Medical-Surgical Nursing – Core Principles and Practice
Review (Linton 7th Edition)
Medical-Surgical Nursing: 100 Q&A Review
Section 1: Nursing Process & Fundamentals
1. What is the first step of the nursing process?
a) Planning
b) Diagnosis
c) Assessment
d) Implementation
2. A nurse identifies that a patient has a "Risk for Fall" based on their
unsteady gait. This is an example of which type of nursing diagnosis?
a) Problem-Focused
b) Health Promotion
c) Risk
d) Syndrome
3. Which principle is most important when administering a medication for the
first time to a patient?
a) Cost-effectiveness of the drug
b) The "Five Rights" of medication administration
c) The patient's dietary preferences
d) The time of the last vital sign check
4. The primary purpose of the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment,
Recommendation) communication tool is to:
a) Document the patient's family history
b) Provide a standardized framework for hand-off communication
c) Replace the physician's progress notes
d) Order new diagnostic tests
5. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates the principle of advocacy?
a) Completing tasks quickly
b) Respecting the patient's confidentiality
,c) Informing the physician that a patient refuses a procedure and ensuring the
refusal is documented
d) Delegating all hygiene care to the nursing assistant
Section 2: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance
6. A patient with severe vomiting is most at risk for which acid-base
imbalance?
a) Respiratory Acidosis
b) Respiratory Alkalosis
c) Metabolic Acidosis
d) Metabolic Alkalosis
7. The nurse assesses a patient and notes pitting edema, jugular venous
distention (JVD), and crackles in the lungs. The nurse suspects:
a) Dehydration
b) Fluid Volume Excess
c) Metabolic Alkalosis
d) Hypokalemia
8. Which electrolyte imbalance is a critical concern for a patient receiving
digoxin (Lanoxin)?
a) Hyponatremia
b) Hypercalcemia
c) Hypokalemia
d) Hyperphosphatemia
9. A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is most likely
to develop which acid-base imbalance?
a) Respiratory Acidosis
b) Respiratory Alkalosis
c) Metabolic Acidosis
d) Metabolic Alkalosis
10. The primary clinical manifestation of hyperkalemia is:
a) Tetany and positive Chvostek's sign
, b) Muscle weakness and cardiac dysrhythmias
c) Polyuria and polydipsia
d) Hypertension and bradycardia
Section 3: Cardiovascular Disorders
11. The "silent killer" is a common nickname for which condition?
a) Myocardial Infarction
b) Hypertension
c) Heart Failure
d) Peripheral Artery Disease
12. The most common symptom of an acute myocardial infarction (MI) in
men is:
a) Left arm pain
b) Crushing substernal chest pain that may radiate
c) Nausea and indigestion
d) Sharp, pleuritic chest pain
13. A key nursing intervention for a patient with heart failure and fluid
overload is:
a) Encouraging fluid intake to 3L/day
b) Administering diuretics as prescribed and monitoring daily weights
c) Placing the patient in Trendelenburg position
d) Restricting protein intake
14. Which finding is a classic sign of left-sided heart failure?
a) Peripheral edema
b) Jugular Venous Distension (JVD)
c) Hepatomegaly
d) Pulmonary edema and crackles
15. The therapeutic INR range for a patient with a mechanical heart valve on
warfarin (Coumadin) is typically:
a) 1.0 - 1.5
b) 2.0 - 3.0
Review (Linton 7th Edition)
Medical-Surgical Nursing: 100 Q&A Review
Section 1: Nursing Process & Fundamentals
1. What is the first step of the nursing process?
a) Planning
b) Diagnosis
c) Assessment
d) Implementation
2. A nurse identifies that a patient has a "Risk for Fall" based on their
unsteady gait. This is an example of which type of nursing diagnosis?
a) Problem-Focused
b) Health Promotion
c) Risk
d) Syndrome
3. Which principle is most important when administering a medication for the
first time to a patient?
a) Cost-effectiveness of the drug
b) The "Five Rights" of medication administration
c) The patient's dietary preferences
d) The time of the last vital sign check
4. The primary purpose of the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment,
Recommendation) communication tool is to:
a) Document the patient's family history
b) Provide a standardized framework for hand-off communication
c) Replace the physician's progress notes
d) Order new diagnostic tests
5. Which action by the nurse best demonstrates the principle of advocacy?
a) Completing tasks quickly
b) Respecting the patient's confidentiality
,c) Informing the physician that a patient refuses a procedure and ensuring the
refusal is documented
d) Delegating all hygiene care to the nursing assistant
Section 2: Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance
6. A patient with severe vomiting is most at risk for which acid-base
imbalance?
a) Respiratory Acidosis
b) Respiratory Alkalosis
c) Metabolic Acidosis
d) Metabolic Alkalosis
7. The nurse assesses a patient and notes pitting edema, jugular venous
distention (JVD), and crackles in the lungs. The nurse suspects:
a) Dehydration
b) Fluid Volume Excess
c) Metabolic Alkalosis
d) Hypokalemia
8. Which electrolyte imbalance is a critical concern for a patient receiving
digoxin (Lanoxin)?
a) Hyponatremia
b) Hypercalcemia
c) Hypokalemia
d) Hyperphosphatemia
9. A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is most likely
to develop which acid-base imbalance?
a) Respiratory Acidosis
b) Respiratory Alkalosis
c) Metabolic Acidosis
d) Metabolic Alkalosis
10. The primary clinical manifestation of hyperkalemia is:
a) Tetany and positive Chvostek's sign
, b) Muscle weakness and cardiac dysrhythmias
c) Polyuria and polydipsia
d) Hypertension and bradycardia
Section 3: Cardiovascular Disorders
11. The "silent killer" is a common nickname for which condition?
a) Myocardial Infarction
b) Hypertension
c) Heart Failure
d) Peripheral Artery Disease
12. The most common symptom of an acute myocardial infarction (MI) in
men is:
a) Left arm pain
b) Crushing substernal chest pain that may radiate
c) Nausea and indigestion
d) Sharp, pleuritic chest pain
13. A key nursing intervention for a patient with heart failure and fluid
overload is:
a) Encouraging fluid intake to 3L/day
b) Administering diuretics as prescribed and monitoring daily weights
c) Placing the patient in Trendelenburg position
d) Restricting protein intake
14. Which finding is a classic sign of left-sided heart failure?
a) Peripheral edema
b) Jugular Venous Distension (JVD)
c) Hepatomegaly
d) Pulmonary edema and crackles
15. The therapeutic INR range for a patient with a mechanical heart valve on
warfarin (Coumadin) is typically:
a) 1.0 - 1.5
b) 2.0 - 3.0
