Chapter 25. Diagnostic Tests
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who asks, “The doctor said I have leucopenia. What does that mean?” Which
of the following responses by the nurse is best?
1. “That means your white blood cell count is higher than normal.”
2. “You have a lot of white blood cells that are very immature, so your risk for infection
is high.”
3. “It means your body is building new white blood cells to fight infection.”
4. “Your risk for infection is higher than normal because your body doesn’t have many
white blood cells.”
2. A student nurse is caring for a patient with bacterial meningitis. Which of the following laboratory
results may be expected and would indicate a left shift in the differential?
1. The number of banded neutrophils is higher than normal.
2. The number of eosinophils is higher than normal.
3. The number of lymphocytes is higher than normal.
4. The number of monocytes is higher than normal.
3. Which of the following would most likely indicate a viral infection?
1. Decreased eosinophil count
2. Elevated lymphocyte count
3. Elevated platelet count
4. Decreased neutrophil count
4. A nurse is providing care for a patient with a low hemoglobin level. Which of the following nursing diagnoses
should be included in the plan of care?
1. Alteration in skin integrity
2. Risk for infection
3. Altered tissue perfusion
4. Alteration in nutrition: less than body requirements
5. A nurse notes a patient’s total protein values are much lower than normal. Which of the following
symptoms would the nurse expect to be present?
1. Edema
2. Dry mucous membranes
3. Poor skin turgor
4. Pallor
6. The nurse is caring for a patient with hepatitis who states, “I look like a pumpkin, my skin is so orange.”
Which of the following statements by the nurse is best?
1. “Your skin is orange because of excess bilirubin in your skin. It will improve as you
get better.”
2. “Don’t worry about it, you don’t really look all that bad. I’ve certainly seen people look a
lot worse than this.”
3. “Your body can’t process red blood cells, and the pigments have leeched into your skin.
It may be better after you get a transfusion.”
4. “Your skin pigments are affected by your high fever, making you appear that color. When
your fever goes down, it will fade.”
, 7. While participating in morning rounds, a physician mentions needing an estimated glomerular filtration rate
(eGFR). The nurse recognizes that this laboratory result will require which of the following?
1. A 24-hour urine collection
2. A creatinine result
3. A total protein value
4. The patient’s body weight
8. A nurse would inform which of the following patients that multiple loud clicks and knocks might be
heard during their diagnostic test?
1. An 84-year-old having an electrocardiogram (ECG)
2. A 72-year-old having a magnetic resonance imaging test (MRI)
3. A 55-year-old having a chest x-ray (CXR)
4. A 48-year-old having a lumbar puncture
9. A nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for a computed tomography (CT) scan with dye. Which of
the following assessments by the nurse is most important?
1. Complete blood cell count to determine presence of anemia
2. Allergy history to determine whether the patient is allergic to antibiotics
3. Medication history to identify any over-the-counter medications the patient takes
4. Laboratory values to determine creatinine and glomerular filtration rate
10. A nurse is caring for a patient returning from a femoral arteriogram. Which of the following nursing actions
would be included in the plan of care?
1. Cough and deep breathing exercises hourly 4
2. Sequential compression devices on bilateral lower extremities
3. Bedrest for at least 6 hours with the involved leg straight
4. Post-procedure enema every 12 hours 2
11. A nurse is providing care for a patient returning from an esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Which of
the following observations would be most concerning to the nurse?
1. Respirations are 16 at rest.
2. Patient complains of shoulder pain that increases with movement.
3. Patient requests antacid for symptoms of heartburn.
4. Nurse discovers the patient eating lunch.
12. A nurse is providing care for a patient who just underwent a screening colonoscopy in which no abnormalities
were noted. Which of the following would indicate the need for additional discharge teaching?
1. “Since I’m over 60, I need to have this done every 3 to 5 years.”
2. “I can resume my normal diet once I return home.”
3. “The test results mean the doctor didn’t see any colon cancer.”
4. “You still need to monitor me for a while before I can go home.”
13. Which of the following tests would be ordered to identify abnormal electrical conduction in the heart?
1. Electroencephalogram (EEG)
2. Cardiac stress test
3. Cardiac catheterization
4. Electrocardiogram (ECG)
14. A patient is told that a baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) is necessary before surgery. Which of the following
instructions by the nurse is best?
1. “You will need to have nothing to eat or drink for 4 hours before the test.”
2. “The test involves attaching 10 small electrodes to your chest, arms, and legs to measure
, electrical impulses of your heart.”
3. “After they attach a number of wires to your body, you will feel a small jolt of electricity.”
4. “You will not be able to drive for at least 6 hours after the test, so it is important to
have someone along with you to provide transportation.”
15. A telemetry monitor technician notifies a nurse that the patient in room 223 has a poor tracing. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
1. Move the code cart closer to the patient’s room.
2. Go to the patient’s room and check the patient’s status.
3. Instruct the technician to call a code.
4. Report to the nursing station to view the tracing.
16. A nurse is preparing to discharge a patient from telemetry to allow the patient to take a shower. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
1. Instruct the patient to keep the telemetry patches in place.
2. Inform the patient not to apply lotion or powder on her chest after the shower.
3. Notify the monitor technician that telemetry will be turned off.
4. Ask the patient if she has a history of falls in the bathroom.
17. While setting up a telemetry monitor with five wires, a nurse recognizes that the ground wire is best placed in
which of the following locations?
1. On the left upper thigh
2. On the abdomen
3. On the upper chest near the right shoulder
4. On the center of the chest
18. A nurse is providing instructions for a patient who is to begin wearing a Holter monitor. Which of the
following statements indicates further teaching is necessary?
1. “I should press this button if I feel any chest pain or pressure.”
2. “I need to write down what I eat each day.”
3. “I should make notes about the activities I’m doing while I wear the monitor.”
4. “I’ll wear this for 2 days so the doctor can be sure to capture anything that may be
going on.”
19. A nurse is caring for a patient scheduled for an electroencephalography. Which of the following actions taken
by the nurse is best?
1. Assess vital signs.
2. Determine whether the patient has an allergy to shellfish.
3. Identify what medications the patient is currently taking.
4. Instruct the patient to wash her hair.
20. While preparing for a paracentesis, which of the following positions should a nurse assist the patient to
assume?
1. Prone
2. Side lying with knees flexed
3. Side lying with knees extended
4. Semi-Fowler
21. While caring for a patient who just underwent a paracentesis, a nurse would be most concerned by which of
the following findings?
1. Patient reports itching at the puncture site.
2. Blood pressure is 92/60 mm Hg.
3. Oxygen saturation is 94%.
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who asks, “The doctor said I have leucopenia. What does that mean?” Which
of the following responses by the nurse is best?
1. “That means your white blood cell count is higher than normal.”
2. “You have a lot of white blood cells that are very immature, so your risk for infection
is high.”
3. “It means your body is building new white blood cells to fight infection.”
4. “Your risk for infection is higher than normal because your body doesn’t have many
white blood cells.”
2. A student nurse is caring for a patient with bacterial meningitis. Which of the following laboratory
results may be expected and would indicate a left shift in the differential?
1. The number of banded neutrophils is higher than normal.
2. The number of eosinophils is higher than normal.
3. The number of lymphocytes is higher than normal.
4. The number of monocytes is higher than normal.
3. Which of the following would most likely indicate a viral infection?
1. Decreased eosinophil count
2. Elevated lymphocyte count
3. Elevated platelet count
4. Decreased neutrophil count
4. A nurse is providing care for a patient with a low hemoglobin level. Which of the following nursing diagnoses
should be included in the plan of care?
1. Alteration in skin integrity
2. Risk for infection
3. Altered tissue perfusion
4. Alteration in nutrition: less than body requirements
5. A nurse notes a patient’s total protein values are much lower than normal. Which of the following
symptoms would the nurse expect to be present?
1. Edema
2. Dry mucous membranes
3. Poor skin turgor
4. Pallor
6. The nurse is caring for a patient with hepatitis who states, “I look like a pumpkin, my skin is so orange.”
Which of the following statements by the nurse is best?
1. “Your skin is orange because of excess bilirubin in your skin. It will improve as you
get better.”
2. “Don’t worry about it, you don’t really look all that bad. I’ve certainly seen people look a
lot worse than this.”
3. “Your body can’t process red blood cells, and the pigments have leeched into your skin.
It may be better after you get a transfusion.”
4. “Your skin pigments are affected by your high fever, making you appear that color. When
your fever goes down, it will fade.”
, 7. While participating in morning rounds, a physician mentions needing an estimated glomerular filtration rate
(eGFR). The nurse recognizes that this laboratory result will require which of the following?
1. A 24-hour urine collection
2. A creatinine result
3. A total protein value
4. The patient’s body weight
8. A nurse would inform which of the following patients that multiple loud clicks and knocks might be
heard during their diagnostic test?
1. An 84-year-old having an electrocardiogram (ECG)
2. A 72-year-old having a magnetic resonance imaging test (MRI)
3. A 55-year-old having a chest x-ray (CXR)
4. A 48-year-old having a lumbar puncture
9. A nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for a computed tomography (CT) scan with dye. Which of
the following assessments by the nurse is most important?
1. Complete blood cell count to determine presence of anemia
2. Allergy history to determine whether the patient is allergic to antibiotics
3. Medication history to identify any over-the-counter medications the patient takes
4. Laboratory values to determine creatinine and glomerular filtration rate
10. A nurse is caring for a patient returning from a femoral arteriogram. Which of the following nursing actions
would be included in the plan of care?
1. Cough and deep breathing exercises hourly 4
2. Sequential compression devices on bilateral lower extremities
3. Bedrest for at least 6 hours with the involved leg straight
4. Post-procedure enema every 12 hours 2
11. A nurse is providing care for a patient returning from an esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Which of
the following observations would be most concerning to the nurse?
1. Respirations are 16 at rest.
2. Patient complains of shoulder pain that increases with movement.
3. Patient requests antacid for symptoms of heartburn.
4. Nurse discovers the patient eating lunch.
12. A nurse is providing care for a patient who just underwent a screening colonoscopy in which no abnormalities
were noted. Which of the following would indicate the need for additional discharge teaching?
1. “Since I’m over 60, I need to have this done every 3 to 5 years.”
2. “I can resume my normal diet once I return home.”
3. “The test results mean the doctor didn’t see any colon cancer.”
4. “You still need to monitor me for a while before I can go home.”
13. Which of the following tests would be ordered to identify abnormal electrical conduction in the heart?
1. Electroencephalogram (EEG)
2. Cardiac stress test
3. Cardiac catheterization
4. Electrocardiogram (ECG)
14. A patient is told that a baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) is necessary before surgery. Which of the following
instructions by the nurse is best?
1. “You will need to have nothing to eat or drink for 4 hours before the test.”
2. “The test involves attaching 10 small electrodes to your chest, arms, and legs to measure
, electrical impulses of your heart.”
3. “After they attach a number of wires to your body, you will feel a small jolt of electricity.”
4. “You will not be able to drive for at least 6 hours after the test, so it is important to
have someone along with you to provide transportation.”
15. A telemetry monitor technician notifies a nurse that the patient in room 223 has a poor tracing. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
1. Move the code cart closer to the patient’s room.
2. Go to the patient’s room and check the patient’s status.
3. Instruct the technician to call a code.
4. Report to the nursing station to view the tracing.
16. A nurse is preparing to discharge a patient from telemetry to allow the patient to take a shower. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take?
1. Instruct the patient to keep the telemetry patches in place.
2. Inform the patient not to apply lotion or powder on her chest after the shower.
3. Notify the monitor technician that telemetry will be turned off.
4. Ask the patient if she has a history of falls in the bathroom.
17. While setting up a telemetry monitor with five wires, a nurse recognizes that the ground wire is best placed in
which of the following locations?
1. On the left upper thigh
2. On the abdomen
3. On the upper chest near the right shoulder
4. On the center of the chest
18. A nurse is providing instructions for a patient who is to begin wearing a Holter monitor. Which of the
following statements indicates further teaching is necessary?
1. “I should press this button if I feel any chest pain or pressure.”
2. “I need to write down what I eat each day.”
3. “I should make notes about the activities I’m doing while I wear the monitor.”
4. “I’ll wear this for 2 days so the doctor can be sure to capture anything that may be
going on.”
19. A nurse is caring for a patient scheduled for an electroencephalography. Which of the following actions taken
by the nurse is best?
1. Assess vital signs.
2. Determine whether the patient has an allergy to shellfish.
3. Identify what medications the patient is currently taking.
4. Instruct the patient to wash her hair.
20. While preparing for a paracentesis, which of the following positions should a nurse assist the patient to
assume?
1. Prone
2. Side lying with knees flexed
3. Side lying with knees extended
4. Semi-Fowler
21. While caring for a patient who just underwent a paracentesis, a nurse would be most concerned by which of
the following findings?
1. Patient reports itching at the puncture site.
2. Blood pressure is 92/60 mm Hg.
3. Oxygen saturation is 94%.
