Medical-Surgical Nursing Exam 1 with
Questions and Correct Answers
The nurse is caring for a client who has a son with a streptococcus throat
infection. Which nurse recommendation would be best to advise the client to do
in order to prevent acquiring the infection? - CORRECT ANSWERS Frequently
wash her hands and surfaces of the home.
The nurse is caring for a client infected with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The
nurse should ask if the client has experienced which of the following? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Was bitten by a tick
The nurse is caring for a client with a protozoa infection. Which is the most
likely mode of transmission? - CORRECT ANSWERS Ingestion of contaminated
food or water
The nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from an allergic reaction.
Which leukocyte level would the nurse expect to be the most elevated? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Eosinophils
The nurse is caring for a client who has an infected wound on the great toe that
is red with a purulent exudate. The nurse expects that this client has which type
of infection? - CORRECT ANSWERS Localized
The client experienced a fall. Nursing assessment reveals that the client is
experiencing tachycardia, hypotension, confusion, tachypnea, and flat jugular
veins. What should be the nurse's first response? - CORRECT ANSWERS
Administer oxygen.
The family wants to know why the nurse is putting a urinary catheter in a client
experiencing shock. What is the nurse's best response? - CORRECT ANSWERS
"It will help monitor how much urine the kidneys are able to produce."
A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the last 10
hours. What is the nurse's most appropriate response? - CORRECT ANSWERS
Notify the physician.
Which client is most likely to be experiencing hypovolemic shock? - CORRECT
ANSWERS A client who had surgery 24 hours ago and who also has a
nasogastric tube
,The physician has ordered arterial blood gases for a client experiencing shock.
The nurse knows that which value indicates shock? - CORRECT ANSWERS pH
7.32
A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is the nurse's
best first response? - CORRECT ANSWERS Assess for pain
The client is complaining of excruciating pain in a foot that has been amputated.
The family tells the nurse that the client is just addicted to pain medications.
What is the nurse's best response? - CORRECT ANSWERS "He is experiencing
phantom limb pain."
A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated three times
a day. Oral pain medication has been ordered for the client. What should the
nurse do to facilitate ambulation? - CORRECT ANSWERS Mediate 1 hour prior
to ambulating the client.
The client reports frequent use of acetaminophen. How should the nurse best
respond? - CORRECT ANSWERS "Do you drink alcohol?"
A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing
assessment reveals that the client has a decreased level of consciousness.
What should the nurse ask the family about? - CORRECT ANSWERS What
medications the client has taken
The practical nurse is reviewing the social history from a client diagnosed with
small cell carcinoma of the lung. Which information is significant for this
disease? - CORRECT ANSWERS The client has smoked two (2) packs of
cigarettes a day for 20 years
The practical nurse and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are caring for
a group of clients on a medical unit. Which information provided by the UAP
warrants immediate intervention by the practical nurse? - CORRECT
ANSWERS The client receiving Procrit (epoetin alfa) has a T 99.2˚F, P 68, R 24,
and BP of 198/102
The client diagnosed with lung cancer has been told the cancer has
metastasized to the brain. Which intervention should the practical nurse expect
to implement? - CORRECT ANSWERS Discuss implementing an advance
directive
The client diagnosed with lung cancer is being discharged. Which statement
made by the client indicates a reiteration of information is required? -
CORRECT ANSWERS "It doesn't matter if I smoke now. I already have cancer."
, The practical nurse is interviewing clients at the clinic. Which information
provided by a client warrants further investigation? - CORRECT ANSWERS The
client has been coughing up blood in the mornings
The male client had abdominal surgery and the practical nurse suspects the
client has peritonitis. Which information support the diagnosis of peritonitis? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Hard, rigid abdomen and white blood cell count
22,000/mm3
The client who had abdominal surgery tells the practical nurse, "I felt something
give way in my stomach." Which intervention should the practical nurse
implement first? - CORRECT ANSWERS Inspect the abdominal wound incision
The client is one (1) day postoperative major abdominal surgery. Which client
problem is a priority? - CORRECT ANSWERS Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
The client has an eviscerated abdominal wound. Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement? - CORRECT ANSWERS Apply sterile normal saline
dressing
The client is diagnosed with peritonitis. Which information indicates to the
practical nurse the client's condition is improving? - CORRECT ANSWERS The
client has a decrease in temperature and a soft abdomen
A patient is being released from the hospital with a prescription for tetracycline.
What should the nurse include in patient teaching?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWERS Advise limiting exposure to the
sun.
Inform patient of the possibility of gastrointestinal upset.
Suggest eating crackers and some juice when taking this medicine.
The nurse wants to determine if a patient not fully awake from anesthesia for a
surgical procedure is experiencing pain. What findings should the nurse use to
make this determination?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWERS Moaning
Restlessness
Pulling at a body area
Elevated blood pressure
A patient is diagnosed with an infection that has spread to the blood stream.
Which term should the nurse use to document this patient's health problem? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Sepsis
Questions and Correct Answers
The nurse is caring for a client who has a son with a streptococcus throat
infection. Which nurse recommendation would be best to advise the client to do
in order to prevent acquiring the infection? - CORRECT ANSWERS Frequently
wash her hands and surfaces of the home.
The nurse is caring for a client infected with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The
nurse should ask if the client has experienced which of the following? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Was bitten by a tick
The nurse is caring for a client with a protozoa infection. Which is the most
likely mode of transmission? - CORRECT ANSWERS Ingestion of contaminated
food or water
The nurse is caring for a client who is recovering from an allergic reaction.
Which leukocyte level would the nurse expect to be the most elevated? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Eosinophils
The nurse is caring for a client who has an infected wound on the great toe that
is red with a purulent exudate. The nurse expects that this client has which type
of infection? - CORRECT ANSWERS Localized
The client experienced a fall. Nursing assessment reveals that the client is
experiencing tachycardia, hypotension, confusion, tachypnea, and flat jugular
veins. What should be the nurse's first response? - CORRECT ANSWERS
Administer oxygen.
The family wants to know why the nurse is putting a urinary catheter in a client
experiencing shock. What is the nurse's best response? - CORRECT ANSWERS
"It will help monitor how much urine the kidneys are able to produce."
A client experiencing shock has had a urinary output of 250 mL in the last 10
hours. What is the nurse's most appropriate response? - CORRECT ANSWERS
Notify the physician.
Which client is most likely to be experiencing hypovolemic shock? - CORRECT
ANSWERS A client who had surgery 24 hours ago and who also has a
nasogastric tube
,The physician has ordered arterial blood gases for a client experiencing shock.
The nurse knows that which value indicates shock? - CORRECT ANSWERS pH
7.32
A 63-year-old Arab American male states his left leg is "hot." What is the nurse's
best first response? - CORRECT ANSWERS Assess for pain
The client is complaining of excruciating pain in a foot that has been amputated.
The family tells the nurse that the client is just addicted to pain medications.
What is the nurse's best response? - CORRECT ANSWERS "He is experiencing
phantom limb pain."
A client has had abdominal surgery and has orders to be ambulated three times
a day. Oral pain medication has been ordered for the client. What should the
nurse do to facilitate ambulation? - CORRECT ANSWERS Mediate 1 hour prior
to ambulating the client.
The client reports frequent use of acetaminophen. How should the nurse best
respond? - CORRECT ANSWERS "Do you drink alcohol?"
A client with chronic pain has been admitted with a fever. The nursing
assessment reveals that the client has a decreased level of consciousness.
What should the nurse ask the family about? - CORRECT ANSWERS What
medications the client has taken
The practical nurse is reviewing the social history from a client diagnosed with
small cell carcinoma of the lung. Which information is significant for this
disease? - CORRECT ANSWERS The client has smoked two (2) packs of
cigarettes a day for 20 years
The practical nurse and an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are caring for
a group of clients on a medical unit. Which information provided by the UAP
warrants immediate intervention by the practical nurse? - CORRECT
ANSWERS The client receiving Procrit (epoetin alfa) has a T 99.2˚F, P 68, R 24,
and BP of 198/102
The client diagnosed with lung cancer has been told the cancer has
metastasized to the brain. Which intervention should the practical nurse expect
to implement? - CORRECT ANSWERS Discuss implementing an advance
directive
The client diagnosed with lung cancer is being discharged. Which statement
made by the client indicates a reiteration of information is required? -
CORRECT ANSWERS "It doesn't matter if I smoke now. I already have cancer."
, The practical nurse is interviewing clients at the clinic. Which information
provided by a client warrants further investigation? - CORRECT ANSWERS The
client has been coughing up blood in the mornings
The male client had abdominal surgery and the practical nurse suspects the
client has peritonitis. Which information support the diagnosis of peritonitis? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Hard, rigid abdomen and white blood cell count
22,000/mm3
The client who had abdominal surgery tells the practical nurse, "I felt something
give way in my stomach." Which intervention should the practical nurse
implement first? - CORRECT ANSWERS Inspect the abdominal wound incision
The client is one (1) day postoperative major abdominal surgery. Which client
problem is a priority? - CORRECT ANSWERS Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
The client has an eviscerated abdominal wound. Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement? - CORRECT ANSWERS Apply sterile normal saline
dressing
The client is diagnosed with peritonitis. Which information indicates to the
practical nurse the client's condition is improving? - CORRECT ANSWERS The
client has a decrease in temperature and a soft abdomen
A patient is being released from the hospital with a prescription for tetracycline.
What should the nurse include in patient teaching?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWERS Advise limiting exposure to the
sun.
Inform patient of the possibility of gastrointestinal upset.
Suggest eating crackers and some juice when taking this medicine.
The nurse wants to determine if a patient not fully awake from anesthesia for a
surgical procedure is experiencing pain. What findings should the nurse use to
make this determination?
Select all that apply. - CORRECT ANSWERS Moaning
Restlessness
Pulling at a body area
Elevated blood pressure
A patient is diagnosed with an infection that has spread to the blood stream.
Which term should the nurse use to document this patient's health problem? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Sepsis
