Match symptoms with possible causes: ectopic pregnancy,
gastroenteritis, or appendicitis
Symptom Breakdown
Tachycardia → Seen in ectopic pregnancy (due to blood loss/shock),
appendicitis (systemic infection response), and sometimes in
gastroenteritis if severe dehydration occurs.
Vomiting → Common in all three (ectopic from pain, gastroenteritis
as hallmark, appendicitis often with nausea/vomiting).
Fever → Appendicitis and gastroenteritis (infection/inflammation),
but not typically ectopic pregnancy.
Abdominal pain → Present in all three (location and pattern differ:
unilateral with ectopic, diffuse cramping with gastroenteritis, RLQ with
appendicitis).
Diarrhea → Classic with gastroenteritis, not common in ectopic or
appendicitis.
Nausea → Present in all three (nonspecific symptom but still seen).
o Ectopic Pregnancy: Tachycardia, Vomiting, Abdominal pain,
Nausea
o Gastroenteritis: Tachycardia, Vomiting, Fever, Abdominal pain,
Diarrhea, Nausea
o Appendicitis: Tachycardia, Vomiting, Fever, Abdominal pain,
Nausea
Priorities in the ED
In this acute, pre-op situation the main goals are stabilization:
Fluid volume management (C) → She is vomiting, tachycardic, and
likely at risk for dehydration and hypovolemia.
Relief of acute pain (E) → Severe abdominal pain must be
addressed.
Effective coping with illness-related anxiety (B) → She’s anxious;
emotional support is appropriate.
Infection prevention related to illness (F) → Abdominal process
(likely appendicitis or similar) poses infection/sepsis risk, especially
before surgery.
Key Assessment Findings
o Severe abdominal pain (right lower quadrant)
, o Nausea and vomiting with bile
o Tachycardia, tachypnea
o Anxiety
o Surgery is planned
The client is seizing → nurse eases them to the floor, calls for help, and
monitors them until it stops.
The stem: Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Observe for lacerations to the tongue.
→ Important for assessment after the seizure, but not priority
during/immediately after.
B. Evaluate for evidence of incontinence.
→ Also assessed after seizure activity. Not life-threatening.
C. Observe for prolonged periods of apnea.
→ This is the priority. Airway and breathing always come first
(ABCs). A patient can become hypoxic if apnea persists during or
after a seizure.
D. Document details of the seizure activity.
→ Documentation is important, but it comes after safety and
airway are ensured.
During a pre-op phone call, client says they take “several pills” daily.
Nurse needs to give the best response.
Answer Choices
A. Bring copies of all your prescriptions to your preoperative
appointment.
→ Helpful for documentation, but doesn’t directly address the safety
concern of which meds to continue or stop before surgery.
B. Bring all of your medication containers to your preoperative
appointment.
→ Also useful for med reconciliation, but again, doesn’t prioritize
safety.
C. Discuss with your healthcare provider (HCP) which
medications to take before surgery.
→ This is the best response because certain meds (anticoagulants,
insulin, antihypertensives, etc.) may need to be adjusted or stopped.
Prevents complications during surgery.
D. Obtain a copy of your medication records from your
healthcare provider (HCP).
, → Good for the chart, but again, not addressing the immediate safety
issue.
Client has petechiae and ecchymosis (tiny pinpoint hemorrhages
and bruising).
That points to a bleeding/clotting problem → usually caused by low
platelets (thrombocytopenia).
Options
A. Hemoglobin levels → relates to oxygen carrying capacity/anemia,
not bruising.
B. White blood cell count → relates to infection/immune system, not
bleeding.
C. Red blood cell count → measures anemia/polycythemia, not
bleeding tendency.
D. Platelet count → Best answer! Platelets are directly responsible
for clotting. Low platelets = petechiae & bruising
o Memory trick: Petechiae = Platelets (both start with P).
The nurse is reviewing triage notes. Which findings are cues for a
respiratory problem? (Select all that apply).
Answer Choices
A. Medication compliance → not a respiratory cue.
B. Tightness in the chest → could be respiratory-related, yes.
C. Restlessness ✅ classic sign of hypoxia.
D. Sitting upright ✅ compensatory sign of respiratory distress.
E. Pulse oxygenation of 85% ✅ hypoxemia.
F. Body mass index of 29.2 kg/m² → not directly a respiratory cue
(risk factor, but not acute).
G. Respirations of 28/minute ✅ tachypnea.
H. Heart rate of 99/min → mild tachycardia, but not specifically
diagnostic for respiratory problem.
I. Dyspnea ✅ shortness of breath, respiratory cue.
o Quick NCLEX/HESI trick: Look for ABC (Airway, Breathing,
Circulation) cues first — anything involving O₂ sat, breathing
rate, positioning, or dyspnea is priority.
, For each finding, indicate if it’s consistent with Pneumonia,
Bronchitis, or Asthma Exacerbation.
Assessment Findings
Prolonged expiration → hallmark of asthma exacerbation (air
trapping).
Diaphoresis → often seen in pneumonia (infection, fever, chills,
sweating).
Pleuritic chest pain → classic pneumonia symptom (pain with deep
breaths/coughing).
Dyspnea → present in all three (pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma).
Hypoxemia → present in all three (↓ O₂ from impaired gas
exchange).
Wheezing → most associated with asthma exacerbation but can
also occur in bronchitis.
Tachypnea → present in all three (increased RR to compensate for
impaired oxygenation).
o Correct Chart Fill
Pneumonia → Diaphoresis, Pleuritic chest pain, Dyspnea, Hypoxemia,
Tachypnea
Bronchitis → Dyspnea, Hypoxemia, Wheezing, Tachypnea
Asthma Exacerbation → Prolonged expiration, Dyspnea, Hypoxemia,
Wheezing, Tachypnea
o Quick memory trick:
Asthma = Air trapping + Wheezing
Pneumonia = Infection signs (fever, chills, sweats, pleuritic
pain)
Bronchitis = Inflammation + Wheezing
Client has a history of asthma with multiple hospitalizations for
exacerbations. They’re restless, tachycardic, using accessory muscles,
and wheezing.
The nurse needs to choose the most likely interventions now while
awaiting prescriptions.
Fill-in-the-Blank Statement
The nurse uses a _____ technique to help the client calm down. The
nurse guides the client to perform _____ breathing in an effort to
gastroenteritis, or appendicitis
Symptom Breakdown
Tachycardia → Seen in ectopic pregnancy (due to blood loss/shock),
appendicitis (systemic infection response), and sometimes in
gastroenteritis if severe dehydration occurs.
Vomiting → Common in all three (ectopic from pain, gastroenteritis
as hallmark, appendicitis often with nausea/vomiting).
Fever → Appendicitis and gastroenteritis (infection/inflammation),
but not typically ectopic pregnancy.
Abdominal pain → Present in all three (location and pattern differ:
unilateral with ectopic, diffuse cramping with gastroenteritis, RLQ with
appendicitis).
Diarrhea → Classic with gastroenteritis, not common in ectopic or
appendicitis.
Nausea → Present in all three (nonspecific symptom but still seen).
o Ectopic Pregnancy: Tachycardia, Vomiting, Abdominal pain,
Nausea
o Gastroenteritis: Tachycardia, Vomiting, Fever, Abdominal pain,
Diarrhea, Nausea
o Appendicitis: Tachycardia, Vomiting, Fever, Abdominal pain,
Nausea
Priorities in the ED
In this acute, pre-op situation the main goals are stabilization:
Fluid volume management (C) → She is vomiting, tachycardic, and
likely at risk for dehydration and hypovolemia.
Relief of acute pain (E) → Severe abdominal pain must be
addressed.
Effective coping with illness-related anxiety (B) → She’s anxious;
emotional support is appropriate.
Infection prevention related to illness (F) → Abdominal process
(likely appendicitis or similar) poses infection/sepsis risk, especially
before surgery.
Key Assessment Findings
o Severe abdominal pain (right lower quadrant)
, o Nausea and vomiting with bile
o Tachycardia, tachypnea
o Anxiety
o Surgery is planned
The client is seizing → nurse eases them to the floor, calls for help, and
monitors them until it stops.
The stem: Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
A. Observe for lacerations to the tongue.
→ Important for assessment after the seizure, but not priority
during/immediately after.
B. Evaluate for evidence of incontinence.
→ Also assessed after seizure activity. Not life-threatening.
C. Observe for prolonged periods of apnea.
→ This is the priority. Airway and breathing always come first
(ABCs). A patient can become hypoxic if apnea persists during or
after a seizure.
D. Document details of the seizure activity.
→ Documentation is important, but it comes after safety and
airway are ensured.
During a pre-op phone call, client says they take “several pills” daily.
Nurse needs to give the best response.
Answer Choices
A. Bring copies of all your prescriptions to your preoperative
appointment.
→ Helpful for documentation, but doesn’t directly address the safety
concern of which meds to continue or stop before surgery.
B. Bring all of your medication containers to your preoperative
appointment.
→ Also useful for med reconciliation, but again, doesn’t prioritize
safety.
C. Discuss with your healthcare provider (HCP) which
medications to take before surgery.
→ This is the best response because certain meds (anticoagulants,
insulin, antihypertensives, etc.) may need to be adjusted or stopped.
Prevents complications during surgery.
D. Obtain a copy of your medication records from your
healthcare provider (HCP).
, → Good for the chart, but again, not addressing the immediate safety
issue.
Client has petechiae and ecchymosis (tiny pinpoint hemorrhages
and bruising).
That points to a bleeding/clotting problem → usually caused by low
platelets (thrombocytopenia).
Options
A. Hemoglobin levels → relates to oxygen carrying capacity/anemia,
not bruising.
B. White blood cell count → relates to infection/immune system, not
bleeding.
C. Red blood cell count → measures anemia/polycythemia, not
bleeding tendency.
D. Platelet count → Best answer! Platelets are directly responsible
for clotting. Low platelets = petechiae & bruising
o Memory trick: Petechiae = Platelets (both start with P).
The nurse is reviewing triage notes. Which findings are cues for a
respiratory problem? (Select all that apply).
Answer Choices
A. Medication compliance → not a respiratory cue.
B. Tightness in the chest → could be respiratory-related, yes.
C. Restlessness ✅ classic sign of hypoxia.
D. Sitting upright ✅ compensatory sign of respiratory distress.
E. Pulse oxygenation of 85% ✅ hypoxemia.
F. Body mass index of 29.2 kg/m² → not directly a respiratory cue
(risk factor, but not acute).
G. Respirations of 28/minute ✅ tachypnea.
H. Heart rate of 99/min → mild tachycardia, but not specifically
diagnostic for respiratory problem.
I. Dyspnea ✅ shortness of breath, respiratory cue.
o Quick NCLEX/HESI trick: Look for ABC (Airway, Breathing,
Circulation) cues first — anything involving O₂ sat, breathing
rate, positioning, or dyspnea is priority.
, For each finding, indicate if it’s consistent with Pneumonia,
Bronchitis, or Asthma Exacerbation.
Assessment Findings
Prolonged expiration → hallmark of asthma exacerbation (air
trapping).
Diaphoresis → often seen in pneumonia (infection, fever, chills,
sweating).
Pleuritic chest pain → classic pneumonia symptom (pain with deep
breaths/coughing).
Dyspnea → present in all three (pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma).
Hypoxemia → present in all three (↓ O₂ from impaired gas
exchange).
Wheezing → most associated with asthma exacerbation but can
also occur in bronchitis.
Tachypnea → present in all three (increased RR to compensate for
impaired oxygenation).
o Correct Chart Fill
Pneumonia → Diaphoresis, Pleuritic chest pain, Dyspnea, Hypoxemia,
Tachypnea
Bronchitis → Dyspnea, Hypoxemia, Wheezing, Tachypnea
Asthma Exacerbation → Prolonged expiration, Dyspnea, Hypoxemia,
Wheezing, Tachypnea
o Quick memory trick:
Asthma = Air trapping + Wheezing
Pneumonia = Infection signs (fever, chills, sweats, pleuritic
pain)
Bronchitis = Inflammation + Wheezing
Client has a history of asthma with multiple hospitalizations for
exacerbations. They’re restless, tachycardic, using accessory muscles,
and wheezing.
The nurse needs to choose the most likely interventions now while
awaiting prescriptions.
Fill-in-the-Blank Statement
The nurse uses a _____ technique to help the client calm down. The
nurse guides the client to perform _____ breathing in an effort to
