ATI RN MEDICAL SURGICAL
PRACTICE EXAM FORM A AND B
COMPLETE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES|ALREADY
GRADED A+
ATI MED SURG PROCTORED EXAM 2023-STUDY GUIDE
1. A clinic nurse is caring for a patient who has just been diagnosed with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient asks the nurse what he could have
done to minimize the risk of contracting this disease. What would be the nurse's best
answer?
A) “The most important risk factor for COPD is exposure to occupational toxins.”
B) “The most important risk factor for COPD is inadequate exercise.”
C) “The most important risk factor for COPD is exposure to dust and pollen.”
D) “The most important risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking.”
Ans: D
Feedback:
The most important risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking. Lack of exercise and
exposure to dust and pollen are not risk factors for COPD. Occupational risks are
significant but are far exceeded by smoking.
2. A nurse is creating a health promotion intervention focused on chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD). What should the nurse identify as a complication of
COPD?
A) Lung cancer
B) Cystic fibrosis
C) Respiratory failure
D) Hemothorax
Ans: C
Feedback:
Complications of COPD include respiratory failure, pneumothorax, atelectasis,
pneumonia, and pulmonary hypertension (corpulmonale). Lung cancer, cystic fibrosis,
and hemothorax are not common complications.
, 3. A nurse is caring for a young adult patient whose medical history includes an
alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency. This deficiency predisposes the patient to what health
problem?
A) Pulmonary edema
B) Lobular emphysema
C) Cystic fibrosis (CF)
D) Empyema
Ans: B
Feedback:
A host risk factor for COPD is a deficiency of alpha1-antitrypsin, an enzyme inhibitor
that protects the lung parenchyma from injury. This deficiency predisposes young
patients to rapid development of lobular emphysema even in the absence of smoking.
This deficiency does not influence the patient's risk of pulmonary edema, CF, or
empyema.
4. The nurse is assessing a patient whose respiratory disease in characterized by chronic
hyperinflation of the lungs. What would the nurse most likely assess in this patient?
A) Signs of oxygen toxicity
B) Chronic chest pain
C) A barrel chest
D) Long, thin fingers
Ans: C
Feedback:
In COPD patients with a primary emphysematous component, chronic hyperinflation
leads to the barrel chest thorax configuration. The nurse most likely would not assess
chest pain or long, thin fingers; these are not characteristic of emphysema. The patient
would not show signs of oxygen toxicity unless he or she received excess
supplementary oxygen.
5. A patient with emphysema is experiencing shortness of breath. To relieve this patient's
symptoms, the nurse should assist her into what position?
A) Sitting upright, leaning forward slightly
B) Low Fowler's, with the neck slightly hyperextended
C) Prone
D) Trendelenburg
Ans: A
Feedback:
The typical posture of a person with COPD is to lean forward and use the accessory
muscles of respiration to breathe. Low Fowler's positioning would be less likely to aid
oxygenation. Prone or Trendelenburg positioning would exacerbate shortness of breath.
PRACTICE EXAM FORM A AND B
COMPLETE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES|ALREADY
GRADED A+
ATI MED SURG PROCTORED EXAM 2023-STUDY GUIDE
1. A clinic nurse is caring for a patient who has just been diagnosed with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient asks the nurse what he could have
done to minimize the risk of contracting this disease. What would be the nurse's best
answer?
A) “The most important risk factor for COPD is exposure to occupational toxins.”
B) “The most important risk factor for COPD is inadequate exercise.”
C) “The most important risk factor for COPD is exposure to dust and pollen.”
D) “The most important risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking.”
Ans: D
Feedback:
The most important risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking. Lack of exercise and
exposure to dust and pollen are not risk factors for COPD. Occupational risks are
significant but are far exceeded by smoking.
2. A nurse is creating a health promotion intervention focused on chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD). What should the nurse identify as a complication of
COPD?
A) Lung cancer
B) Cystic fibrosis
C) Respiratory failure
D) Hemothorax
Ans: C
Feedback:
Complications of COPD include respiratory failure, pneumothorax, atelectasis,
pneumonia, and pulmonary hypertension (corpulmonale). Lung cancer, cystic fibrosis,
and hemothorax are not common complications.
, 3. A nurse is caring for a young adult patient whose medical history includes an
alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency. This deficiency predisposes the patient to what health
problem?
A) Pulmonary edema
B) Lobular emphysema
C) Cystic fibrosis (CF)
D) Empyema
Ans: B
Feedback:
A host risk factor for COPD is a deficiency of alpha1-antitrypsin, an enzyme inhibitor
that protects the lung parenchyma from injury. This deficiency predisposes young
patients to rapid development of lobular emphysema even in the absence of smoking.
This deficiency does not influence the patient's risk of pulmonary edema, CF, or
empyema.
4. The nurse is assessing a patient whose respiratory disease in characterized by chronic
hyperinflation of the lungs. What would the nurse most likely assess in this patient?
A) Signs of oxygen toxicity
B) Chronic chest pain
C) A barrel chest
D) Long, thin fingers
Ans: C
Feedback:
In COPD patients with a primary emphysematous component, chronic hyperinflation
leads to the barrel chest thorax configuration. The nurse most likely would not assess
chest pain or long, thin fingers; these are not characteristic of emphysema. The patient
would not show signs of oxygen toxicity unless he or she received excess
supplementary oxygen.
5. A patient with emphysema is experiencing shortness of breath. To relieve this patient's
symptoms, the nurse should assist her into what position?
A) Sitting upright, leaning forward slightly
B) Low Fowler's, with the neck slightly hyperextended
C) Prone
D) Trendelenburg
Ans: A
Feedback:
The typical posture of a person with COPD is to lean forward and use the accessory
muscles of respiration to breathe. Low Fowler's positioning would be less likely to aid
oxygenation. Prone or Trendelenburg positioning would exacerbate shortness of breath.
