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NURS660 Hematology Questions with Correct
Answers for Specific Exam Mail
A patient is experiencing shortness of breath, pallor, and dizziness. Do you
suspect an acute or chronic anemia?
Ans: Acute blood loss
Chronic is often asymptomatic until very severe
What does an MCV value tell you? What is a normal value? What would a
low and high value be called?
Ans: the size of the RBC
normal: 80-100
>100: macrocytic (large RBC)
<80: microcyctic (small RBC)
What does an MCHC value tell you? What is a normal value? What would a
low and high value be called?
Ans: the "color" of the RBC or how saturated it is with HGB
Normal: 32-37
high value not a thing
<32: hypochromic (lacking HGB)
What does an RDW value tell you? What is a normal value? What would a
low and high value be called?
Pretest - Stuvia US
,2
Ans: essentially how far apart the RBCs are from each other - the further
apart, the less RBCs, otherwise they would be closer just based on the sheer
volume
ranges about 11-15% but for testing purposes I think it will just say elevated or
low
Describe in what types of infections/scenarios the types of WBCs would be
elevated.
Neutrophil
Lymphocyte
Eosinophils
Monocytes
Basophils
Ans: Neutrophil: first line for bacterial infection
Lymphocyte: first line for viral infection
Eosinophils: allergies, parasitic infections
Monocytes: share function with neutrophils, only elevated in SEVERE infections
Basophils: parasitic, allergic, inflammation
If your CBC comes back abnormal, what is something you can do next?
Ans: add on a peripheral smear if you didn't get one already
Anisocytosis on your peripheral smear is/is not concerning
Pretest - Stuvia US
, 3
Ans: not concerning
normal size variant
Blasts on your peripheral smear is/is not concerning
Ans: Very concerning
blasts = red flag for leukemia, requires an oncology referral
blasts should remain in bone marrow until mature and ready to be released
Smudge cells on peripheral smear are seen with
Ans: CLL
What are the two smear cells you may see on a patient with IDA?
Ans: ovalcyte/elliptocyte OR teardrop cells
Target cells and basophilic stippling on smears are indicative of...
Ans: thalassemia
Spherocytes on smear may indicate
Ans: hemolytic anemia
What is the most common trigger for the bone marrow to produce more
RBCs?
Ans: decrease in o2
Name the normal lab values for these labs
Pretest - Stuvia US
NURS660 Hematology Questions with Correct
Answers for Specific Exam Mail
A patient is experiencing shortness of breath, pallor, and dizziness. Do you
suspect an acute or chronic anemia?
Ans: Acute blood loss
Chronic is often asymptomatic until very severe
What does an MCV value tell you? What is a normal value? What would a
low and high value be called?
Ans: the size of the RBC
normal: 80-100
>100: macrocytic (large RBC)
<80: microcyctic (small RBC)
What does an MCHC value tell you? What is a normal value? What would a
low and high value be called?
Ans: the "color" of the RBC or how saturated it is with HGB
Normal: 32-37
high value not a thing
<32: hypochromic (lacking HGB)
What does an RDW value tell you? What is a normal value? What would a
low and high value be called?
Pretest - Stuvia US
,2
Ans: essentially how far apart the RBCs are from each other - the further
apart, the less RBCs, otherwise they would be closer just based on the sheer
volume
ranges about 11-15% but for testing purposes I think it will just say elevated or
low
Describe in what types of infections/scenarios the types of WBCs would be
elevated.
Neutrophil
Lymphocyte
Eosinophils
Monocytes
Basophils
Ans: Neutrophil: first line for bacterial infection
Lymphocyte: first line for viral infection
Eosinophils: allergies, parasitic infections
Monocytes: share function with neutrophils, only elevated in SEVERE infections
Basophils: parasitic, allergic, inflammation
If your CBC comes back abnormal, what is something you can do next?
Ans: add on a peripheral smear if you didn't get one already
Anisocytosis on your peripheral smear is/is not concerning
Pretest - Stuvia US
, 3
Ans: not concerning
normal size variant
Blasts on your peripheral smear is/is not concerning
Ans: Very concerning
blasts = red flag for leukemia, requires an oncology referral
blasts should remain in bone marrow until mature and ready to be released
Smudge cells on peripheral smear are seen with
Ans: CLL
What are the two smear cells you may see on a patient with IDA?
Ans: ovalcyte/elliptocyte OR teardrop cells
Target cells and basophilic stippling on smears are indicative of...
Ans: thalassemia
Spherocytes on smear may indicate
Ans: hemolytic anemia
What is the most common trigger for the bone marrow to produce more
RBCs?
Ans: decrease in o2
Name the normal lab values for these labs
Pretest - Stuvia US
