MEDICAL SURGICAL CORE EXAMS SET 2026/2027
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔The client has an eviscerated abdominal wound. Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement? - ✔✔Apply sterile normal saline dressing
✔✔The client is diagnosed with peritonitis. Which information indicates to the practical
nurse the client's condition is improving? - ✔✔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. - ✔✔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. - ✔✔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? - ✔✔Sepsis
✔✔The nurse learns that a patient is being admitted with an infectious disease that is
transmited through the air. For which health problems should the nurse prepare to
provide care?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Measles
Tuberculosis
Chickenpox
✔✔A patient is diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. What should the nurse
explain as the method by which this disease was transmitted to the patient? - ✔✔Ticks
, ✔✔A patient returning from the recovery room following abdominal surgery to drain an
abscess has a nonsuction-type drain placed in the wound bed to allow drainage. Which
drain should the nurse expect to see? - ✔✔Penrose drain
✔✔A patient has an epidural catheter placed for pain control. Which medications should
the nurse question before providing them to the patient during routine medication
administration?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Aspirin 325 mg by mouth once a day
Warfarin (Coumadin) 2.5 mg by mouth every evening
✔✔A patient with severe arthritis pain is prescribed celecoxib (Celebrex). What should
the nurse instruct the patient about this medication? - ✔✔Take with food.
✔✔The nurse is caring for a patient exposed to a toxin. Which is the most potent lethal
toxin? - ✔✔Botulinum
✔✔The nurse is assisting in the care of a patient with suspected anaphylactic shock.
Which orders should the nurse question?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Morphine 2 mg intravenous (IV) now
Transfuse with 1 unit of packed red blood cells over 1 hour
✔✔The nurse is preparing to assess a patient receiving chemotherapy and radiation for
adverse effects of the treatments. In which order (1-5) should the nurse assess the
patient for these adverse effects?
Place the effects in the order in which they should be assessed. - ✔✔Emesis
Infection
Bleeding
Tiredness
Skin changes
✔✔The nurse is caring for a patient who has just returned from an endoscopic
examination of the esophagus. Which is the most important observation the nurse
should make before offering the patient food and water? - ✔✔Test for an intact gag
reflex.
✔✔A patient is experiencing a drop in blood pressure. What should the nurse expect to
assess in this patient?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Epinephrine is released.
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔The client has an eviscerated abdominal wound. Which intervention should the
practical nurse implement? - ✔✔Apply sterile normal saline dressing
✔✔The client is diagnosed with peritonitis. Which information indicates to the practical
nurse the client's condition is improving? - ✔✔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. - ✔✔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. - ✔✔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? - ✔✔Sepsis
✔✔The nurse learns that a patient is being admitted with an infectious disease that is
transmited through the air. For which health problems should the nurse prepare to
provide care?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Measles
Tuberculosis
Chickenpox
✔✔A patient is diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever. What should the nurse
explain as the method by which this disease was transmitted to the patient? - ✔✔Ticks
, ✔✔A patient returning from the recovery room following abdominal surgery to drain an
abscess has a nonsuction-type drain placed in the wound bed to allow drainage. Which
drain should the nurse expect to see? - ✔✔Penrose drain
✔✔A patient has an epidural catheter placed for pain control. Which medications should
the nurse question before providing them to the patient during routine medication
administration?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Aspirin 325 mg by mouth once a day
Warfarin (Coumadin) 2.5 mg by mouth every evening
✔✔A patient with severe arthritis pain is prescribed celecoxib (Celebrex). What should
the nurse instruct the patient about this medication? - ✔✔Take with food.
✔✔The nurse is caring for a patient exposed to a toxin. Which is the most potent lethal
toxin? - ✔✔Botulinum
✔✔The nurse is assisting in the care of a patient with suspected anaphylactic shock.
Which orders should the nurse question?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Morphine 2 mg intravenous (IV) now
Transfuse with 1 unit of packed red blood cells over 1 hour
✔✔The nurse is preparing to assess a patient receiving chemotherapy and radiation for
adverse effects of the treatments. In which order (1-5) should the nurse assess the
patient for these adverse effects?
Place the effects in the order in which they should be assessed. - ✔✔Emesis
Infection
Bleeding
Tiredness
Skin changes
✔✔The nurse is caring for a patient who has just returned from an endoscopic
examination of the esophagus. Which is the most important observation the nurse
should make before offering the patient food and water? - ✔✔Test for an intact gag
reflex.
✔✔A patient is experiencing a drop in blood pressure. What should the nurse expect to
assess in this patient?
Select all that apply. - ✔✔Epinephrine is released.
