ATI MED-SURG PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
A nurse in a burn treatment center is caring for a patient who is admitted with severe
burns to both lower extremities & is pending an escharotomy. The patient's spouse asks
the nurse what the procedure entails. Which of the following nursing statements is
appropriate? - Answer-a. "Large incisions will be made in the eschar to improve
circulation"
A nurse is monitoring the fluid replacement of a patient who has sustained burns. Which
of the following fluids is used in the first 24 hours following a burn injury? - Answer-d.
Lactated ringers
A nurse is caring for a patient who has full-thickness burns all over 75% of his body.
Which of the following methods is appropriate to accurately monitor the cardiovascular
system? - Answer-c. Obtain a central venous pressure
A nurse is assessing the depth & extent of a patient who has severe burns to the face,
neck, & upper extremities. Which of the following factors is the first priority when
assessing - Answer-c. Location of the burn
A patient arrives at the ED following an explosion at the chemical plant. He has deep
partial & full-thickness chemical burns over more than 25% of his body surface area.
What is the nurse's priority intervention? - Answer-d. Maintain a patent airway
A nurse is caring for a patient who came the ED reporting chest pain. The provider
suspects a MI. While waiting for the laboratory to report the patient's troponin levels,
patient asks what this blood test will show. What is Troponin? - Answer-c. A heart
muscle protein that appears in the blood when there is damage to the heart
A nurse is assessing a patient who has disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
Which of the following should the nurse expect in the findings? - Answer-d. Increased
clotting factors
A nurse is about to administer warfarin to a patient who has atrial fibrillation. When the
patient asks what this medication will do, which of the following is an appropriate
nursing response? - Answer-d. It prevents strokes in patients who have atrial fibrillation
A nurse in a cardiac care unit is caring for a patient with acute heart failure. Which of the
following findings should the nurse expect? - Answer-b. Elevated central venous
pressure (CVP)
A patient comes into the ED reporting nausea & vomiting that worsens when lying down
& without relief from antacids. The provider suspects acute pancreatitis. Which of the
, following lab test results should the nurse expect to see if the patient has acute
pancreatitis? - Answer-b. Increased serum amylase
A nurse in the ICU is caring for a patient who has acute respiratory distress syndrome &
is receiving mechanical ventilation via an endotracheal tube. The provider plans to
extubate her within the next 24 hour. Which of the following is an important criteria for
extubating the patient? - Answer-b. Adequate tidal volume without manually assisted
breaths
A nurse is caring for a patient following a CT scan with contrast who suffered from an
anaphylactic reaction. Which of the following conditions requires a priority nursing
response? - Answer-b. Stridor
A nurse is caring for a female patient who came in to the ED reporting SOB & pain in
the lung area. Her heart rate is 110/min, respirations 40/min, & blood pressure 140/80
mmHg. Her arterial blood gases are: pH 7.5, PaCO2 29 mmHg, PaO2 60 mmHg, HCO3
20 mEq/L, & SaO2 86%. Which of the following is the priority intervention? - Answer-b.
Administer oxygen via face mask
A nurse is monitoring a patient who has just had a thoracentesis to remove pleural fluid.
Which of the following clinical manifestations indicate a complication that requires
notifying the provider immediately? - Answer-c. Increased heart rate
A group of college students was attending a weekend football rally when one of the
students stumbled & fell into the bonfire. Although several friends quickly intervened,
the patient sustained partial-thickness burns to both lower legs, chest, & both forearms.
Which of the following is priority nursing action when the patient is brought to the ED? -
Answer-b. Inspect mouth for signs of inhalation
A triage nurse in an ED is caring for a patient who has gunshot wound to the right side
of chest. The nurse notices thick dressing on the chest & sucking noise coming from the
wound. The patient has a blood pressure of 100/60 mmHg, weak pulse rate of 118/min,
& respiratory rate of 40/min. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
initially?
a. Raise the foot of bed to 90 degrees - Answer-d. Administer O2 via cannula
A nurse is suctioning the endotracheal tube of a patient who is on a ventilator. The
patient's heart rate increases from 86/min to 110/min & becomes irregular. The nurse
should know that the patient requires which of the following? - Answer-d. Pre-
oxygenation prior to suctioning
A nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving a blood transfusion. The
transfusion started 30 minutes ago at 100 mL/hr. The patient begins to complain of low
back pain, headache & is restless. What is the priority? - Answer-a. Stop transfusion,
disconnect tubing, begin infusion of saline
AND ANSWERS
A nurse in a burn treatment center is caring for a patient who is admitted with severe
burns to both lower extremities & is pending an escharotomy. The patient's spouse asks
the nurse what the procedure entails. Which of the following nursing statements is
appropriate? - Answer-a. "Large incisions will be made in the eschar to improve
circulation"
A nurse is monitoring the fluid replacement of a patient who has sustained burns. Which
of the following fluids is used in the first 24 hours following a burn injury? - Answer-d.
Lactated ringers
A nurse is caring for a patient who has full-thickness burns all over 75% of his body.
Which of the following methods is appropriate to accurately monitor the cardiovascular
system? - Answer-c. Obtain a central venous pressure
A nurse is assessing the depth & extent of a patient who has severe burns to the face,
neck, & upper extremities. Which of the following factors is the first priority when
assessing - Answer-c. Location of the burn
A patient arrives at the ED following an explosion at the chemical plant. He has deep
partial & full-thickness chemical burns over more than 25% of his body surface area.
What is the nurse's priority intervention? - Answer-d. Maintain a patent airway
A nurse is caring for a patient who came the ED reporting chest pain. The provider
suspects a MI. While waiting for the laboratory to report the patient's troponin levels,
patient asks what this blood test will show. What is Troponin? - Answer-c. A heart
muscle protein that appears in the blood when there is damage to the heart
A nurse is assessing a patient who has disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
Which of the following should the nurse expect in the findings? - Answer-d. Increased
clotting factors
A nurse is about to administer warfarin to a patient who has atrial fibrillation. When the
patient asks what this medication will do, which of the following is an appropriate
nursing response? - Answer-d. It prevents strokes in patients who have atrial fibrillation
A nurse in a cardiac care unit is caring for a patient with acute heart failure. Which of the
following findings should the nurse expect? - Answer-b. Elevated central venous
pressure (CVP)
A patient comes into the ED reporting nausea & vomiting that worsens when lying down
& without relief from antacids. The provider suspects acute pancreatitis. Which of the
, following lab test results should the nurse expect to see if the patient has acute
pancreatitis? - Answer-b. Increased serum amylase
A nurse in the ICU is caring for a patient who has acute respiratory distress syndrome &
is receiving mechanical ventilation via an endotracheal tube. The provider plans to
extubate her within the next 24 hour. Which of the following is an important criteria for
extubating the patient? - Answer-b. Adequate tidal volume without manually assisted
breaths
A nurse is caring for a patient following a CT scan with contrast who suffered from an
anaphylactic reaction. Which of the following conditions requires a priority nursing
response? - Answer-b. Stridor
A nurse is caring for a female patient who came in to the ED reporting SOB & pain in
the lung area. Her heart rate is 110/min, respirations 40/min, & blood pressure 140/80
mmHg. Her arterial blood gases are: pH 7.5, PaCO2 29 mmHg, PaO2 60 mmHg, HCO3
20 mEq/L, & SaO2 86%. Which of the following is the priority intervention? - Answer-b.
Administer oxygen via face mask
A nurse is monitoring a patient who has just had a thoracentesis to remove pleural fluid.
Which of the following clinical manifestations indicate a complication that requires
notifying the provider immediately? - Answer-c. Increased heart rate
A group of college students was attending a weekend football rally when one of the
students stumbled & fell into the bonfire. Although several friends quickly intervened,
the patient sustained partial-thickness burns to both lower legs, chest, & both forearms.
Which of the following is priority nursing action when the patient is brought to the ED? -
Answer-b. Inspect mouth for signs of inhalation
A triage nurse in an ED is caring for a patient who has gunshot wound to the right side
of chest. The nurse notices thick dressing on the chest & sucking noise coming from the
wound. The patient has a blood pressure of 100/60 mmHg, weak pulse rate of 118/min,
& respiratory rate of 40/min. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
initially?
a. Raise the foot of bed to 90 degrees - Answer-d. Administer O2 via cannula
A nurse is suctioning the endotracheal tube of a patient who is on a ventilator. The
patient's heart rate increases from 86/min to 110/min & becomes irregular. The nurse
should know that the patient requires which of the following? - Answer-d. Pre-
oxygenation prior to suctioning
A nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving a blood transfusion. The
transfusion started 30 minutes ago at 100 mL/hr. The patient begins to complain of low
back pain, headache & is restless. What is the priority? - Answer-a. Stop transfusion,
disconnect tubing, begin infusion of saline
