NUR 1211 MEDICAL SURGICAL
FINAL EXAM 2 | 200 Q&A | 2026-
2027
Section 1: Immune System and HIV/AIDS
Question 1:
A nurse is working with a patient who was diagnosed with HIV several months
earlier. The nurse should recognize that a patient with HIV is considered to have
AIDS at the point when the CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell count drops below what
threshold?
A) 75 cells/mm³ of blood
B) 200 cells/mm³ of blood
C) 325 cells/mm³ of blood
D) 450 cells/mm³ of blood
Answer: B) 200 cells/mm³ of blood
Rationale: When CD4+ T-cell levels drop below 200 cells/mm³ of blood, the
person is said to have AIDS. This threshold is the diagnostic criterion established
by the CDC for the progression from HIV to AIDS .
Question 2:
Since the emergence of HIV/AIDS, there have been significant changes in
epidemiologic trends. Members of what group currently have the greatest risk of
contracting HIV?
,A) Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
B) Recreational drug users
C) Blood transfusion recipients
D) Health care providers
Answer: A) Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
Rationale: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men remain the
population most affected by HIV and account for approximately 2% of the
population but 61% of new infections .
Question 3:
A clinic nurse is caring for a patient admitted with AIDS. The nurse has assessed
that the patient is experiencing a progressive decline in cognitive, behavioral, and
motor functions. The nurse recognizes that these symptoms are most likely
related to the onset of what complication?
A) HIV encephalopathy
B) B-cell lymphoma
C) Kaposi's sarcoma
D) Wasting syndrome
Answer: A) HIV encephalopathy
,Rationale: HIV encephalopathy is a clinical syndrome characterized by a
progressive decline in cognitive, behavioral, and motor functions. It is a common
neurologic complication in advanced HIV/AIDS .
Question 4:
What is the most common life-threatening opportunistic infection in patients
living with AIDS?
A) Salmonella infection
B) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
C) Clostridium difficile
D) Pneumocystis pneumonia
Answer: D) Pneumocystis pneumonia
Rationale: The most common life-threatening infection in those living with AIDS is
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), caused by P. jiroveci (formerly carinii) .
Question 5:
A patient's recent diagnostic testing included a total lymphocyte count. The
results of this test will allow the care team to gauge what aspect of the patient's
immunity?
A) Humoral immune function
B) Antigen recognition
C) Cell-mediated immune function
, D) Antibody production
Answer: C) Cell-mediated immune function
Rationale: A total lymphocyte count is a test used to determine cellular immune
function. It is not normally used for testing humoral immune function and
associated antigen-antibody responses .
Section 2: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance
Question 6:
You are an emergency-room nurse caring for a trauma patient. Your patient has
the following arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO₂ 28, HCO₃ 11 mEq/L. How
would you interpret these results?
A) Respiratory acidosis with no compensation
B) Metabolic alkalosis with a compensatory alkalosis
C) Metabolic acidosis with no compensation
D) Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
Answer: D) Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
Rationale: A low pH indicates acidosis (normal pH 7.35-7.45). The PaCO₂ is also
low, which causes alkalosis. The bicarbonate is low, which causes acidosis. The pH
correlates more closely with the decreased bicarbonate, making the metabolic
component the primary problem. The low PaCO₂ represents respiratory
compensation .
FINAL EXAM 2 | 200 Q&A | 2026-
2027
Section 1: Immune System and HIV/AIDS
Question 1:
A nurse is working with a patient who was diagnosed with HIV several months
earlier. The nurse should recognize that a patient with HIV is considered to have
AIDS at the point when the CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell count drops below what
threshold?
A) 75 cells/mm³ of blood
B) 200 cells/mm³ of blood
C) 325 cells/mm³ of blood
D) 450 cells/mm³ of blood
Answer: B) 200 cells/mm³ of blood
Rationale: When CD4+ T-cell levels drop below 200 cells/mm³ of blood, the
person is said to have AIDS. This threshold is the diagnostic criterion established
by the CDC for the progression from HIV to AIDS .
Question 2:
Since the emergence of HIV/AIDS, there have been significant changes in
epidemiologic trends. Members of what group currently have the greatest risk of
contracting HIV?
,A) Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
B) Recreational drug users
C) Blood transfusion recipients
D) Health care providers
Answer: A) Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
Rationale: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men remain the
population most affected by HIV and account for approximately 2% of the
population but 61% of new infections .
Question 3:
A clinic nurse is caring for a patient admitted with AIDS. The nurse has assessed
that the patient is experiencing a progressive decline in cognitive, behavioral, and
motor functions. The nurse recognizes that these symptoms are most likely
related to the onset of what complication?
A) HIV encephalopathy
B) B-cell lymphoma
C) Kaposi's sarcoma
D) Wasting syndrome
Answer: A) HIV encephalopathy
,Rationale: HIV encephalopathy is a clinical syndrome characterized by a
progressive decline in cognitive, behavioral, and motor functions. It is a common
neurologic complication in advanced HIV/AIDS .
Question 4:
What is the most common life-threatening opportunistic infection in patients
living with AIDS?
A) Salmonella infection
B) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
C) Clostridium difficile
D) Pneumocystis pneumonia
Answer: D) Pneumocystis pneumonia
Rationale: The most common life-threatening infection in those living with AIDS is
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), caused by P. jiroveci (formerly carinii) .
Question 5:
A patient's recent diagnostic testing included a total lymphocyte count. The
results of this test will allow the care team to gauge what aspect of the patient's
immunity?
A) Humoral immune function
B) Antigen recognition
C) Cell-mediated immune function
, D) Antibody production
Answer: C) Cell-mediated immune function
Rationale: A total lymphocyte count is a test used to determine cellular immune
function. It is not normally used for testing humoral immune function and
associated antigen-antibody responses .
Section 2: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance
Question 6:
You are an emergency-room nurse caring for a trauma patient. Your patient has
the following arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO₂ 28, HCO₃ 11 mEq/L. How
would you interpret these results?
A) Respiratory acidosis with no compensation
B) Metabolic alkalosis with a compensatory alkalosis
C) Metabolic acidosis with no compensation
D) Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
Answer: D) Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
Rationale: A low pH indicates acidosis (normal pH 7.35-7.45). The PaCO₂ is also
low, which causes alkalosis. The bicarbonate is low, which causes acidosis. The pH
correlates more closely with the decreased bicarbonate, making the metabolic
component the primary problem. The low PaCO₂ represents respiratory
compensation .
