ATI DIABETES MELLITUS ACTUAL EXAM
COMPLETE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
VERIFIED ANSWERS (100% CORRECT ANSWERS
When instructing a patient regarding a urine study for free cortisol, it is most
important for the nurse to tell the patient to
A. Save the first voided urine in the am.
B. Maintain a high-sodium diet 3 days before collection.
C. Try to avoid stressful situations during the collection period.
D. Complete at least 30 minutes of strenuous exercise before collecting the
urine sample. - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌C. Try to avoid stressful situations during the
collection period.
A urine study for free cortisol requires a 24-hour urine collection. The patient
should be instructed to avoid stressful situations and excessive physical
exercise that could unduly increase cortisol levels. The patient should also
maintain a low-sodium diet before and during the urine collection period.
Which of the following assessment parameters is of highest priority when caring
for a patient undergoing a water deprivation test?
A. Serum glucose
B. Patient weight
C. Arterial blood gases
D. Patient temperature - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌B. Patient weight
A patient is at risk for severe dehydration during a water deprivation test. The
test should be discontinued and the patient rehydrated if the patient's weight
drops more than 2 kg at any time. The other assessment parameters do not
assess fluid balance.
A patient has sought care because of a loss of 25 lb over the past 6 months,
during which the patient claims to have made no significant dietary changes.
The nurse should assess the patient for potential
A. Thyroid disorders.
B. Diabetes insipidus.
C. Pituitary dysfunction.
D. Parathyroid dysfunction. - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌A. Thyroid disorders.
,Hyperthyroidism is associated with weight loss. Alterations in pituitary function,
such as diabetes insipidus, and parathyroid dysfunction are not commonly
associated with this phenomenon.
The surgeon was unable to save a patient's parathyroid gland during a radical
thyroidectomy. The nurse should consequently pay particular attention to which
of the following components of the patient's laboratory values?
A. Calcium levels
B. Potassium levels
C. Blood glucose levels
D. Sodium and chloride levels - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌A. Calcium levels
The parathyroid gland plays a key role in maintaining calcium levels. Potassium,
sodium, glucose, and chloride are not directly influenced by the loss of the
parathyroid gland.
A patient's recent medical history is indicative of diabetes insipidus. The nurse
would perform patient education related to which of the following diagnostic
tests?
A. Thyroid scan
B. Fasting glucose test
C. Oral glucose tolerance
D. Water deprivation test - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌D. Water deprivation test
A water deprivation test is used to diagnose the polyuria that accompanies
diabetes insipidus. Glucose tests and thyroid tests are not directly related to the
diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.
A 54-year-old patient admitted with type 2 diabetes, asks the nurse what "type
2" means. Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
A. "With type 2 diabetes, the body of the pancreas becomes inflamed."
B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is decreased and insulin resistance is
increased."
C. "With type 2 diabetes, the patient is totally dependent on an outside source of
insulin."
D. "With type 2 diabetes, the body produces autoantibodies that destroy b-cells
in the pancreas." - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is
decreased and insulin resistance is increased."
In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the secretion of insulin by the pancreas is reduced
and/or the cells of the body become resistant to insulin.
The nurse caring for a 54-year-old patient hospitalized with diabetes mellitus
would look for which of the following laboratory test results to obtain information
on the patient's past glucose control?
A. Prealbumin level
, B. Urine ketone level
C. Fasting glucose level
D. Glycosylated hemoglobin level - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌D. Glycosylated hemoglobin
level
A glycosylated hemoglobin level detects the amount of glucose that is bound to
red blood cells (RBCs). When circulating glucose levels are high, glucose
attaches to the RBCs and remains there for the life of the blood cell, which is
approximately 120 days. Thus the test can give an indication of glycemic control
over approximately 2 to 3 months.
The nurse has been teaching a patient with diabetes how to perform self-
monitoring of blood glucose. During evaluation of the patient's technique, the
nurse identifies a need for additional teaching when the patient does which of
the following?
A. Chooses a puncture site in the center of the finger pad
B. Washes hands with soap and water to cleanse the site to be used
C. Warms the finger before puncturing to obtain a drop of blood
D. Tells the nurse that the result of 120 mg/dl indicates good control of diabetes -
✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌A. Chooses a puncture site in the center of the finger pad
The patient should select a site on the sides of the fingertips, not on the center
of the finger pad. This area contains many nerve endings and would be
unnecessarily painful.
The nurse is teaching a 54-year-old patient with diabetes about proper
composition of the daily diet. The nurse explains that the guideline for
carbohydrate intake is which of the following?
A. 80% of daily intake
B. Minimum of 80 g/day
C. Minimum of 130 g/day
D. Maximum of 130 g/day - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌C. Minimum of 130 g/day
The recommendation for carbohydrate intake is a minimum of 130 g/day. Low-
carbohydrate diets are not recommended for diabetes management.
If glucose is a disorder of glucose metabolism, then why do we need Glucose? -
✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌Glucose is needed for energy
What organ controls glucose Metabolism? - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌Pancreas - Controls
glucose by producing insulin and glucagon which are hormones.
When does Gestational Diabetes typically develop? - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌24-25
weeks gestation, and usually resolves postpartum
What is Secondary Diabetes? - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌Caused by other medical
condition. Ie. Pancreatitis, Cushings (body makes too much cortisol or exposure
COMPLETE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
VERIFIED ANSWERS (100% CORRECT ANSWERS
When instructing a patient regarding a urine study for free cortisol, it is most
important for the nurse to tell the patient to
A. Save the first voided urine in the am.
B. Maintain a high-sodium diet 3 days before collection.
C. Try to avoid stressful situations during the collection period.
D. Complete at least 30 minutes of strenuous exercise before collecting the
urine sample. - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌C. Try to avoid stressful situations during the
collection period.
A urine study for free cortisol requires a 24-hour urine collection. The patient
should be instructed to avoid stressful situations and excessive physical
exercise that could unduly increase cortisol levels. The patient should also
maintain a low-sodium diet before and during the urine collection period.
Which of the following assessment parameters is of highest priority when caring
for a patient undergoing a water deprivation test?
A. Serum glucose
B. Patient weight
C. Arterial blood gases
D. Patient temperature - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌B. Patient weight
A patient is at risk for severe dehydration during a water deprivation test. The
test should be discontinued and the patient rehydrated if the patient's weight
drops more than 2 kg at any time. The other assessment parameters do not
assess fluid balance.
A patient has sought care because of a loss of 25 lb over the past 6 months,
during which the patient claims to have made no significant dietary changes.
The nurse should assess the patient for potential
A. Thyroid disorders.
B. Diabetes insipidus.
C. Pituitary dysfunction.
D. Parathyroid dysfunction. - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌A. Thyroid disorders.
,Hyperthyroidism is associated with weight loss. Alterations in pituitary function,
such as diabetes insipidus, and parathyroid dysfunction are not commonly
associated with this phenomenon.
The surgeon was unable to save a patient's parathyroid gland during a radical
thyroidectomy. The nurse should consequently pay particular attention to which
of the following components of the patient's laboratory values?
A. Calcium levels
B. Potassium levels
C. Blood glucose levels
D. Sodium and chloride levels - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌A. Calcium levels
The parathyroid gland plays a key role in maintaining calcium levels. Potassium,
sodium, glucose, and chloride are not directly influenced by the loss of the
parathyroid gland.
A patient's recent medical history is indicative of diabetes insipidus. The nurse
would perform patient education related to which of the following diagnostic
tests?
A. Thyroid scan
B. Fasting glucose test
C. Oral glucose tolerance
D. Water deprivation test - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌D. Water deprivation test
A water deprivation test is used to diagnose the polyuria that accompanies
diabetes insipidus. Glucose tests and thyroid tests are not directly related to the
diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.
A 54-year-old patient admitted with type 2 diabetes, asks the nurse what "type
2" means. Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
A. "With type 2 diabetes, the body of the pancreas becomes inflamed."
B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is decreased and insulin resistance is
increased."
C. "With type 2 diabetes, the patient is totally dependent on an outside source of
insulin."
D. "With type 2 diabetes, the body produces autoantibodies that destroy b-cells
in the pancreas." - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌B. "With type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion is
decreased and insulin resistance is increased."
In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the secretion of insulin by the pancreas is reduced
and/or the cells of the body become resistant to insulin.
The nurse caring for a 54-year-old patient hospitalized with diabetes mellitus
would look for which of the following laboratory test results to obtain information
on the patient's past glucose control?
A. Prealbumin level
, B. Urine ketone level
C. Fasting glucose level
D. Glycosylated hemoglobin level - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌D. Glycosylated hemoglobin
level
A glycosylated hemoglobin level detects the amount of glucose that is bound to
red blood cells (RBCs). When circulating glucose levels are high, glucose
attaches to the RBCs and remains there for the life of the blood cell, which is
approximately 120 days. Thus the test can give an indication of glycemic control
over approximately 2 to 3 months.
The nurse has been teaching a patient with diabetes how to perform self-
monitoring of blood glucose. During evaluation of the patient's technique, the
nurse identifies a need for additional teaching when the patient does which of
the following?
A. Chooses a puncture site in the center of the finger pad
B. Washes hands with soap and water to cleanse the site to be used
C. Warms the finger before puncturing to obtain a drop of blood
D. Tells the nurse that the result of 120 mg/dl indicates good control of diabetes -
✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌A. Chooses a puncture site in the center of the finger pad
The patient should select a site on the sides of the fingertips, not on the center
of the finger pad. This area contains many nerve endings and would be
unnecessarily painful.
The nurse is teaching a 54-year-old patient with diabetes about proper
composition of the daily diet. The nurse explains that the guideline for
carbohydrate intake is which of the following?
A. 80% of daily intake
B. Minimum of 80 g/day
C. Minimum of 130 g/day
D. Maximum of 130 g/day - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌C. Minimum of 130 g/day
The recommendation for carbohydrate intake is a minimum of 130 g/day. Low-
carbohydrate diets are not recommended for diabetes management.
If glucose is a disorder of glucose metabolism, then why do we need Glucose? -
✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌Glucose is needed for energy
What organ controls glucose Metabolism? - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌Pancreas - Controls
glucose by producing insulin and glucagon which are hormones.
When does Gestational Diabetes typically develop? - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌24-25
weeks gestation, and usually resolves postpartum
What is Secondary Diabetes? - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..👌Caused by other medical
condition. Ie. Pancreatitis, Cushings (body makes too much cortisol or exposure
