Swift River - Med-Surg – Scenarios
Questions and Answers Latest Version
Already Passed
A diabetic patient complains of blurred vision and dizziness. What is the nurse’s immediate
priority?
✔✔ Check the patient’s blood glucose level.
A patient with a history of stroke is found coughing while drinking water. What should the nurse
do?
✔✔ Stop the oral intake and perform a swallowing assessment.
A patient with a urinary catheter reports abdominal discomfort and decreased output. What
should the nurse do first?
✔✔ Check for kinks or obstruction in the catheter tubing.
A post-op abdominal surgery patient hasn't passed gas in 3 days. What is the next best action?
✔✔ Encourage ambulation and assess for bowel sounds.
1
,A patient receiving IV potassium reports burning at the site. What should the nurse do?
✔✔ Slow the infusion rate and assess the IV site.
A patient newly diagnosed with hypertension asks why they need to take medication even though
they feel fine. What is the best response?
✔✔ High blood pressure often has no symptoms but can still cause damage.
A patient with COPD is receiving oxygen at 4 L/min via nasal cannula and becomes confused.
What should the nurse do?
✔✔ Reduce the oxygen flow and assess for CO2 retention.
A patient with liver cirrhosis has yellow skin and confusion. What is the nurse’s priority?
✔✔ Assess ammonia levels and notify the provider.
A patient receiving a blood transfusion develops chills and back pain. What is the immediate
action?
✔✔ Stop the transfusion and notify the provider.
2
,A patient with a chest tube has continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber. What does this
indicate?
✔✔ There may be an air leak in the system.
A patient on a PCA pump is overly drowsy with slow respirations. What is the nurse’s priority
action?
✔✔ Stop the PCA pump and notify the provider immediately.
A patient scheduled for surgery has a potassium level of 5.9. What is the nurse’s next step?
✔✔ Notify the provider to evaluate before proceeding with surgery.
A patient recovering from hip replacement surgery reports sudden calf pain. What should the
nurse do first?
✔✔ Assess for signs of deep vein thrombosis and notify the provider.
A post-op patient reports feeling lightheaded and dizzy when standing. What should the nurse
do?
✔✔ Assist the patient back to bed and check orthostatic blood pressure.
3
, A patient receiving diuretics reports leg cramps and fatigue. What lab value should the nurse
check?
✔✔ Potassium level.
A patient with a feeding tube vomits during administration. What is the nurse's first action?
✔✔ Stop the feeding and check for residual volume.
A patient with a new ileostomy is concerned about the frequent output. What should the nurse
explain?
✔✔ Output from an ileostomy is normally liquid and frequent.
A patient post-op is shivering and has a temperature of 102°F. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔ Notify the provider and assess for possible infection.
A patient receiving antibiotics for a wound infection reports watery diarrhea. What should the
nurse consider?
✔✔ The patient may have developed C. difficile infection.
4
Questions and Answers Latest Version
Already Passed
A diabetic patient complains of blurred vision and dizziness. What is the nurse’s immediate
priority?
✔✔ Check the patient’s blood glucose level.
A patient with a history of stroke is found coughing while drinking water. What should the nurse
do?
✔✔ Stop the oral intake and perform a swallowing assessment.
A patient with a urinary catheter reports abdominal discomfort and decreased output. What
should the nurse do first?
✔✔ Check for kinks or obstruction in the catheter tubing.
A post-op abdominal surgery patient hasn't passed gas in 3 days. What is the next best action?
✔✔ Encourage ambulation and assess for bowel sounds.
1
,A patient receiving IV potassium reports burning at the site. What should the nurse do?
✔✔ Slow the infusion rate and assess the IV site.
A patient newly diagnosed with hypertension asks why they need to take medication even though
they feel fine. What is the best response?
✔✔ High blood pressure often has no symptoms but can still cause damage.
A patient with COPD is receiving oxygen at 4 L/min via nasal cannula and becomes confused.
What should the nurse do?
✔✔ Reduce the oxygen flow and assess for CO2 retention.
A patient with liver cirrhosis has yellow skin and confusion. What is the nurse’s priority?
✔✔ Assess ammonia levels and notify the provider.
A patient receiving a blood transfusion develops chills and back pain. What is the immediate
action?
✔✔ Stop the transfusion and notify the provider.
2
,A patient with a chest tube has continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber. What does this
indicate?
✔✔ There may be an air leak in the system.
A patient on a PCA pump is overly drowsy with slow respirations. What is the nurse’s priority
action?
✔✔ Stop the PCA pump and notify the provider immediately.
A patient scheduled for surgery has a potassium level of 5.9. What is the nurse’s next step?
✔✔ Notify the provider to evaluate before proceeding with surgery.
A patient recovering from hip replacement surgery reports sudden calf pain. What should the
nurse do first?
✔✔ Assess for signs of deep vein thrombosis and notify the provider.
A post-op patient reports feeling lightheaded and dizzy when standing. What should the nurse
do?
✔✔ Assist the patient back to bed and check orthostatic blood pressure.
3
, A patient receiving diuretics reports leg cramps and fatigue. What lab value should the nurse
check?
✔✔ Potassium level.
A patient with a feeding tube vomits during administration. What is the nurse's first action?
✔✔ Stop the feeding and check for residual volume.
A patient with a new ileostomy is concerned about the frequent output. What should the nurse
explain?
✔✔ Output from an ileostomy is normally liquid and frequent.
A patient post-op is shivering and has a temperature of 102°F. What should the nurse do first?
✔✔ Notify the provider and assess for possible infection.
A patient receiving antibiotics for a wound infection reports watery diarrhea. What should the
nurse consider?
✔✔ The patient may have developed C. difficile infection.
4
