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NUR 176 EXAM 2 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
SECTION 1: DELIRIUM & DEMENTIA (Questions 1–25)
1. A patient who is suddenly confused and disoriented is likely experiencing what?
A) A stroke
B) A urinary tract infection (UTI)
C) Dementia
D) Medication side effects
Answer: B
Rationale: A patient who is suddenly confused and disoriented should be suspected of having a
urinary tract infection. In elderly patients especially, UTIs often present with confusion,
delirium, and changes in mental status rather than the classic urinary symptoms .
2. What is the key difference between delirium and dementia?
A) Delirium is progressive; dementia is reversible
B) Delirium has sudden onset and is reversible; dementia is progressive and irreversible
C) Both are progressive and irreversible
D) Delirium only affects memory; dementia affects motor function
Answer: B
Rationale: Delirium has sudden onset (hours–days) and is reversible if the underlying cause is
treated. Dementia is progressive and irreversible .
3. What are common causes of delirium?
A) Infection (UTI, pneumonia), medications (sedatives, anticholinergics), electrolyte imbalance,
hypoxia
B) Alzheimer's disease
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C) Lewy Body dementia
D) Vascular dementia
Answer: A
Rationale: Causes of delirium include infection, medications, electrolyte imbalance, hypoxia,
older adults, ICU patients, and post-op patients .
4. What is the primary management strategy for delirium?
A) Administer antipsychotics immediately
B) Treat underlying cause, provide reorientation, maintain a calm environment
C) Restrain the patient to prevent injury
D) Place the patient in a dark, quiet room
Answer: B
Rationale: The primary management strategy for delirium is to treat the underlying cause,
provide reorientation, maintain a calm environment, avoid restraints unless necessary, and use
short-term low-dose antipsychotics if severe agitation occurs .
5. What is Alzheimer's Disease?
A) A reversible form of dementia
B) A chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing dementia and is the most
common cause of dementia
C) A sudden onset confusion
D) A type of delirium
Answer: B
Rationale: Alzheimer's Disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing
dementia and is the most common cause of dementia .
6. What are the early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
A) Sudden confusion and disorientation
B) Memory loss, difficulty finding words, misplacing items, personality changes
C) Fluctuating level of consciousness
D) Hallucinations and delusions
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Answer: B
Rationale: Early signs of Alzheimer's include memory loss, difficulty finding words, misplacing
items, and personality changes .
7. Which type of dementia is characterized by tremors, rigidity, and visual hallucinations?
A) Alzheimer's disease
B) Vascular dementia
C) Lewy Body dementia
D) Frontotemporal dementia
Answer: C
Rationale: Lewy Body dementia is characterized by tremors or rigidity (Parkinson's-like
symptoms) and visual hallucinations .
8. What is the care priority for a patient with dementia?
A) Restrain the patient to prevent wandering
B) Maintain a safe environment, provide routine, and use validation therapy
C) Keep the patient sedated
D) Restrict all activities
Answer: B
Rationale: Care priorities for dementia include maintaining a safe environment, providing
routine and structure, and using validation therapy .
9. A patient with dementia becomes agitated in the evening. What is this phenomenon
called?
A) Delirium
B) Sundowning
C) Psychosis
D) Agitation
Answer: B
Rationale: Sundowning is increased agitation and confusion in the late afternoon and evening,
common in dementia patients.
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10. What assessment finding differentiates delirium from dementia?
A) Memory loss
B) Fluctuating level of consciousness
C) Personality changes
D) Language difficulties
Answer: B
Rationale: Delirium is characterized by fluctuating level of consciousness, whereas dementia
has a stable baseline level of consciousness until late stages .
11. Which medication is used for severe agitation in delirium?
A) Lorazepam
B) Haloperidol (short-term, low-dose)
C) Diphenhydramine
D) Morphine
Answer: B
Rationale: Short-term, low-dose antipsychotics such as haloperidol may be used for severe
agitation in delirium .
12. What is vascular dementia?
A) Dementia caused by multiple small strokes
B) Dementia caused by Alzheimer's pathology
C) Dementia caused by Lewy bodies
D) Reversible dementia
Answer: A
Rationale: Vascular dementia is caused by multiple small strokes or decreased blood flow to the
brain .
13. A nurse is assessing a patient with suspected dementia. Which finding is most consistent?
A) Sudden onset of confusion
B) Gradual, progressive memory loss over months to years
C) Fluctuating alertness
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NUR 176 EXAM 2 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST EDITION 2026
SECTION 1: DELIRIUM & DEMENTIA (Questions 1–25)
1. A patient who is suddenly confused and disoriented is likely experiencing what?
A) A stroke
B) A urinary tract infection (UTI)
C) Dementia
D) Medication side effects
Answer: B
Rationale: A patient who is suddenly confused and disoriented should be suspected of having a
urinary tract infection. In elderly patients especially, UTIs often present with confusion,
delirium, and changes in mental status rather than the classic urinary symptoms .
2. What is the key difference between delirium and dementia?
A) Delirium is progressive; dementia is reversible
B) Delirium has sudden onset and is reversible; dementia is progressive and irreversible
C) Both are progressive and irreversible
D) Delirium only affects memory; dementia affects motor function
Answer: B
Rationale: Delirium has sudden onset (hours–days) and is reversible if the underlying cause is
treated. Dementia is progressive and irreversible .
3. What are common causes of delirium?
A) Infection (UTI, pneumonia), medications (sedatives, anticholinergics), electrolyte imbalance,
hypoxia
B) Alzheimer's disease
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C) Lewy Body dementia
D) Vascular dementia
Answer: A
Rationale: Causes of delirium include infection, medications, electrolyte imbalance, hypoxia,
older adults, ICU patients, and post-op patients .
4. What is the primary management strategy for delirium?
A) Administer antipsychotics immediately
B) Treat underlying cause, provide reorientation, maintain a calm environment
C) Restrain the patient to prevent injury
D) Place the patient in a dark, quiet room
Answer: B
Rationale: The primary management strategy for delirium is to treat the underlying cause,
provide reorientation, maintain a calm environment, avoid restraints unless necessary, and use
short-term low-dose antipsychotics if severe agitation occurs .
5. What is Alzheimer's Disease?
A) A reversible form of dementia
B) A chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing dementia and is the most
common cause of dementia
C) A sudden onset confusion
D) A type of delirium
Answer: B
Rationale: Alzheimer's Disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing
dementia and is the most common cause of dementia .
6. What are the early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
A) Sudden confusion and disorientation
B) Memory loss, difficulty finding words, misplacing items, personality changes
C) Fluctuating level of consciousness
D) Hallucinations and delusions
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Answer: B
Rationale: Early signs of Alzheimer's include memory loss, difficulty finding words, misplacing
items, and personality changes .
7. Which type of dementia is characterized by tremors, rigidity, and visual hallucinations?
A) Alzheimer's disease
B) Vascular dementia
C) Lewy Body dementia
D) Frontotemporal dementia
Answer: C
Rationale: Lewy Body dementia is characterized by tremors or rigidity (Parkinson's-like
symptoms) and visual hallucinations .
8. What is the care priority for a patient with dementia?
A) Restrain the patient to prevent wandering
B) Maintain a safe environment, provide routine, and use validation therapy
C) Keep the patient sedated
D) Restrict all activities
Answer: B
Rationale: Care priorities for dementia include maintaining a safe environment, providing
routine and structure, and using validation therapy .
9. A patient with dementia becomes agitated in the evening. What is this phenomenon
called?
A) Delirium
B) Sundowning
C) Psychosis
D) Agitation
Answer: B
Rationale: Sundowning is increased agitation and confusion in the late afternoon and evening,
common in dementia patients.
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10. What assessment finding differentiates delirium from dementia?
A) Memory loss
B) Fluctuating level of consciousness
C) Personality changes
D) Language difficulties
Answer: B
Rationale: Delirium is characterized by fluctuating level of consciousness, whereas dementia
has a stable baseline level of consciousness until late stages .
11. Which medication is used for severe agitation in delirium?
A) Lorazepam
B) Haloperidol (short-term, low-dose)
C) Diphenhydramine
D) Morphine
Answer: B
Rationale: Short-term, low-dose antipsychotics such as haloperidol may be used for severe
agitation in delirium .
12. What is vascular dementia?
A) Dementia caused by multiple small strokes
B) Dementia caused by Alzheimer's pathology
C) Dementia caused by Lewy bodies
D) Reversible dementia
Answer: A
Rationale: Vascular dementia is caused by multiple small strokes or decreased blood flow to the
brain .
13. A nurse is assessing a patient with suspected dementia. Which finding is most consistent?
A) Sudden onset of confusion
B) Gradual, progressive memory loss over months to years
C) Fluctuating alertness
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