Medical-Surgical Nursing Exam Sample Questions

1. The main goal of treatment for acute glomerulonephritis is to:

 encourage activity.
 encourage high protein intake.
 maintain fluid balance.
 teach intermittent urinary catheterization.

2. Nursing diagnoses mostly differ from medical diagnoses in that they are:

 dependent upon medical diagnoses for the direction of appropriate interventions.
 primarily concerned with caring, while medical diagnoses are primarily concerned with curing.
 primarily concerned with human response, while medical diagnoses are primarily concerned with pathology.
 primarily concerned with psychosocial parameters, while medical diagnoses are primarily concerned with physiologic parameters.

3. A patient who received spinal anesthesia four hours ago during surgery is transferred to the surgical unit and, after one and a half hours, now reports severe incisional pain. The patient's blood pressure is 170/90 mm Hg, pulse is 108 beats/min, temperature is 99^oF (37.2^oC), and respirations are 30 breaths/min. The patient's skin is pale, and the surgical dressing is dry and intact. The most appropriate nursing intervention is to:

 medicate the patient for pain.
 place the patient in a high Fowler position and administer oxygen.
 place the patient in a reverse Trendelenburg position and open the IV line.
 report the findings to the provider.

4. To prevent a common, adverse effect of prolonged use of phenytoin sodium (Dilantin), patients taking the drug are instructed to:

 avoid crowds and obtain an annual influenza vaccination.
 drink at least 2 L of fluids daily, including 8 to 10 glasses of water.
 eat a potassium-rich, low sodium diet.
 practice good dental hygiene and report gum swelling or bleeding.

5. The most common, preventable complication of abdominal surgery is:

 atelectasis.
 fluid and electrolyte imbalance.
 thrombophlebitis.
 urinary retention