MEDSURG
MEDSURG FINAL EXAM STUDY
QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
SOLUTIONS 2025
A client who has septic shock is admitted to the hospital. What priority
intervention does the nurse implement first?
a. Obtain two sets of blood cultures.
b. Administer the prescribed IV vancomycin (Vancocin).
c. Obtain central venous pressure (CVP) measurements.
d. Administer the prescribed IV norepinephrine (Levophed) -Correct
Answer ✔a. Obtain two sets of blood cultures.
Blood cultures should be obtained before IV antibiotics are started. If
hypotension occurs, fluid resuscitation is used first. CVP monitoring and
vasopressor therapy are started if hypotension persists.
The emergency department nurse is triaging clients. Which client does
the nurse assess most carefully for hypovolemic shock?
a. 15-year-old adolescent who plays high school basketball
b. 24-year-old computer specialist who has bulimia
c. 48-year-old truck driver who has a 40-pack-year history of smoking
d. 62-year-old business executive who travels frequently -Correct
Answer ✔b. 24-year-old computer specialist who has bulimia
Hypovolemic shock can be caused by dehydration. A client who has
bulimia is at highest risk for dehydration owing to excessive vomiting.
Basketball, smoking, and traveling do not put the client at risk for
hypovolemic shock.
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A client with epilepsy develops stiffening of the muscles of the arms and
legs, followed by an immediate loss of consciousness and jerking of all
extremities. How does the nurse document this seizure activity?
a. Atonic seizure
b. Absence seizure
c. Myoclonic seizure
d. Tonic-clonic seizure -Correct Answer ✔d. Tonic-clonic seizure
Seizure activity that begins with stiffening of the arms and legs,
followed by loss of consciousness and jerking of all extremities, is
characteristic of a tonic-clonic seizure. The other seizures do not
manifest in this manner.
The nurse is assessing a client with a history of absence seizures. Which
clinical manifestation does the nurse assess for?
a. Automatisms
b. Intermittent rigidity
c. Sudden loss of muscle tone
d. Brief jerking of the extremities -Correct Answer ✔a. Automatisms
Automatisms are characteristic of absence seizures. These behaviors
consist of lip smacking, patting, and picking at clothing. The other
manifestations do not correlate with absence seizures.
The nurse is caring for a client with a history of epilepsy who suddenly
begins to experience a tonic-clonic seizure and loses consciousness.
What is the nurse's priority action?
a. Restrain the client's extremities.
b. Turn the client's head to the side.
c. Take the client's blood pressure.
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d. Place an airway into the client's mouth. -Correct Answer ✔b. Turn the
client's head to the side.
A client is actively experiencing status epilepticus. Which prescribed
medication does the nurse prepare to administer?
a. Atropine
b. Lorazepam (Ativan)
c. Phenytoin (Dilantin)
d. Morphine sulfate -Correct Answer ✔b. Lorazepam (Ativan)
The nurse is teaching a client who is newly diagnosed with epilepsy.
Which statement by the client indicates a need for further teaching
concerning the drug regimen?
a. "I will not drink any alcoholic beverages."
b. "I will wear a medical alert bracelet."
c. "I will let my doctor know about all of my prescriptions."
d. "I can skip a couple of pills if they make me ill." -Correct Answer ✔d.
"I can skip a couple of pills if they make me ill."
A client with new-onset status epilepticus is prescribed phenytoin
(Dilantin). After teaching the client about this treatment regimen, the
nurse assesses the client's understanding. Which statement indicates that
the client understands the teaching?
a. "I must drink at least 2 liters of water daily."
b. "This will stop me from getting an aura before a seizure."
c. "I will not be able to be employed while taking this medication."
d. "Even when my seizures stop, I will take this drug." -Correct Answer
✔d. "Even when my seizures stop, I will take this drug."
MEDSURG
MEDSURG FINAL EXAM STUDY
QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED
SOLUTIONS 2025
A client who has septic shock is admitted to the hospital. What priority
intervention does the nurse implement first?
a. Obtain two sets of blood cultures.
b. Administer the prescribed IV vancomycin (Vancocin).
c. Obtain central venous pressure (CVP) measurements.
d. Administer the prescribed IV norepinephrine (Levophed) -Correct
Answer ✔a. Obtain two sets of blood cultures.
Blood cultures should be obtained before IV antibiotics are started. If
hypotension occurs, fluid resuscitation is used first. CVP monitoring and
vasopressor therapy are started if hypotension persists.
The emergency department nurse is triaging clients. Which client does
the nurse assess most carefully for hypovolemic shock?
a. 15-year-old adolescent who plays high school basketball
b. 24-year-old computer specialist who has bulimia
c. 48-year-old truck driver who has a 40-pack-year history of smoking
d. 62-year-old business executive who travels frequently -Correct
Answer ✔b. 24-year-old computer specialist who has bulimia
Hypovolemic shock can be caused by dehydration. A client who has
bulimia is at highest risk for dehydration owing to excessive vomiting.
Basketball, smoking, and traveling do not put the client at risk for
hypovolemic shock.
MEDSURG
,MEDSURG
A client with epilepsy develops stiffening of the muscles of the arms and
legs, followed by an immediate loss of consciousness and jerking of all
extremities. How does the nurse document this seizure activity?
a. Atonic seizure
b. Absence seizure
c. Myoclonic seizure
d. Tonic-clonic seizure -Correct Answer ✔d. Tonic-clonic seizure
Seizure activity that begins with stiffening of the arms and legs,
followed by loss of consciousness and jerking of all extremities, is
characteristic of a tonic-clonic seizure. The other seizures do not
manifest in this manner.
The nurse is assessing a client with a history of absence seizures. Which
clinical manifestation does the nurse assess for?
a. Automatisms
b. Intermittent rigidity
c. Sudden loss of muscle tone
d. Brief jerking of the extremities -Correct Answer ✔a. Automatisms
Automatisms are characteristic of absence seizures. These behaviors
consist of lip smacking, patting, and picking at clothing. The other
manifestations do not correlate with absence seizures.
The nurse is caring for a client with a history of epilepsy who suddenly
begins to experience a tonic-clonic seizure and loses consciousness.
What is the nurse's priority action?
a. Restrain the client's extremities.
b. Turn the client's head to the side.
c. Take the client's blood pressure.
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, MEDSURG
d. Place an airway into the client's mouth. -Correct Answer ✔b. Turn the
client's head to the side.
A client is actively experiencing status epilepticus. Which prescribed
medication does the nurse prepare to administer?
a. Atropine
b. Lorazepam (Ativan)
c. Phenytoin (Dilantin)
d. Morphine sulfate -Correct Answer ✔b. Lorazepam (Ativan)
The nurse is teaching a client who is newly diagnosed with epilepsy.
Which statement by the client indicates a need for further teaching
concerning the drug regimen?
a. "I will not drink any alcoholic beverages."
b. "I will wear a medical alert bracelet."
c. "I will let my doctor know about all of my prescriptions."
d. "I can skip a couple of pills if they make me ill." -Correct Answer ✔d.
"I can skip a couple of pills if they make me ill."
A client with new-onset status epilepticus is prescribed phenytoin
(Dilantin). After teaching the client about this treatment regimen, the
nurse assesses the client's understanding. Which statement indicates that
the client understands the teaching?
a. "I must drink at least 2 liters of water daily."
b. "This will stop me from getting an aura before a seizure."
c. "I will not be able to be employed while taking this medication."
d. "Even when my seizures stop, I will take this drug." -Correct Answer
✔d. "Even when my seizures stop, I will take this drug."
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