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PN MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING FINAL
EXAM DEWIT 3RD EDITION QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
The home health nurse is caring for a patient with congestive
heart failure (CHF). Which assessment finding should the nurse
report immediately to the physician?
A. Moderate shortness of breath after walking down the hall.
B. A 3 pound weight gain over the course of a week.
C. Heart rate of 104 beats/min after ambulating to the
bathroom.
D. Increase urinary output to 50 mL in the last hour. - correct
answer- Answer:
A. Shortness of breath after walking down the hall.
The nurse is caring for a patient with C. difficile infection. Which
action is most important for the nurse to take?
A. Only use alcohol-based hand cleanser for hand hygiene.
B. Always wear an impervious mask.
C. Don proper eye protection before providing care.
D. Put the patient on contact plus isolation. - correct answer-
Answer:
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D. Put the patient on contact plus isolation
The nurse is caring for a patient with general sepsis. Which
finding should first alert the nurse to a potential complication
that warrants immediate attention?
A. Increased lethargy
B. Sudden coughing
C. Elevated blood pressure
D. Cloudy urine - correct answer- Answer:
A. Increased lethargy
The nurse is teaching a patient about the purpose of his
telemetry. Which statement indicates the nurse's teaching has
been successful?
A. "I will need to stay in bed when the monitor is reading my
heart waves."
B. "This test will help determine if I have a blockage in my
arteries."
C. "If there is a problem with my heart valves, it will show up
with telemetry."
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D. "The nurses will be able to monitor my heart rate and
rhythm." - correct answer- Answer:
D. The nurses will be able to monitor my heart rate and rhythm.
The nurse is working in a trauma unit and is accidentally stuck
with an IV needle following venipuncture of the patient. What is
the nurses first action?
A. Immediately begin taking the two- to three-drug regimen.
B. Report the stick to the charge nurse immediately so follow-
up can be initiated.
C. Wash the punctured area with soap and water.
D. Complete an incident report so immediate testing of the
patient and nurse can begin. - correct answer- Answer:
C. Wash the punctured area with soap and water.
The nurse is caring for a post-myocardial infarction (MI) patient
who has been started on daily simvastatin (Zocor) and a low-fat
diet. Which statement best indicates the nurse's teaching has
been successful?
A. "I will need to have blood work every month while taking
Zocor."
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B. "I should take Zocor with grapefruit juice to help absorption."
C. " I should call my doctor if I experience unexplained muscle
pain."
D. "I should take Zocor an hour before my biggest meal of the
day." - correct answer- Answer:
C. "I should call my doctor if I experience unexplained muscle
pain."
Which area is the major focus of Healthy People 2020 and the
primary mechanism through which to improve the health of
Americans in the second decade of the century?
A. Research funding
B. Health information distribution
C. Healthy lifestyle encouragement
D. Health improvement program designs - correct answer-
Answer:
C. Healthy lifestyle encouragement
A 79-year-old patient with bacterial pneumonia becomes
increasingly restless, confused, and agitated. The patient's
temperature is 100 F, and his pulse, blood pressure, and
respirations are elevated since the last assessment 6 hours
ago. What action should the nurse take first?
PN MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING FINAL
EXAM DEWIT 3RD EDITION QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
The home health nurse is caring for a patient with congestive
heart failure (CHF). Which assessment finding should the nurse
report immediately to the physician?
A. Moderate shortness of breath after walking down the hall.
B. A 3 pound weight gain over the course of a week.
C. Heart rate of 104 beats/min after ambulating to the
bathroom.
D. Increase urinary output to 50 mL in the last hour. - correct
answer- Answer:
A. Shortness of breath after walking down the hall.
The nurse is caring for a patient with C. difficile infection. Which
action is most important for the nurse to take?
A. Only use alcohol-based hand cleanser for hand hygiene.
B. Always wear an impervious mask.
C. Don proper eye protection before providing care.
D. Put the patient on contact plus isolation. - correct answer-
Answer:
,2 | Page
D. Put the patient on contact plus isolation
The nurse is caring for a patient with general sepsis. Which
finding should first alert the nurse to a potential complication
that warrants immediate attention?
A. Increased lethargy
B. Sudden coughing
C. Elevated blood pressure
D. Cloudy urine - correct answer- Answer:
A. Increased lethargy
The nurse is teaching a patient about the purpose of his
telemetry. Which statement indicates the nurse's teaching has
been successful?
A. "I will need to stay in bed when the monitor is reading my
heart waves."
B. "This test will help determine if I have a blockage in my
arteries."
C. "If there is a problem with my heart valves, it will show up
with telemetry."
,3 | Page
D. "The nurses will be able to monitor my heart rate and
rhythm." - correct answer- Answer:
D. The nurses will be able to monitor my heart rate and rhythm.
The nurse is working in a trauma unit and is accidentally stuck
with an IV needle following venipuncture of the patient. What is
the nurses first action?
A. Immediately begin taking the two- to three-drug regimen.
B. Report the stick to the charge nurse immediately so follow-
up can be initiated.
C. Wash the punctured area with soap and water.
D. Complete an incident report so immediate testing of the
patient and nurse can begin. - correct answer- Answer:
C. Wash the punctured area with soap and water.
The nurse is caring for a post-myocardial infarction (MI) patient
who has been started on daily simvastatin (Zocor) and a low-fat
diet. Which statement best indicates the nurse's teaching has
been successful?
A. "I will need to have blood work every month while taking
Zocor."
, 4 | Page
B. "I should take Zocor with grapefruit juice to help absorption."
C. " I should call my doctor if I experience unexplained muscle
pain."
D. "I should take Zocor an hour before my biggest meal of the
day." - correct answer- Answer:
C. "I should call my doctor if I experience unexplained muscle
pain."
Which area is the major focus of Healthy People 2020 and the
primary mechanism through which to improve the health of
Americans in the second decade of the century?
A. Research funding
B. Health information distribution
C. Healthy lifestyle encouragement
D. Health improvement program designs - correct answer-
Answer:
C. Healthy lifestyle encouragement
A 79-year-old patient with bacterial pneumonia becomes
increasingly restless, confused, and agitated. The patient's
temperature is 100 F, and his pulse, blood pressure, and
respirations are elevated since the last assessment 6 hours
ago. What action should the nurse take first?
