Med-Surg Exam 1, Detailed and Elaborated Questions
and Answers Reviewed 2026
The nurse requests the client to sign a surgical informed consent form for an emergency
appendectomy. Which statement by the client indicates further teaching is needed?
1. "I will be glad when this is over so I can go home today."
2. "I will not be able to eat or drink anything prior to my surgery."
3. "I can practice relaxing by listening to my favorite music."
4. "I will need to get up and walk as soon as possible." - Correct Answers 1.
1. The client will be in the hospital for a few days. This is not a day-surgery pro- cedure. The
client needs more teaching.
2. Clients are NPO (nothing by mouth) prior to surgery to prevent aspiration during and after
anesthesia. The client understands the teaching.
3. Listening to music and other relaxing tech- niques can be used to alleviate anxiety and pain.
This statement indicates the client understands the teaching.
4. Clients are encouraged to get out of bed as soon as possible and progress until a return to daily
activity is achieved. The client understands the teaching.
The nurse in the holding area of the surgery department is interviewing a client who requests to
keep his religious medal on during surgery. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
1. Notify the surgeon about the client's request to wear the medal.
2. Tape the medal to the client and allow the client to wear the medal.
3. Request the family member take the medal prior to surgery.
,4. Explain taking the medal to surgery is against the policy. - Correct Answers 2.
1. The surgeon does not need to be notified of the client's request; this can be addressed by the
nursing staff.
2. The medal should be taped and the client should be allowed to wear the medal because
meeting spiritual needs
is essential to this client's care.
3. The client should be allowed to bring the medal to surgery if the medal is taped to the client.
4. Hospital policies should be established for the well-being of clients, and spiritual needs should
be addressed.
The nurse must obtain surgical consent forms for the scheduled surgery. Which client would not
be able to consent legally to surgery?
1. The 65-year-old client who cannot read or write.
2. The 30-year-old client who does not understand English.
3. The 16-year-old client who has a fractured ankle.
4. The 80-year-old client who is not oriented to the day. - Correct Answers 3.
1. The 65-year-old client who cannot read can mark an "X" on the form and is legally able to
sign a surgical permit as long as the client understands the benefits, alternatives, and all potential
complications of the surgery.
2. The client who does not speak English can and should have information given and questions
answered in the client's native language.
3. A 16-year-old client is not legally able to give permission for surgery unless the adolescent has
been given an emancipated status by a judge. This information was not given in the stem.
4. A client is able to give permission unless determined incompetent. Not knowing the day of the
week is not significant.
The nurse is preparing a client for surgery. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
1. Check the permit for the spouse's signature.
,2. Take and document intake and output.
3. Administer the "on call" sedative.
4. Complete the preoperative checklist. - Correct Answers 4.
1. The client's signature, not the spouse's, should be on the surgical permit.
2. This would be important information if ab- normal, but it is not the first intervention.
3. "On call" sedatives should be administered after the surgical checklist is completed.
4. Completing the preoperative checklist has the highest priority to ensure all details are
completed without omissions.
The nurse is interviewing a surgical client in the holding area. Which information should the
nurse report to the anesthesiologist? (Select all that apply.)
1. The client has loose, decayed teeth.
2. The client is experiencing anxiety.
3. The client smokes two (2) packs of cigarettes a day.
4. The client has had a chest x-ray which does not show infiltrates.
5. The client reports using herbs. - Correct Answers 1.
3.
5.
1. Loose teeth or caries need to be re- ported to the anesthesiologist so he or she can make
provisions to prevent breaking the teeth and causing the client to possibly aspirate pieces.
2. The nurse should report any client who is extremely anxious, but the nurse can address the
needs of a client experiencing expected surgical anxiety.
3. Smokers are at a higher risk for complications from anesthesia.
4. No infiltrates on a chest x-ray is a normal finding and does not be reported.
5. Herbs—for example, St. John's wort, licorice, and ginkgo—have serious inter- actions with
anesthesia and with bodily functions such as coagulation.
, Which task would be most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to the unlicensed assistive
personnel (UAP)?
1. Complete the preoperative checklist.
2. Assess the client's preoperative vital signs.
3. Teach the client about coughing and deep breathing.
4. Assist the client to remove clothing and jewelry. - Correct Answers 4.
1. The nurse should complete this form because it requires analysis, which cannot be delegated to
the UAP.
2. Nurses cannot delegate assessment.
3. The nurse cannot delegate teaching to a UAP.
4. The UAP can remove clothing and jewelry.
The nurse is assessing a client in the day surgery unit who states, "I am really afraid of having
this surgery. I'm afraid of what they will find." Which statement would be the best therapeutic
response by the nurse?
1. "Don't worry about your surgery. It is safe."
2. "Tell me why you're worried about your surgery." 3. "Tell me about your fears of having this
surgery."
4. "I understand how you feel. Surgery is frightening." - Correct Answers 3.
1. This statement is giving false reassurance.
2. "Why" is never therapeutic. The client does not owe the nurse an explanation.
3. This statement focuses on the emotion which the client identified and is therapeutic.
4. This statement belittles the client's fear, and no person understands how another person feels.
The 68-year-old client scheduled for intestinal surgery does not have clear fecal contents after
three (3) tap water enemas. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
1. Notify the surgeon of the client's status.
and Answers Reviewed 2026
The nurse requests the client to sign a surgical informed consent form for an emergency
appendectomy. Which statement by the client indicates further teaching is needed?
1. "I will be glad when this is over so I can go home today."
2. "I will not be able to eat or drink anything prior to my surgery."
3. "I can practice relaxing by listening to my favorite music."
4. "I will need to get up and walk as soon as possible." - Correct Answers 1.
1. The client will be in the hospital for a few days. This is not a day-surgery pro- cedure. The
client needs more teaching.
2. Clients are NPO (nothing by mouth) prior to surgery to prevent aspiration during and after
anesthesia. The client understands the teaching.
3. Listening to music and other relaxing tech- niques can be used to alleviate anxiety and pain.
This statement indicates the client understands the teaching.
4. Clients are encouraged to get out of bed as soon as possible and progress until a return to daily
activity is achieved. The client understands the teaching.
The nurse in the holding area of the surgery department is interviewing a client who requests to
keep his religious medal on during surgery. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
1. Notify the surgeon about the client's request to wear the medal.
2. Tape the medal to the client and allow the client to wear the medal.
3. Request the family member take the medal prior to surgery.
,4. Explain taking the medal to surgery is against the policy. - Correct Answers 2.
1. The surgeon does not need to be notified of the client's request; this can be addressed by the
nursing staff.
2. The medal should be taped and the client should be allowed to wear the medal because
meeting spiritual needs
is essential to this client's care.
3. The client should be allowed to bring the medal to surgery if the medal is taped to the client.
4. Hospital policies should be established for the well-being of clients, and spiritual needs should
be addressed.
The nurse must obtain surgical consent forms for the scheduled surgery. Which client would not
be able to consent legally to surgery?
1. The 65-year-old client who cannot read or write.
2. The 30-year-old client who does not understand English.
3. The 16-year-old client who has a fractured ankle.
4. The 80-year-old client who is not oriented to the day. - Correct Answers 3.
1. The 65-year-old client who cannot read can mark an "X" on the form and is legally able to
sign a surgical permit as long as the client understands the benefits, alternatives, and all potential
complications of the surgery.
2. The client who does not speak English can and should have information given and questions
answered in the client's native language.
3. A 16-year-old client is not legally able to give permission for surgery unless the adolescent has
been given an emancipated status by a judge. This information was not given in the stem.
4. A client is able to give permission unless determined incompetent. Not knowing the day of the
week is not significant.
The nurse is preparing a client for surgery. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
1. Check the permit for the spouse's signature.
,2. Take and document intake and output.
3. Administer the "on call" sedative.
4. Complete the preoperative checklist. - Correct Answers 4.
1. The client's signature, not the spouse's, should be on the surgical permit.
2. This would be important information if ab- normal, but it is not the first intervention.
3. "On call" sedatives should be administered after the surgical checklist is completed.
4. Completing the preoperative checklist has the highest priority to ensure all details are
completed without omissions.
The nurse is interviewing a surgical client in the holding area. Which information should the
nurse report to the anesthesiologist? (Select all that apply.)
1. The client has loose, decayed teeth.
2. The client is experiencing anxiety.
3. The client smokes two (2) packs of cigarettes a day.
4. The client has had a chest x-ray which does not show infiltrates.
5. The client reports using herbs. - Correct Answers 1.
3.
5.
1. Loose teeth or caries need to be re- ported to the anesthesiologist so he or she can make
provisions to prevent breaking the teeth and causing the client to possibly aspirate pieces.
2. The nurse should report any client who is extremely anxious, but the nurse can address the
needs of a client experiencing expected surgical anxiety.
3. Smokers are at a higher risk for complications from anesthesia.
4. No infiltrates on a chest x-ray is a normal finding and does not be reported.
5. Herbs—for example, St. John's wort, licorice, and ginkgo—have serious inter- actions with
anesthesia and with bodily functions such as coagulation.
, Which task would be most appropriate for the nurse to delegate to the unlicensed assistive
personnel (UAP)?
1. Complete the preoperative checklist.
2. Assess the client's preoperative vital signs.
3. Teach the client about coughing and deep breathing.
4. Assist the client to remove clothing and jewelry. - Correct Answers 4.
1. The nurse should complete this form because it requires analysis, which cannot be delegated to
the UAP.
2. Nurses cannot delegate assessment.
3. The nurse cannot delegate teaching to a UAP.
4. The UAP can remove clothing and jewelry.
The nurse is assessing a client in the day surgery unit who states, "I am really afraid of having
this surgery. I'm afraid of what they will find." Which statement would be the best therapeutic
response by the nurse?
1. "Don't worry about your surgery. It is safe."
2. "Tell me why you're worried about your surgery." 3. "Tell me about your fears of having this
surgery."
4. "I understand how you feel. Surgery is frightening." - Correct Answers 3.
1. This statement is giving false reassurance.
2. "Why" is never therapeutic. The client does not owe the nurse an explanation.
3. This statement focuses on the emotion which the client identified and is therapeutic.
4. This statement belittles the client's fear, and no person understands how another person feels.
The 68-year-old client scheduled for intestinal surgery does not have clear fecal contents after
three (3) tap water enemas. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
1. Notify the surgeon of the client's status.
