WGU D027 NEWEST 2025 PRE –ASSESSMENT
EXAM ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
GRADED A+
Which action is the purpose of the inflammatory process? - ANSWER - To
destroy foreign, invasive microorganisms
The general purpose of inflammation is to initiate the destruction of foreign
or invasive organisms. As a secondary effect, it increases the healing and
immune response processes of the body.
What causes edema that occurs during the inflammatory process? -
ANSWER - Increased vascular permeability
Increased pressure in the vasculature secondary to the vasodilatory effects
of inflammation will result in the leakage of fluid into third spaces (i.e.,
edema).
In what structure do B lymphocytes mature and become B cells? -
ANSWER - Bone marrow
The bone marrow is where immature immune cells, such as B and T
lymphocytes, reside to mature into B cells. After this maturation process,
these cells migrate to other organ sites such as the thyroid, spleen, and
thymus to enter their final stages of differentiation and development.
Which type of immunity occurs when antibodies are transferred from donor
to recipient? - ANSWER - Passive acquired immunity.
pg. 1
,Active immune processes are the self-originating processes of the immune
system that occur from (acquired) or without (innate) prior exogenous
simulation or exposure to foreign antigens. Passive immunity is stabilized.
Existing immune responses that are present with or without simulation can
arise or be created from oneself (innate) or acquired from an outside
source (e.g. donor antibodies).
What does T-cell activity cause in older adults? - ANSWER - Increased
susceptibility for infection.
As the human body ages, the immune system's effectiveness to coordinate
responses to pathogens and other foreign antigens wanes and the risk for
disease increases.
A 54-year-old man comes into a clinic for a routine visit. His initial BP is
148/92. After a recheck 15 minutes later, his BP is 140/90. He states he
suffers from "white coat hypertension." He states he has no history of high
blood pressure and no family history of high blood pressure.
Which nursing intervention would assist this patient in receiving a clinical
diagnosis of hypertension? - ANSWER - Completing an ambulatory blood
pressure assessment -
For someone with "white coat hypertension," the best option is to eliminate
the situation in which the trigger is present. Assessing blood pressure in a
location of comfort like the home environment when no professional is
present will enable the ability to determine his blood pressure under routine
circumstances.
A 58-year-old woman comes in complaining of retrosternal chest pain,
worsening with recumbent position. She states she has had a low-grade
fever for two days. Upon exam, the patient has a friction rub. An EKG
reveals sinus tachycardia with inflammatory changes. An ultrasound is
performed, and she is diagnosed with an acute pericarditis.
pg. 2
,Which condition would make pericarditis more likely in this patient? -
ANSWER - Lupus -
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that is often responsible for causing an
inflammatory response in the pericardial sac. Autoimmune disorders are
known to cause chronic pericarditis.
A patient begins taking an ACE inhibitor and complains of a dry cough.
What does the nurse correctly tell the patient about this symptom? -
ANSWER - This symptom is common. If it does not stop, then your
medication can be changed -
Coughing is the most common side effect associated with all ACE
inhibitors. About 10% of those taking an ACE inhibitor will experience a dry,
nonproductive cough that can range from very mild to severe and hacking.
Persistent dry cough is the most common reason for discontinuing ACE
inhibitors (Burchum & Rosenthal, p. 357).
Which complex (wave) represents the sum of all ventricular muscle cell
depolarizations? - ANSWER - QRS -
The QRS wave of an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) represents the
largest spike in electrical activity of the heart, as ventricular muscle cells
perform the highest burden of work to pump blood volume out of the heart
in that instance.
What effect does atherosclerosis have on the development of an
aneurysm? - ANSWER - Erodes the vessel wall -
Atherosclerosis, also known as the process of "hardening of the arteries"
and secondary to plaque formation, weakens the flexibility of a blood vessel
wall. Without vascular compliance, the vessel wall becomes more rigid and
susceptible to rupture (i.e., an aneurysm).
What is the effect of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in
atherosclerosis? -
pg. 3
, ANSWER - LDLs cause smooth muscle proliferation -
Within the arterial wall subintima, oxidized LDLs stimulate macrophage
foam cell formation and proinflammatory pathways, which lead to smooth
muscle proliferation, fatty streak creation, and eventual fibrous plaque
overlays (McCance, p. 699 & 1072).
Which factor is responsible for the hypertrophy of the myocardium
associated with hypertension? - ANSWER - Angiotensin II -
Angiotensin II leads to myocardial hypertrophy, poor myocardial
compliance, and ventricular dilation through stimulating increased cardiac
preload and afterload and direct toxicity to myocardial cells. It causes
sarcomere death, abnormal collagen matrices, and interstitial fibrosis
(McCance, p. 1099).
Most cardiovascular developments occur between which weeks of
gestation? - ANSWER - Fourth and seventh weeks -
During weeks four to seven, the primitive heart tube progresses through
numerous stages of development leading to a developed heart with distinct
atria, ventricles, and cardiac vessels.
Which compensatory mechanism is spontaneously used by children
diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) to relieve hypoxic spells? -
ANSWER - Squatting -
Spontaneous squatting helps relieve hypercyanotic events in older children
through increasing systemic vascular resistance, decreasing venous blood
return. This provides a larger amount of oxygenated blood for the body and
leads to the temporary reversal of blood through the ventricular septal
defect (VSD), which results in increased pulmonary flow. Squatting is rarely
seen clinically because most TOF defects are diagnosed and surgically
repaired in infancy (McCance, p. 1127).
pg. 4
EXAM ACTUAL QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
GRADED A+
Which action is the purpose of the inflammatory process? - ANSWER - To
destroy foreign, invasive microorganisms
The general purpose of inflammation is to initiate the destruction of foreign
or invasive organisms. As a secondary effect, it increases the healing and
immune response processes of the body.
What causes edema that occurs during the inflammatory process? -
ANSWER - Increased vascular permeability
Increased pressure in the vasculature secondary to the vasodilatory effects
of inflammation will result in the leakage of fluid into third spaces (i.e.,
edema).
In what structure do B lymphocytes mature and become B cells? -
ANSWER - Bone marrow
The bone marrow is where immature immune cells, such as B and T
lymphocytes, reside to mature into B cells. After this maturation process,
these cells migrate to other organ sites such as the thyroid, spleen, and
thymus to enter their final stages of differentiation and development.
Which type of immunity occurs when antibodies are transferred from donor
to recipient? - ANSWER - Passive acquired immunity.
pg. 1
,Active immune processes are the self-originating processes of the immune
system that occur from (acquired) or without (innate) prior exogenous
simulation or exposure to foreign antigens. Passive immunity is stabilized.
Existing immune responses that are present with or without simulation can
arise or be created from oneself (innate) or acquired from an outside
source (e.g. donor antibodies).
What does T-cell activity cause in older adults? - ANSWER - Increased
susceptibility for infection.
As the human body ages, the immune system's effectiveness to coordinate
responses to pathogens and other foreign antigens wanes and the risk for
disease increases.
A 54-year-old man comes into a clinic for a routine visit. His initial BP is
148/92. After a recheck 15 minutes later, his BP is 140/90. He states he
suffers from "white coat hypertension." He states he has no history of high
blood pressure and no family history of high blood pressure.
Which nursing intervention would assist this patient in receiving a clinical
diagnosis of hypertension? - ANSWER - Completing an ambulatory blood
pressure assessment -
For someone with "white coat hypertension," the best option is to eliminate
the situation in which the trigger is present. Assessing blood pressure in a
location of comfort like the home environment when no professional is
present will enable the ability to determine his blood pressure under routine
circumstances.
A 58-year-old woman comes in complaining of retrosternal chest pain,
worsening with recumbent position. She states she has had a low-grade
fever for two days. Upon exam, the patient has a friction rub. An EKG
reveals sinus tachycardia with inflammatory changes. An ultrasound is
performed, and she is diagnosed with an acute pericarditis.
pg. 2
,Which condition would make pericarditis more likely in this patient? -
ANSWER - Lupus -
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that is often responsible for causing an
inflammatory response in the pericardial sac. Autoimmune disorders are
known to cause chronic pericarditis.
A patient begins taking an ACE inhibitor and complains of a dry cough.
What does the nurse correctly tell the patient about this symptom? -
ANSWER - This symptom is common. If it does not stop, then your
medication can be changed -
Coughing is the most common side effect associated with all ACE
inhibitors. About 10% of those taking an ACE inhibitor will experience a dry,
nonproductive cough that can range from very mild to severe and hacking.
Persistent dry cough is the most common reason for discontinuing ACE
inhibitors (Burchum & Rosenthal, p. 357).
Which complex (wave) represents the sum of all ventricular muscle cell
depolarizations? - ANSWER - QRS -
The QRS wave of an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) represents the
largest spike in electrical activity of the heart, as ventricular muscle cells
perform the highest burden of work to pump blood volume out of the heart
in that instance.
What effect does atherosclerosis have on the development of an
aneurysm? - ANSWER - Erodes the vessel wall -
Atherosclerosis, also known as the process of "hardening of the arteries"
and secondary to plaque formation, weakens the flexibility of a blood vessel
wall. Without vascular compliance, the vessel wall becomes more rigid and
susceptible to rupture (i.e., an aneurysm).
What is the effect of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in
atherosclerosis? -
pg. 3
, ANSWER - LDLs cause smooth muscle proliferation -
Within the arterial wall subintima, oxidized LDLs stimulate macrophage
foam cell formation and proinflammatory pathways, which lead to smooth
muscle proliferation, fatty streak creation, and eventual fibrous plaque
overlays (McCance, p. 699 & 1072).
Which factor is responsible for the hypertrophy of the myocardium
associated with hypertension? - ANSWER - Angiotensin II -
Angiotensin II leads to myocardial hypertrophy, poor myocardial
compliance, and ventricular dilation through stimulating increased cardiac
preload and afterload and direct toxicity to myocardial cells. It causes
sarcomere death, abnormal collagen matrices, and interstitial fibrosis
(McCance, p. 1099).
Most cardiovascular developments occur between which weeks of
gestation? - ANSWER - Fourth and seventh weeks -
During weeks four to seven, the primitive heart tube progresses through
numerous stages of development leading to a developed heart with distinct
atria, ventricles, and cardiac vessels.
Which compensatory mechanism is spontaneously used by children
diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) to relieve hypoxic spells? -
ANSWER - Squatting -
Spontaneous squatting helps relieve hypercyanotic events in older children
through increasing systemic vascular resistance, decreasing venous blood
return. This provides a larger amount of oxygenated blood for the body and
leads to the temporary reversal of blood through the ventricular septal
defect (VSD), which results in increased pulmonary flow. Squatting is rarely
seen clinically because most TOF defects are diagnosed and surgically
repaired in infancy (McCance, p. 1127).
pg. 4
