NU 185 MEDICAL-SURGICAL NURSING II
EXAM WITH VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS|| GUARANTEED PASS|| LATEST
VERSION 2026
Section 1: Perioperative Nursing Care
Q1. What is the primary purpose of the preoperative assessment?
A: To establish a baseline of the patient's health status, identify risk factors, and
plan for individualized care during and after surgery.
Q2. A patient is scheduled for surgery. Which lab value is most critical for
the nurse to review before surgery?
A: Potassium (K+). Normal range is 3.5-5.0 mEq/L. Abnormal levels can lead
to cardiac dysrhythmias during surgery.
Q3. What is the most important nursing action immediately after a patient
returns from surgery?
A: Assess the airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs) first, followed by vital
signs and the surgical site.
Q4. What is malignant hyperthermia, and what is the priority
intervention?
A: It is a life-threatening genetic reaction to certain anesthetic agents. The
priority is to stop the triggering agent and administer Dantrolene.
Q5. A patient is 48 hours post-operative following abdominal surgery. The
nurse notes the wound has dehisced and a loop of bowel is protruding.
Which action should the nurse take first?
A: Apply a sterile dressing moistened with sterile normal saline. This is a
medical emergency (evisceration); cover the organs to prevent drying and
infection, then notify the surgeon.
Q6. What is the purpose of the "time-out" in the operating room?
A: A final verification process to confirm the correct patient, procedure, and
surgical site before starting the operation.
,Q7. What are the signs of a postoperative wound infection?
A: Redness, warmth, swelling, pain, and purulent drainage.
Q8. What is the difference between dehiscence and evisceration?
A: Dehiscence is the partial or complete separation of wound edges.
Evisceration is the protrusion of internal organs through a dehisced wound.
Q9. What are the risk factors for developing a postoperative pulmonary
embolism?
A: Immobility, obesity, smoking, history of DVT, and surgery lasting more than
30 minutes.
Q10. What is the nurse's priority when a patient has a suspected
transfusion reaction?
A: Stop the transfusion immediately and maintain IV access with normal saline.
Q11. What are the classic signs of a hemolytic transfusion reaction?
A: Fever, chills, low back pain, dark urine, and hypotension.
Q12. What is the purpose of incentive spirometry postoperatively?
A: To prevent atelectasis and pneumonia by encouraging deep breathing and
lung expansion.
Q13. What is the recommended position for a patient after a
thyroidectomy?
A: Semi-Fowler's position with pillows supporting the head and neck to reduce
tension on the suture line.
Q14. What are the signs of laryngeal nerve damage after a thyroidectomy?
A: Hoarseness, voice changes, or difficulty swallowing.
Q15. What is the priority nursing assessment for a patient with a new cast
on an extremity?
A: Assess for neurovascular compromise (circulation, sensation, movement)
every 1-2 hours.
Q16. What is the purpose of a Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain?
A: To remove fluid and blood from the surgical site to prevent infection and
promote healing.
Q17. What is the most common cause of postoperative fever within the first
24 hours?
A: Atelectasis (collapse of part of the lung).
Q18. What is the purpose of early ambulation after surgery?
A: To prevent DVT, pneumonia, and promote return of bowel function.
, Q19. What is a "paralytic ileus" and what are its signs?
A: A temporary cessation of bowel motility. Signs include absent bowel sounds,
abdominal distention, and no passage of flatus.
Q20. What is the nurse's role in discharge planning?
A: To ensure the patient and family understand wound care, medication
administration, activity restrictions, and follow-up appointments.
Section 2: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Imbalances
Q21. What is the normal range for serum sodium?
A: 135-145 mEq/L.
Q22. What are the signs of hyperkalemia?
A: Muscle weakness, cardiac dysrhythmias (peaked T waves, widened QRS),
and diarrhea.
Q23. What is the priority intervention for a patient with severe
hyperkalemia?
A: Administer intravenous calcium gluconate to stabilize the cardiac membrane.
Q24. What are the signs of hypokalemia?
A: Muscle weakness, fatigue, leg cramps, and cardiac dysrhythmias (flat T
waves, U waves).
Q25. What is the normal range for serum potassium?
A: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L.
Q26. What are the signs of hypercalcemia?
A: Lethargy, confusion, muscle weakness, constipation, and renal calculi.
Q27. What are the signs of hypocalcemia?
A: Numbness and tingling in fingers and toes (paresthesia), muscle cramps, and
positive Trousseau's and Chvostek's signs.
Q28. What is the treatment for hypocalcemia?
A: Calcium gluconate or calcium carbonate supplementation, often with vitamin
D.
Q29. What is the normal range for serum calcium?
A: 8.5-10.5 mg/dL.
Q30. What is the priority nursing consideration when administering
intravenous potassium?
EXAM WITH VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS|| GUARANTEED PASS|| LATEST
VERSION 2026
Section 1: Perioperative Nursing Care
Q1. What is the primary purpose of the preoperative assessment?
A: To establish a baseline of the patient's health status, identify risk factors, and
plan for individualized care during and after surgery.
Q2. A patient is scheduled for surgery. Which lab value is most critical for
the nurse to review before surgery?
A: Potassium (K+). Normal range is 3.5-5.0 mEq/L. Abnormal levels can lead
to cardiac dysrhythmias during surgery.
Q3. What is the most important nursing action immediately after a patient
returns from surgery?
A: Assess the airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs) first, followed by vital
signs and the surgical site.
Q4. What is malignant hyperthermia, and what is the priority
intervention?
A: It is a life-threatening genetic reaction to certain anesthetic agents. The
priority is to stop the triggering agent and administer Dantrolene.
Q5. A patient is 48 hours post-operative following abdominal surgery. The
nurse notes the wound has dehisced and a loop of bowel is protruding.
Which action should the nurse take first?
A: Apply a sterile dressing moistened with sterile normal saline. This is a
medical emergency (evisceration); cover the organs to prevent drying and
infection, then notify the surgeon.
Q6. What is the purpose of the "time-out" in the operating room?
A: A final verification process to confirm the correct patient, procedure, and
surgical site before starting the operation.
,Q7. What are the signs of a postoperative wound infection?
A: Redness, warmth, swelling, pain, and purulent drainage.
Q8. What is the difference between dehiscence and evisceration?
A: Dehiscence is the partial or complete separation of wound edges.
Evisceration is the protrusion of internal organs through a dehisced wound.
Q9. What are the risk factors for developing a postoperative pulmonary
embolism?
A: Immobility, obesity, smoking, history of DVT, and surgery lasting more than
30 minutes.
Q10. What is the nurse's priority when a patient has a suspected
transfusion reaction?
A: Stop the transfusion immediately and maintain IV access with normal saline.
Q11. What are the classic signs of a hemolytic transfusion reaction?
A: Fever, chills, low back pain, dark urine, and hypotension.
Q12. What is the purpose of incentive spirometry postoperatively?
A: To prevent atelectasis and pneumonia by encouraging deep breathing and
lung expansion.
Q13. What is the recommended position for a patient after a
thyroidectomy?
A: Semi-Fowler's position with pillows supporting the head and neck to reduce
tension on the suture line.
Q14. What are the signs of laryngeal nerve damage after a thyroidectomy?
A: Hoarseness, voice changes, or difficulty swallowing.
Q15. What is the priority nursing assessment for a patient with a new cast
on an extremity?
A: Assess for neurovascular compromise (circulation, sensation, movement)
every 1-2 hours.
Q16. What is the purpose of a Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain?
A: To remove fluid and blood from the surgical site to prevent infection and
promote healing.
Q17. What is the most common cause of postoperative fever within the first
24 hours?
A: Atelectasis (collapse of part of the lung).
Q18. What is the purpose of early ambulation after surgery?
A: To prevent DVT, pneumonia, and promote return of bowel function.
, Q19. What is a "paralytic ileus" and what are its signs?
A: A temporary cessation of bowel motility. Signs include absent bowel sounds,
abdominal distention, and no passage of flatus.
Q20. What is the nurse's role in discharge planning?
A: To ensure the patient and family understand wound care, medication
administration, activity restrictions, and follow-up appointments.
Section 2: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Imbalances
Q21. What is the normal range for serum sodium?
A: 135-145 mEq/L.
Q22. What are the signs of hyperkalemia?
A: Muscle weakness, cardiac dysrhythmias (peaked T waves, widened QRS),
and diarrhea.
Q23. What is the priority intervention for a patient with severe
hyperkalemia?
A: Administer intravenous calcium gluconate to stabilize the cardiac membrane.
Q24. What are the signs of hypokalemia?
A: Muscle weakness, fatigue, leg cramps, and cardiac dysrhythmias (flat T
waves, U waves).
Q25. What is the normal range for serum potassium?
A: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L.
Q26. What are the signs of hypercalcemia?
A: Lethargy, confusion, muscle weakness, constipation, and renal calculi.
Q27. What are the signs of hypocalcemia?
A: Numbness and tingling in fingers and toes (paresthesia), muscle cramps, and
positive Trousseau's and Chvostek's signs.
Q28. What is the treatment for hypocalcemia?
A: Calcium gluconate or calcium carbonate supplementation, often with vitamin
D.
Q29. What is the normal range for serum calcium?
A: 8.5-10.5 mg/dL.
Q30. What is the priority nursing consideration when administering
intravenous potassium?
