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PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 1
(PRACTICE ATI QUESTIONS) 2026
REAL QUESTIONS WITH EXPERTLY
VERIFIED ANSWERS.
A client presents with an oral temperature of 101.7°F (38.7°C)
and painful, swollen cervical lymph nodes. Laboratory
results indicate neutrophilia with a shift to the left. Which
diagnosis is most likely?
A severe bacterial infection
A client in the acute stage of inflammation will experience
vasodilation of the arterioles and congestion in the capillary
beds. The nurse would assess the client's skin for:
redness
Which client is most likely to experience impaired (slow)
wound healing?
A client with a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and a history of poor
blood sugar control
The nurse is selecting a dressing for a vascular wound that
has a dry wound surface. The most appropriate dressing for
this wound is one that:
adds moisture to wound bed
The nurse is assessing a client for acute inflammation of a
wound. Which symptom does the nurse attribute to the acute
inflammatory response?
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edema
A client who had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
(ICD) returns the next week with a fever, chills, and elevated
WBC. The physician suspects the wound is infected. If this
wound does not respond to antibiotic therapy, the nurse can
anticipate the client will undergo:
Removal of device
A nurse is assessing a client for the classic signs of acute
inflammation. The nurse would assess the client for:
Rubor, swelling, and pain
A client comes into the emergency room with an animal bite
to the hand. Which intervention should the nurse anticipate?
Wound irrigation
The nurse is reviewing assessment documentation of a
client's wound and notes "purulent drainage." The nurse
would interpret this as:
Exudate containing white blood cells, protein, and tissue debris
When caring for a client during the proliferative phase of
wound healing, the nurse teaches the client that which of
these processes is taking place?
Fibroblasts secrete collagen for wound healing
When caring for a client with a wound that is healing by
primary intention, the nurse recognizes which
characterization best describes this type of wound?
surgical incision
A nursing student is cleaning a client's sacral pressure injury
by vigorously scrubbing the wound bed to remove all of the
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beefy, red tissue that existed there. What type of tissue did
the student most likely removed?
granulation tissue
Which body response to an acute inflammation will the nurse
assess if the client is experiencing a systemic response?
Fever and tachycardia
The nurse caring for a postoperative client documents that
the surgical incision is healing by:
primary intention
Why is the risk of scarring and deformity greater in chronic
inflammation than it is in acute inflammation?
Fibroblasts instead of exudates proliferate in chronic inflammation
A client has experienced an acute inflammatory response
with an elevation of white blood cells. The nurse is reviewing
the client's most recent lab results to determine if the counts
have returned to a normal range. Select the result that
suggests the client is now within normal range.
4000 to 10,000 cells/μL
The nurse is evaluating the wounds of four clients. Select the
client most likely to be treated with hyperbolically delivered
oxygen
An infected foot wound on a 45-year-old client with peripheral
vascular disease
What is the primary purpose of tissue regeneration in wound
healing?
Replace injured tissue to its original structure
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While the nurse is performing a skin assessment on a dark-
skinned client, the nurse notes that the client has a healed
wound on the leg but that the wound has an excess of scar
tissue. The nurse documents this as:
keloid
A client is being treated for a pressure injury and the care
team has observed that the wound is healing. Which activity
will take place during the proliferative phase?
Fibroblasts secrete collagen to promote wound healing
The nurse is evaluating the bloodwork results of a client with
an infected leg ulcer. The white blood cell count is 18,000
cells/uL. The nurse interprets this as:
Leukocytosis
Following surgery for appendicitis, a teenaged client notes
four small "stab" wounds on the abdomen. The client is
obviously worried about body appearance. The nurse
explains, "Your body will heal quickly and tissue repair will
allow for regeneration of any cells needed." The client asks,
"What does regeneration mean?" The nurse responds that
tissue repair by regeneration means:
"Any injured cells are replaced with cells of the same type.
Therefore, after healing, the wound will look like your surrounding
skin."
Following a severe automobile accident, a client is scheduled
to have surgery to either repair or remove his spleen,
pancreas, and stomach. The client wants the organs repaired
and not removed if at all possible. However, the nursing staff
understands that extensive regeneration in parenchymal
organs can only occur if:
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 1
(PRACTICE ATI QUESTIONS) 2026
REAL QUESTIONS WITH EXPERTLY
VERIFIED ANSWERS.
A client presents with an oral temperature of 101.7°F (38.7°C)
and painful, swollen cervical lymph nodes. Laboratory
results indicate neutrophilia with a shift to the left. Which
diagnosis is most likely?
A severe bacterial infection
A client in the acute stage of inflammation will experience
vasodilation of the arterioles and congestion in the capillary
beds. The nurse would assess the client's skin for:
redness
Which client is most likely to experience impaired (slow)
wound healing?
A client with a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and a history of poor
blood sugar control
The nurse is selecting a dressing for a vascular wound that
has a dry wound surface. The most appropriate dressing for
this wound is one that:
adds moisture to wound bed
The nurse is assessing a client for acute inflammation of a
wound. Which symptom does the nurse attribute to the acute
inflammatory response?
, Page | 2
edema
A client who had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
(ICD) returns the next week with a fever, chills, and elevated
WBC. The physician suspects the wound is infected. If this
wound does not respond to antibiotic therapy, the nurse can
anticipate the client will undergo:
Removal of device
A nurse is assessing a client for the classic signs of acute
inflammation. The nurse would assess the client for:
Rubor, swelling, and pain
A client comes into the emergency room with an animal bite
to the hand. Which intervention should the nurse anticipate?
Wound irrigation
The nurse is reviewing assessment documentation of a
client's wound and notes "purulent drainage." The nurse
would interpret this as:
Exudate containing white blood cells, protein, and tissue debris
When caring for a client during the proliferative phase of
wound healing, the nurse teaches the client that which of
these processes is taking place?
Fibroblasts secrete collagen for wound healing
When caring for a client with a wound that is healing by
primary intention, the nurse recognizes which
characterization best describes this type of wound?
surgical incision
A nursing student is cleaning a client's sacral pressure injury
by vigorously scrubbing the wound bed to remove all of the
, Page | 3
beefy, red tissue that existed there. What type of tissue did
the student most likely removed?
granulation tissue
Which body response to an acute inflammation will the nurse
assess if the client is experiencing a systemic response?
Fever and tachycardia
The nurse caring for a postoperative client documents that
the surgical incision is healing by:
primary intention
Why is the risk of scarring and deformity greater in chronic
inflammation than it is in acute inflammation?
Fibroblasts instead of exudates proliferate in chronic inflammation
A client has experienced an acute inflammatory response
with an elevation of white blood cells. The nurse is reviewing
the client's most recent lab results to determine if the counts
have returned to a normal range. Select the result that
suggests the client is now within normal range.
4000 to 10,000 cells/μL
The nurse is evaluating the wounds of four clients. Select the
client most likely to be treated with hyperbolically delivered
oxygen
An infected foot wound on a 45-year-old client with peripheral
vascular disease
What is the primary purpose of tissue regeneration in wound
healing?
Replace injured tissue to its original structure
, Page | 4
While the nurse is performing a skin assessment on a dark-
skinned client, the nurse notes that the client has a healed
wound on the leg but that the wound has an excess of scar
tissue. The nurse documents this as:
keloid
A client is being treated for a pressure injury and the care
team has observed that the wound is healing. Which activity
will take place during the proliferative phase?
Fibroblasts secrete collagen to promote wound healing
The nurse is evaluating the bloodwork results of a client with
an infected leg ulcer. The white blood cell count is 18,000
cells/uL. The nurse interprets this as:
Leukocytosis
Following surgery for appendicitis, a teenaged client notes
four small "stab" wounds on the abdomen. The client is
obviously worried about body appearance. The nurse
explains, "Your body will heal quickly and tissue repair will
allow for regeneration of any cells needed." The client asks,
"What does regeneration mean?" The nurse responds that
tissue repair by regeneration means:
"Any injured cells are replaced with cells of the same type.
Therefore, after healing, the wound will look like your surrounding
skin."
Following a severe automobile accident, a client is scheduled
to have surgery to either repair or remove his spleen,
pancreas, and stomach. The client wants the organs repaired
and not removed if at all possible. However, the nursing staff
understands that extensive regeneration in parenchymal
organs can only occur if:
