Med Surg I Exam ACTUAL UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
A resident of a long-term care facility has complained to the nurse of chest pain. What aspect
of the resident's pain would be most suggestive of angina as the cause?
The pain is worse when the resident inhales deeply.
The pain occurs immediately following physical exertion.
The pain is worse when the resident coughs.
The pain is most severe when the resident moves his upper body. - CORRECT
ANSWERS✅✅The pain occurs immediately following physical exertion.
The nurse is reviewing the echocardiography results of a patient who has just been diagnosed
with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). What changes in heart structure characterise DCM?
Dilated ventricles with atrophy of the ventricles
Dilated ventricles without hypertrophy of the ventricles
Dilation and hypertrophy of all four heart chambers
Dilation of the atria and hypertrophy of the ventricles - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Dilated
ventricles without hypertrophy of the ventricles
A critical care nurse is aware of similarities and differences between the treatments for
different types of shock. Which of the following interventions is used in all types of shock?
Aggressive hypoglycemic control
Administration of hypertonic IV fluids
Early provision of nutritional support
Aggressive antibiotic therapy - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Early provision of nutritional
support
The nurse is assessing a patient who frequently coughs after eating or drinking. How should
the nurse best follow up this assessment finding?
Obtain a sputum sample.
,Perform a swallowing assessment.
Inspect the patient's tongue and mouth.
Assess the patient's nutritional status. - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Perform a swallowing
assessment.
The ED nurse is assessing a patient complaining of dyspnea. The nurse auscultates the
patient's chest and hears wheezing throughout the lung fields. What might this indicate?
The patient has a narrowed airway.
The patient has pneumonia.
The patient needs physiotherapy.
The patient has a hemothorax. - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅The patient has a narrowed
airway.
The nurse is caring for a patient admitted with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. During assessment, the nurse finds that the patient is experiencing
increased dyspnea. What is the most accurate measurement of the concentration of oxygen in
the patient's blood?
A capillary blood sample
Pulse oximetry
An arterial blood gas (ABG) study
A complete blood count (CBC) - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅An arterial blood gas (ABG)
study
A patient with a longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder presents to the
emergency room. The triage nurse notes upon assessment that the patient is hyperventilating.
The triage nurse is aware that hyperventilation is the most common cause of which acid-base
imbalance?
Respiratory acidosis
Respiratory alkalosis
Increased PaCO2
CNS disturbances - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Respiratory alkalosis
, You are an emergency-room nurse caring for a trauma patient. Your patient has the following
arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO2 28, HCO3 11 mEq/L. How would you interpret
these results?
Respiratory acidosis with no compensation
Metabolic alkalosis with a compensatory alkalosis
Metabolic acidosis with no compensation
Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis - CORRECT
ANSWERS✅✅Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
A nurse in the neurologic ICU has orders to infuse a hypertonic solution into a patient with
increased intracranial pressure. This solution will increase the number of dissolved particles
in the patient's blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and
increase the blood volume. This process is best described as which of the following?
Hydrostatic pressure
Osmosis and osmolality
Diffusion
Active transport - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Osmosis and osmolality
You are the surgical nurse caring for a 65-year-old female patient who is postoperative day 1
following a thyroidectomy. During your shift assessment, the patient complains of tingling in
her lips and fingers. She tells you that she has an intermittent spasm in her wrist and hand and
she exhibits increased muscle tone. What electrolyte imbalance should you first suspect?
Hypophosphatemia
Hypocalcemia
Hypermagnesemia
Hyperkalemia - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Hypocalcemia
A patient's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should the nurse perform
when providing this noninvasive therapy?
Administer the treatment with the patient in a high Fowler's or semi-Fowler's position.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
A resident of a long-term care facility has complained to the nurse of chest pain. What aspect
of the resident's pain would be most suggestive of angina as the cause?
The pain is worse when the resident inhales deeply.
The pain occurs immediately following physical exertion.
The pain is worse when the resident coughs.
The pain is most severe when the resident moves his upper body. - CORRECT
ANSWERS✅✅The pain occurs immediately following physical exertion.
The nurse is reviewing the echocardiography results of a patient who has just been diagnosed
with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). What changes in heart structure characterise DCM?
Dilated ventricles with atrophy of the ventricles
Dilated ventricles without hypertrophy of the ventricles
Dilation and hypertrophy of all four heart chambers
Dilation of the atria and hypertrophy of the ventricles - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Dilated
ventricles without hypertrophy of the ventricles
A critical care nurse is aware of similarities and differences between the treatments for
different types of shock. Which of the following interventions is used in all types of shock?
Aggressive hypoglycemic control
Administration of hypertonic IV fluids
Early provision of nutritional support
Aggressive antibiotic therapy - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Early provision of nutritional
support
The nurse is assessing a patient who frequently coughs after eating or drinking. How should
the nurse best follow up this assessment finding?
Obtain a sputum sample.
,Perform a swallowing assessment.
Inspect the patient's tongue and mouth.
Assess the patient's nutritional status. - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Perform a swallowing
assessment.
The ED nurse is assessing a patient complaining of dyspnea. The nurse auscultates the
patient's chest and hears wheezing throughout the lung fields. What might this indicate?
The patient has a narrowed airway.
The patient has pneumonia.
The patient needs physiotherapy.
The patient has a hemothorax. - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅The patient has a narrowed
airway.
The nurse is caring for a patient admitted with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. During assessment, the nurse finds that the patient is experiencing
increased dyspnea. What is the most accurate measurement of the concentration of oxygen in
the patient's blood?
A capillary blood sample
Pulse oximetry
An arterial blood gas (ABG) study
A complete blood count (CBC) - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅An arterial blood gas (ABG)
study
A patient with a longstanding diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder presents to the
emergency room. The triage nurse notes upon assessment that the patient is hyperventilating.
The triage nurse is aware that hyperventilation is the most common cause of which acid-base
imbalance?
Respiratory acidosis
Respiratory alkalosis
Increased PaCO2
CNS disturbances - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Respiratory alkalosis
, You are an emergency-room nurse caring for a trauma patient. Your patient has the following
arterial blood gas results: pH 7.26, PaCO2 28, HCO3 11 mEq/L. How would you interpret
these results?
Respiratory acidosis with no compensation
Metabolic alkalosis with a compensatory alkalosis
Metabolic acidosis with no compensation
Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis - CORRECT
ANSWERS✅✅Metabolic acidosis with a compensatory respiratory alkalosis
A nurse in the neurologic ICU has orders to infuse a hypertonic solution into a patient with
increased intracranial pressure. This solution will increase the number of dissolved particles
in the patient's blood, creating pressure for fluids in the tissues to shift into the capillaries and
increase the blood volume. This process is best described as which of the following?
Hydrostatic pressure
Osmosis and osmolality
Diffusion
Active transport - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Osmosis and osmolality
You are the surgical nurse caring for a 65-year-old female patient who is postoperative day 1
following a thyroidectomy. During your shift assessment, the patient complains of tingling in
her lips and fingers. She tells you that she has an intermittent spasm in her wrist and hand and
she exhibits increased muscle tone. What electrolyte imbalance should you first suspect?
Hypophosphatemia
Hypocalcemia
Hypermagnesemia
Hyperkalemia - CORRECT ANSWERS✅✅Hypocalcemia
A patient's plan of care specifies postural drainage. What action should the nurse perform
when providing this noninvasive therapy?
Administer the treatment with the patient in a high Fowler's or semi-Fowler's position.
