STUDY GUIDE FOR MED-SURG CHAPTER 50 . WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026

. STUDY GUIDE FOR MED-SURG CHAPTER 50
WITH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2025/2026




1. .A .nurse .is .assessing .a .patient .who .has .been .diagnosed .with .cholecystitis, .and .is
.experiencing .localized .abdominal .pain. .When .assessing .the .characteristics .of .the .patient's

.pain, .the .nurse .should .anticipate .that .it .may .radiate .to .what .region?




A) .Left .upper .chest



B) .Inguinal .region



C) .Neck .or .jaw



D) .Right .shoulder .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Ans: .D



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The .patient .may .have .biliary .colic .with .excruciating .upper .right .abdominal .pain .that
.radiates .to .the .back .or .right .shoulder. .Pain .from .cholecystitis .does .not .typically .radiate .to

.the .left .upper .chest, .inguinal .area, .neck, .or .jaw.




2. .A .55-year-old .man .has .been .newly .diagnosed .with .acute .pancreatitis .and .admitted .to
.the .acute .medical .unit. .How .should .the .nurse .most .likely .explain .the .pathophysiology .of

.this .patient's .health .problem?

,A) ."Toxins .have .accumulated .and .inflamed .your .pancreas."



B) ."Bacteria .likely .migrated .from .your .intestines .and .became .lodged .in .your .pancreas."



C) ."A .virus .that .was .likely .already .present .in .your .body .has .begun .to .attack .your
.pancreatic .cells."




D) ."The .enzymes .that .your .pancreas .produces .have .damaged .the .pancreas .itself." .-
.CORRECT .ANSWER-Ans: .D




Feedback:

Although .the .mechanisms .causing .pancreatitis .are .unknown, .pancreatitis .is .commonly
.described .as .the .autodigestion .of .the .pancreas. .Less .commonly, .toxic .substances .and

.microorganisms .are .implicated .as .the .cause .of .pancreatitis.




3. .A .patient's .assessment .and .diagnostic .testing .are .suggestive .of .acute .pancreatitis.
.When .the .nurse .is .performing .the .health .interview, .what .assessment .questions .address

.likely .etiologic .factors? .Select .all .that .apply.




A) ."How .many .alcoholic .drinks .do .you .typically .consume .in .a .week?"



B) ."Have .you .ever .been .tested .for .diabetes?"



C) ."Have .you .ever .been .diagnosed .with .gallstones?"



D) ."Would .you .say .that .you .eat .a .particularly .high-fat .diet?"



E) ."Does .anyone .in .your .family .have .cystic .fibrosis?" .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Ans: .A, .C



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, Eighty .percent .of .patients .with .acute .pancreatitis .have .biliary .tract .disease .such .as
.gallstones .or .a .history .of .long-term .alcohol .abuse. .Diabetes, .high-fat .consumption, .and

.cystic .fibrosis .are .not .noted .etiologic .factors.




4. .A .patient's .abdominal .ultrasound .indicates .cholelithiasis. .When .the .nurse .is .reviewing
.the .patient's .laboratory .studies, .what .finding .is .most .closely .associated .with .this

.diagnosis?




A) .Increased .bilirubin



B) .Decreased .serum .cholesterol



C) .Increased .blood .urea .nitrogen .(BUN)



D) .Decreased .serum .alkaline .phosphatase .level .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Ans: .A



Feedback:

If .the .flow .of .blood .is .impeded, .bilirubin, .a .pigment .derived .from .the .breakdown .of .red
.blood .cells, .does .not .enter .the .intestines. .As .a .result, .bilirubin .levels .in .the .blood

.increase. .Cholesterol, .BUN, .and .alkaline .phosphatase .levels .are .not .typically .affected.




5. .A .nurse .who .provides .care .in .a .walk-in .clinic .assesses .a .wide .range .of .individuals. .The
.nurse .should .identify .which .of .the .following .patients .as .having .the .highest .risk .for

.chronic .pancreatitis?




A) .A .45-year-old .obese .woman .with .a .high-fat .diet



B) .An .18-year-old .man .who .is .a .weekend .binge .drinker



C) .A .39-year-old .man .with .chronic .alcoholism