection
d) Hypokalemia
