ATI-Diabetes Mellitus Exam Questions
and Complete Solutions Graded A+
When instructing a patient regarding a urine study for free cortisol, it is most important for the nurse to
tell the patient to
A. Save the first voided urine in the am.
B. Maintain a high-sodium diet 3 days before collection.
C. Try to avoid stressful situations during the collection period.
D. Complete at least 30 minutes of strenuous exercise before collecting the urine sample. - Answer: C.
Try to avoid stressful situations during the collection period.
A urine study for free cortisol requires a 24-hour urine collection. The patient should be instructed to
avoid stressful situations and excessive physical exercise that could unduly increase cortisol levels. The
patient should also maintain a low-sodium diet before and during the urine collection period.
Which of the following assessment parameters is of highest priority when caring for a patient
undergoing a water deprivation test?
A. Serum glucose
B. Patient weight
C. Arterial blood gases
D. Patient temperature - Answer: B. Patient weight
A patient is at risk for severe dehydration during a water deprivation test. The test should be
discontinued and the patient rehydrated if the patient's weight drops more than 2 kg at any time. The
other assessment parameters do not assess fluid balance.
A patient has sought care because of a loss of 25 lb over the past 6 months, during which the patient
claims to have made no significant dietary changes. The nurse should assess the patient for potential
A. Thyroid disorders.
B. Diabetes insipidus.
C. Pituitary dysfunction.
,D. Parathyroid dysfunction. - Answer: A. Thyroid disorders.
Hyperthyroidism is associated with weight loss. Alterations in pituitary function, such as diabetes
insipidus, and parathyroid dysfunction are not commonly associated with this phenomenon.
The surgeon was unable to save a patient's parathyroid gland during a radical thyroidectomy. The nurse
should consequently pay particular attention to which of the following components of the patient's
laboratory values?
A. Calcium levels
B. Potassium levels
C. Blood glucose levels
D. Sodium and chloride levels - Answer: A. Calcium levels
The parathyroid gland plays a key role in maintaining calcium levels. Potassium, sodium, glucose, and
chloride are not directly influenced by the loss of the parathyroid gland.
A patient's recent medical history is indicative of diabetes insipidus. The nurse would perform patient
education related to which of the following diagnostic tests?
A. Thyroid scan
B. Fasting glucose test
C. Oral glucose tolerance
D. Water deprivation test - Answer: D. Water deprivation test
A water deprivation test is used to diagnose the polyuria that accompanies diabetes insipidus. Glucose
tests and thyroid tests are not directly related to the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.
A 54-year-old patient admitted with type 2 diabetes, asks the nurse what "type 2" means. Which of the
following is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
A. "With type 2 diabetes, the body of the pancreas becomes inflamed."
B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is decreased and insulin resistance is increased."
C. "With type 2 diabetes, the patient is totally dependent on an outside source of insulin."
, D. "With type 2 diabetes, the body produces autoantibodies that destroy b-cells in the pancreas." -
Answer: B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is decreased and insulin resistance is increased."
In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the secretion of insulin by the pancreas is reduced and/or the cells of the
body become resistant to insulin.
The nurse caring for a 54-year-old patient hospitalized with diabetes mellitus would look for which of
the following laboratory test results to obtain information on the patient's past glucose control?
A. Prealbumin level
B. Urine ketone level
C. Fasting glucose level
D. Glycosylated hemoglobin level - Answer: D. Glycosylated hemoglobin level
A glycosylated hemoglobin level detects the amount of glucose that is bound to red blood cells (RBCs).
When circulating glucose levels are high, glucose attaches to the RBCs and remains there for the life of
the blood cell, which is approximately 120 days. Thus the test can give an indication of glycemic control
over approximately 2 to 3 months.
The nurse has been teaching a patient with diabetes how to perform self-monitoring of blood glucose.
During evaluation of the patient's technique, the nurse identifies a need for additional teaching when
the patient does which of the following?
A. Chooses a puncture site in the center of the finger pad
B. Washes hands with soap and water to cleanse the site to be used
C. Warms the finger before puncturing to obtain a drop of blood
D. Tells the nurse that the result of 120 mg/dl indicates good control of diabetes - Answer: A. Chooses a
puncture site in the center of the finger pad
The patient should select a site on the sides of the fingertips, not on the center of the finger pad. This
area contains many nerve endings and would be unnecessarily painful.
The nurse is teaching a 54-year-old patient with diabetes about proper composition of the daily diet. The
nurse explains that the guideline for carbohydrate intake is which of the following?
A. 80% of daily intake
and Complete Solutions Graded A+
When instructing a patient regarding a urine study for free cortisol, it is most important for the nurse to
tell the patient to
A. Save the first voided urine in the am.
B. Maintain a high-sodium diet 3 days before collection.
C. Try to avoid stressful situations during the collection period.
D. Complete at least 30 minutes of strenuous exercise before collecting the urine sample. - Answer: C.
Try to avoid stressful situations during the collection period.
A urine study for free cortisol requires a 24-hour urine collection. The patient should be instructed to
avoid stressful situations and excessive physical exercise that could unduly increase cortisol levels. The
patient should also maintain a low-sodium diet before and during the urine collection period.
Which of the following assessment parameters is of highest priority when caring for a patient
undergoing a water deprivation test?
A. Serum glucose
B. Patient weight
C. Arterial blood gases
D. Patient temperature - Answer: B. Patient weight
A patient is at risk for severe dehydration during a water deprivation test. The test should be
discontinued and the patient rehydrated if the patient's weight drops more than 2 kg at any time. The
other assessment parameters do not assess fluid balance.
A patient has sought care because of a loss of 25 lb over the past 6 months, during which the patient
claims to have made no significant dietary changes. The nurse should assess the patient for potential
A. Thyroid disorders.
B. Diabetes insipidus.
C. Pituitary dysfunction.
,D. Parathyroid dysfunction. - Answer: A. Thyroid disorders.
Hyperthyroidism is associated with weight loss. Alterations in pituitary function, such as diabetes
insipidus, and parathyroid dysfunction are not commonly associated with this phenomenon.
The surgeon was unable to save a patient's parathyroid gland during a radical thyroidectomy. The nurse
should consequently pay particular attention to which of the following components of the patient's
laboratory values?
A. Calcium levels
B. Potassium levels
C. Blood glucose levels
D. Sodium and chloride levels - Answer: A. Calcium levels
The parathyroid gland plays a key role in maintaining calcium levels. Potassium, sodium, glucose, and
chloride are not directly influenced by the loss of the parathyroid gland.
A patient's recent medical history is indicative of diabetes insipidus. The nurse would perform patient
education related to which of the following diagnostic tests?
A. Thyroid scan
B. Fasting glucose test
C. Oral glucose tolerance
D. Water deprivation test - Answer: D. Water deprivation test
A water deprivation test is used to diagnose the polyuria that accompanies diabetes insipidus. Glucose
tests and thyroid tests are not directly related to the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.
A 54-year-old patient admitted with type 2 diabetes, asks the nurse what "type 2" means. Which of the
following is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
A. "With type 2 diabetes, the body of the pancreas becomes inflamed."
B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is decreased and insulin resistance is increased."
C. "With type 2 diabetes, the patient is totally dependent on an outside source of insulin."
, D. "With type 2 diabetes, the body produces autoantibodies that destroy b-cells in the pancreas." -
Answer: B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is decreased and insulin resistance is increased."
In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the secretion of insulin by the pancreas is reduced and/or the cells of the
body become resistant to insulin.
The nurse caring for a 54-year-old patient hospitalized with diabetes mellitus would look for which of
the following laboratory test results to obtain information on the patient's past glucose control?
A. Prealbumin level
B. Urine ketone level
C. Fasting glucose level
D. Glycosylated hemoglobin level - Answer: D. Glycosylated hemoglobin level
A glycosylated hemoglobin level detects the amount of glucose that is bound to red blood cells (RBCs).
When circulating glucose levels are high, glucose attaches to the RBCs and remains there for the life of
the blood cell, which is approximately 120 days. Thus the test can give an indication of glycemic control
over approximately 2 to 3 months.
The nurse has been teaching a patient with diabetes how to perform self-monitoring of blood glucose.
During evaluation of the patient's technique, the nurse identifies a need for additional teaching when
the patient does which of the following?
A. Chooses a puncture site in the center of the finger pad
B. Washes hands with soap and water to cleanse the site to be used
C. Warms the finger before puncturing to obtain a drop of blood
D. Tells the nurse that the result of 120 mg/dl indicates good control of diabetes - Answer: A. Chooses a
puncture site in the center of the finger pad
The patient should select a site on the sides of the fingertips, not on the center of the finger pad. This
area contains many nerve endings and would be unnecessarily painful.
The nurse is teaching a 54-year-old patient with diabetes about proper composition of the daily diet. The
nurse explains that the guideline for carbohydrate intake is which of the following?
A. 80% of daily intake
