NUR 243 Final Exam Study Guide & NCLEX-Style Practice
Questions (2024–2025 Edition) Comprehensive Review for
Complex Health Nursing / Medical-Surgical III: Critical Care
Concepts, Multisystem Disorders, Shock, Sepsis, Burns,
Advanced Cardiac and Respiratory Care, Neurotrauma, Renal
Failure, Emergency Nursing, and High-Acuity Prioritization
The nurse is caring for a paraplegic patient due to an MVA. The patient has a
urinary catheter draining a minimal amount of dark yellow urine, is hypertensive
and bradycardic, has a rash on the upper torso, and is c/o of a pounding HA. What
is the nurses next action? ---<<<answer>>>---Assess the urinary catheter
The nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. Which
assessment finding would the nurse need to report immediately to the HCP? ---
<<<answer>>>---Muscle twitching and finger numbers
A new nurse working in the ED suggest to an experienced nurse that they ask a
Spanish speaking family member to translate for a patient instead of calling for an
interpreter. The nurse explains the use of untrained interpreters is associated with
which of the following? (SATA) ---<<<answer>>>---Less effective patient clinical
provider communication
Poor rates of follow up care
Possible conflicts with privacy rights
,Decreased rates of adherence with clinical instructions
The nurse is caring for a patient on the medical surg unit who suddenly becomes
unresponsive and has no pulse. The cardiac monitor shows the rhythm below.
After calling assistance and defibrilator. Which action should the nurse take next --
-<<<answer>>>---Initiate CPR
A patient with a spinal cord injury has recently been admitted to a rehab unit. The
patient is at risk for developing autonomic dysreflexia. Which potential causes of
autonomic dysreflexia should the nurse educate the UAP on? SATA? Pg. 1431
Lewis pg. 905 saunders ---<<<answer>>>---A kinked urinary catheter
Belt is too tight
Keeping the environment too warm
A nurse is caring for a patient with acute pancreatitis with expect an elevation in
which of the following lab values? ---<<<answer>>>---amylase
The nurse is reviewing admission orders for a patient with a new diagnosis of an
MI. One of the orders states: nitro paste 1 inch topically. What action will the
nurse take ---<<<answer>>>---Wear gloves when administering the medication
Med surg manager is reviewing the financial budget for the previous year. The
nurse manager determines that changes need to be made to be more cost-
effective which areas would the nurse manager focus on to make the biggest
impact on the operating budget of the unit ---<<<answer>>>---Nurse Staffing
Supply management
, A patient arrives in the ED complaining of severe abdominal pain and vomiting
bright red blood. To diagnose the source of bleeding, the nurse expects to prepare
the patient which diagnostic procedure ---<<<answer>>>---Endoscopy
A patient who has had abdominal pain and severe vomiting for 2 days had delayed
going to the emergency department because they don't have insurance, cannot
afford the cost, and believed if they couldn't pay they would not receive
treatment. Which health policy requires the hospital to treat the patient ---
<<<answer>>>---Emergency Medical treatment and labor act
The nurse has been assigned to a patient with a spinal cord injury at level T4. The
patient begins to c/o of a throbbing HA and nasal congestion. The nurse checks
the patients ---<<<answer>>>---Elevate the HOB to 90 degrees
Assess for fecal impaction
Assess for bladder distention
Check the patient's skin for pressure
To evaluate the status of a patient that is intubated and placed on a ventilator due
to acute respiratory distress, which diagnostic test will be most useful to the
nurse? ---<<<answer>>>---Arterial blood gas analysis
The nurse assigned to care for a patient with DM has recently checked the
patients' blood sugar. What behavior is best example of the critical thinking skill of
reflection in action ---<<<answer>>>---Review the sliding scale insulin coverage
and give the insulin
Questions (2024–2025 Edition) Comprehensive Review for
Complex Health Nursing / Medical-Surgical III: Critical Care
Concepts, Multisystem Disorders, Shock, Sepsis, Burns,
Advanced Cardiac and Respiratory Care, Neurotrauma, Renal
Failure, Emergency Nursing, and High-Acuity Prioritization
The nurse is caring for a paraplegic patient due to an MVA. The patient has a
urinary catheter draining a minimal amount of dark yellow urine, is hypertensive
and bradycardic, has a rash on the upper torso, and is c/o of a pounding HA. What
is the nurses next action? ---<<<answer>>>---Assess the urinary catheter
The nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. Which
assessment finding would the nurse need to report immediately to the HCP? ---
<<<answer>>>---Muscle twitching and finger numbers
A new nurse working in the ED suggest to an experienced nurse that they ask a
Spanish speaking family member to translate for a patient instead of calling for an
interpreter. The nurse explains the use of untrained interpreters is associated with
which of the following? (SATA) ---<<<answer>>>---Less effective patient clinical
provider communication
Poor rates of follow up care
Possible conflicts with privacy rights
,Decreased rates of adherence with clinical instructions
The nurse is caring for a patient on the medical surg unit who suddenly becomes
unresponsive and has no pulse. The cardiac monitor shows the rhythm below.
After calling assistance and defibrilator. Which action should the nurse take next --
-<<<answer>>>---Initiate CPR
A patient with a spinal cord injury has recently been admitted to a rehab unit. The
patient is at risk for developing autonomic dysreflexia. Which potential causes of
autonomic dysreflexia should the nurse educate the UAP on? SATA? Pg. 1431
Lewis pg. 905 saunders ---<<<answer>>>---A kinked urinary catheter
Belt is too tight
Keeping the environment too warm
A nurse is caring for a patient with acute pancreatitis with expect an elevation in
which of the following lab values? ---<<<answer>>>---amylase
The nurse is reviewing admission orders for a patient with a new diagnosis of an
MI. One of the orders states: nitro paste 1 inch topically. What action will the
nurse take ---<<<answer>>>---Wear gloves when administering the medication
Med surg manager is reviewing the financial budget for the previous year. The
nurse manager determines that changes need to be made to be more cost-
effective which areas would the nurse manager focus on to make the biggest
impact on the operating budget of the unit ---<<<answer>>>---Nurse Staffing
Supply management
, A patient arrives in the ED complaining of severe abdominal pain and vomiting
bright red blood. To diagnose the source of bleeding, the nurse expects to prepare
the patient which diagnostic procedure ---<<<answer>>>---Endoscopy
A patient who has had abdominal pain and severe vomiting for 2 days had delayed
going to the emergency department because they don't have insurance, cannot
afford the cost, and believed if they couldn't pay they would not receive
treatment. Which health policy requires the hospital to treat the patient ---
<<<answer>>>---Emergency Medical treatment and labor act
The nurse has been assigned to a patient with a spinal cord injury at level T4. The
patient begins to c/o of a throbbing HA and nasal congestion. The nurse checks
the patients ---<<<answer>>>---Elevate the HOB to 90 degrees
Assess for fecal impaction
Assess for bladder distention
Check the patient's skin for pressure
To evaluate the status of a patient that is intubated and placed on a ventilator due
to acute respiratory distress, which diagnostic test will be most useful to the
nurse? ---<<<answer>>>---Arterial blood gas analysis
The nurse assigned to care for a patient with DM has recently checked the
patients' blood sugar. What behavior is best example of the critical thinking skill of
reflection in action ---<<<answer>>>---Review the sliding scale insulin coverage
and give the insulin
