Medical Surgical Nursing Exam 1
questions with correct answers
A 2-day postoperative patient is receiving 1000 mL normal saline over 10 hours. The patient has an intake of 4
ounces of orange juice, one 8-ounce cup of coffee, 3 cups of water, and 1 cup of tea. This patient has a total
intake of _________ mL over the 12-hour period. - CORRECT ANSWER-2520
A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is the nurse's best first response? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Assess for pain
A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the last 10 hours. What is the nurse's most
appropriate response? - CORRECT ANSWER-Notify the physician.
A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated three times a day. Oral pain medication has
been ordered for the client. What should the nurse do to facilitate ambulation? - CORRECT ANSWER-Mediate 1
hour prior to ambulating the client.
A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing assessment reveals that the client has a
decreased level of consciousness. What should the nurse ask the family about? - CORRECT ANSWER-What
medications the client has taken
A college student is brought into the emergency department with possible frostbite of both feet after losing
consciousness in a snow drift while walking home from a party. What actions should the nurse take at this time?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Handle the feet gently.
Elevate the feet to heart level.
Cover the feet with dry sterile gauze.
A community is experiencing an epidemic of chickenpox within school age children. The nurse should realize that
which of the following factors results in a more than 80% infection rate among those exposed? - CORRECT
ANSWER-The causative virus has three modes of transmission.
A family member of a patient in shock says that being in shock should not be that critical because it can be
treated. What should the nurse explain about the major body damage caused by shock? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Inadequate oxygen delivered to cells
A high school football player suffered an injury while playing and is brought to the emergency room. The primary
survey shows an alert patient with patent airway, breathing, a carotid pulse, and skin color within normal limits.
The patient reports, "I can't flex my foot or point my toes." On which area should the nurse expect diagnostic
tests to focus for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-The lower back
A nurse is wearing a fit-tested, high-efficiency particulate air respirator when entering the room of a patient. For
which patient is the nurse preparing to provide care? - CORRECT ANSWER-A 36-year-old with tuberculosis
, A patient diagnosed with hypovolemic shock has an estimated blood loss of 500 mL, 250 mL of emesis, and 250
mL of insensible water losses. The health care provider prescribes the patient to receive 3 mL of 0.9% normal
saline via IV infusion to replace each mL of fluid loss to be infused over 24 hours. How many mL of the fluid
should the patient receive each hour? Calculate to the nearest whole number. - CORRECT ANSWER-125
A patient experiencing painful back spasms plans to stop taking prescribed pain medication and resume weekly
massage therapy sessions. How should the nurse respond to this patient's plan? - CORRECT ANSWER-
"Massage therapy should be used in addition to the pain medication."
A patient has an epidural catheter placed for pain control. Which medications should the nurse question before
providing them to the patient during routine medication administration?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Aspirin 325 mg by mouth once a day
Warfarin (Coumadin) 2.5 mg by mouth every evening
A patient has been receiving 10 mg morphine IV every 4 to 6 hours for postoperative pain. At discharge, the
patient rates the pain as a 4 on a 0-10 scale. On a prescription to be given to the patient at discharge, the
physician has written morphine 10 mg by mouth four times a day as needed. What should the nurse do first? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Contact the physician regarding the prescription.
A patient is being released from the hospital with a prescription for tetracycline. What should the nurse include in
patient teaching?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Advise limiting exposure to the sun.
Inform patient of the possibility of gastrointestinal upset.
Suggest eating crackers and some juice when taking this medicine.
A patient is being treated for anaphylactic shock caused by a hornet sting. What should the nurse ensure occurs
before the patient is discharged? - CORRECT ANSWER-Receive a prescription for epinephrine auto-injector.
A patient is demonstrating manifestations of an opioid overdose. Which drug should the nurse expect to be
prescribed for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Naloxone (Narcan)
A patient is diagnosed with a type of cancer that affects the skin and urinary system. What term should the nurse
use to describe this type of cancer? - CORRECT ANSWER-Carcinoma
A patient is diagnosed with an illness caused by a prion. The nurse should plan patient care for which diseases
process? - CORRECT ANSWER-Creutzfeldt-Jakob syndrome
A patient is diagnosed with an infection that has spread to the blood stream. Which term should the nurse use to
document this patient's health problem? - CORRECT ANSWER-Sepsis
A patient is diagnosed with conjunctivitis. The nurse should explain that the patient was infected via which
mechanism? - CORRECT ANSWER-Vehicle-borne
A patient is diagnosed with distributive shock. What should the nurse explain to the family as the cause of this
type of shock? - CORRECT ANSWER-Excessive dilation of venules and arterioles
A patient is diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. What should the nurse explain as the method by
which this disease was transmitted to the patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Ticks
A patient is diagnosed with shingles. What organism should the nurse explain as causing this health problem in
the patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Varicella zoster
A patient is diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus. Epstein-Barr put the patient at increased risk for which type of
cancer? - CORRECT ANSWER-Lymphoma
A patient is diagnosed with the most common type of distributive shock. For which type of shock should the nurse
assist in planning care for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Septic shock
A patient is experiencing a drop in blood pressure. What should the nurse expect to assess in this patient?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Epinephrine is released.
questions with correct answers
A 2-day postoperative patient is receiving 1000 mL normal saline over 10 hours. The patient has an intake of 4
ounces of orange juice, one 8-ounce cup of coffee, 3 cups of water, and 1 cup of tea. This patient has a total
intake of _________ mL over the 12-hour period. - CORRECT ANSWER-2520
A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is the nurse's best first response? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Assess for pain
A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the last 10 hours. What is the nurse's most
appropriate response? - CORRECT ANSWER-Notify the physician.
A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated three times a day. Oral pain medication has
been ordered for the client. What should the nurse do to facilitate ambulation? - CORRECT ANSWER-Mediate 1
hour prior to ambulating the client.
A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing assessment reveals that the client has a
decreased level of consciousness. What should the nurse ask the family about? - CORRECT ANSWER-What
medications the client has taken
A college student is brought into the emergency department with possible frostbite of both feet after losing
consciousness in a snow drift while walking home from a party. What actions should the nurse take at this time?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Handle the feet gently.
Elevate the feet to heart level.
Cover the feet with dry sterile gauze.
A community is experiencing an epidemic of chickenpox within school age children. The nurse should realize that
which of the following factors results in a more than 80% infection rate among those exposed? - CORRECT
ANSWER-The causative virus has three modes of transmission.
A family member of a patient in shock says that being in shock should not be that critical because it can be
treated. What should the nurse explain about the major body damage caused by shock? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Inadequate oxygen delivered to cells
A high school football player suffered an injury while playing and is brought to the emergency room. The primary
survey shows an alert patient with patent airway, breathing, a carotid pulse, and skin color within normal limits.
The patient reports, "I can't flex my foot or point my toes." On which area should the nurse expect diagnostic
tests to focus for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-The lower back
A nurse is wearing a fit-tested, high-efficiency particulate air respirator when entering the room of a patient. For
which patient is the nurse preparing to provide care? - CORRECT ANSWER-A 36-year-old with tuberculosis
, A patient diagnosed with hypovolemic shock has an estimated blood loss of 500 mL, 250 mL of emesis, and 250
mL of insensible water losses. The health care provider prescribes the patient to receive 3 mL of 0.9% normal
saline via IV infusion to replace each mL of fluid loss to be infused over 24 hours. How many mL of the fluid
should the patient receive each hour? Calculate to the nearest whole number. - CORRECT ANSWER-125
A patient experiencing painful back spasms plans to stop taking prescribed pain medication and resume weekly
massage therapy sessions. How should the nurse respond to this patient's plan? - CORRECT ANSWER-
"Massage therapy should be used in addition to the pain medication."
A patient has an epidural catheter placed for pain control. Which medications should the nurse question before
providing them to the patient during routine medication administration?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Aspirin 325 mg by mouth once a day
Warfarin (Coumadin) 2.5 mg by mouth every evening
A patient has been receiving 10 mg morphine IV every 4 to 6 hours for postoperative pain. At discharge, the
patient rates the pain as a 4 on a 0-10 scale. On a prescription to be given to the patient at discharge, the
physician has written morphine 10 mg by mouth four times a day as needed. What should the nurse do first? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Contact the physician regarding the prescription.
A patient is being released from the hospital with a prescription for tetracycline. What should the nurse include in
patient teaching?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Advise limiting exposure to the sun.
Inform patient of the possibility of gastrointestinal upset.
Suggest eating crackers and some juice when taking this medicine.
A patient is being treated for anaphylactic shock caused by a hornet sting. What should the nurse ensure occurs
before the patient is discharged? - CORRECT ANSWER-Receive a prescription for epinephrine auto-injector.
A patient is demonstrating manifestations of an opioid overdose. Which drug should the nurse expect to be
prescribed for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Naloxone (Narcan)
A patient is diagnosed with a type of cancer that affects the skin and urinary system. What term should the nurse
use to describe this type of cancer? - CORRECT ANSWER-Carcinoma
A patient is diagnosed with an illness caused by a prion. The nurse should plan patient care for which diseases
process? - CORRECT ANSWER-Creutzfeldt-Jakob syndrome
A patient is diagnosed with an infection that has spread to the blood stream. Which term should the nurse use to
document this patient's health problem? - CORRECT ANSWER-Sepsis
A patient is diagnosed with conjunctivitis. The nurse should explain that the patient was infected via which
mechanism? - CORRECT ANSWER-Vehicle-borne
A patient is diagnosed with distributive shock. What should the nurse explain to the family as the cause of this
type of shock? - CORRECT ANSWER-Excessive dilation of venules and arterioles
A patient is diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. What should the nurse explain as the method by
which this disease was transmitted to the patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Ticks
A patient is diagnosed with shingles. What organism should the nurse explain as causing this health problem in
the patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Varicella zoster
A patient is diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus. Epstein-Barr put the patient at increased risk for which type of
cancer? - CORRECT ANSWER-Lymphoma
A patient is diagnosed with the most common type of distributive shock. For which type of shock should the nurse
assist in planning care for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-Septic shock
A patient is experiencing a drop in blood pressure. What should the nurse expect to assess in this patient?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWER-Epinephrine is released.
