NRNP 6550 MIDTERM EXAM COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY GUIDE 2026 PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND ACCURATE ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Herniated disk management. Answer: Non surgical:
- functional bracing
- rest
- PT for muscle strengthening
- heat/ ice alternate
- weight loss
- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator
- NSAIDS
- antispasmodic
- Narcotics for short-term use
- epidural steroid injection
Surgical:
- Laparoscopic diskectomy
- hemilaminectomy
- total disk replacement arthroplasty
,◉ HIV and age. Answer: - Can live beyond 50 years, but survival
decreases after 45 yrs, unless tested.
- Antiretroviral meds are approved for younger than 50yrs, so older
pt's need close monitoring
◉ HIV etiology. Answer: Africa/ Asia: heterosexually acquired
Western nations: men who have sex with men, iv drug user,
congenital spread
◉ Pathophysiology of HIV. Answer: - HIV infects cells with CD4
receptor (macrophages, Tcells). Acute infection (high viral load) then
latent (lower viral load). When CD4 is less than 200 AIDS and viral
load increases again, this immunodeficiency
- HIV is chronic and prgressive:
◉ HIV - acute retroviral syndrome, symptoms. Answer: fever, chills
fatigue
diffuse erythematous rash
HIV test may be negative, based on how long since infection
HIV viral load increased, CD4 within normal range
◉ HIV - latent phase. Answer: - asymptomatic
,- may have persistent lymphadenopathy
- HIV load and CD4 load variable (ultimately HIV load high, CD4 low)
◉ Symptomatic HIV disease. Answer: Symptoms: fever, chills,
diarrhea, weight loss
- infections: candidiasis/ thrush (oral, mucocutaneous, vaginal),
shingles (herpes zoster), frequent bacterial infections
◉ AIDS, definition and diagnosis. Answer: acquired immune
deficiency syndrome
CD4 low, below 500 and infection with opportunistic organism
Or:
CD4 below 200
◉ Common oppertunistic organism in AIDS. Answer: Pneumocystis
jiroveci
Cryptosporidium
Candida albicans
◉ Advanced HIV infection: definition, symptoms, prognosis. Answer:
CD4 below 50
, Wasting, fevers, fatigue
Poor
◉ HIV serologic testing. Answer: - ELISA: test for antibodies,
requires seroconversion (neg to pos) which happens 3wks to 6mo
after infection
- Rapid test: fast but not as sensitive as ELISA
- Confirmatory HIV test: Western blot test (HIV antibody test), used
after pos with ELISA
◉ HIV prevention. Answer: - Condoms
- Male circumcision
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), for MSM sexually active men,
adult iv drug users, women with HIV pos partner who try to
conceive. Give Tenofir with Emtricitabine
- Post exopsure prophylaxis (PEP), 28 day course of 3 drugs,
emtricitabine, tenofovir, raltegravir
◉ LABS for HIV + people. Answer: CD4 count (viral load)
HIV RNA level
WBC (neutropenia, lymphopenia)
CBC (anemia)
STUDY GUIDE 2026 PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND ACCURATE ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Herniated disk management. Answer: Non surgical:
- functional bracing
- rest
- PT for muscle strengthening
- heat/ ice alternate
- weight loss
- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator
- NSAIDS
- antispasmodic
- Narcotics for short-term use
- epidural steroid injection
Surgical:
- Laparoscopic diskectomy
- hemilaminectomy
- total disk replacement arthroplasty
,◉ HIV and age. Answer: - Can live beyond 50 years, but survival
decreases after 45 yrs, unless tested.
- Antiretroviral meds are approved for younger than 50yrs, so older
pt's need close monitoring
◉ HIV etiology. Answer: Africa/ Asia: heterosexually acquired
Western nations: men who have sex with men, iv drug user,
congenital spread
◉ Pathophysiology of HIV. Answer: - HIV infects cells with CD4
receptor (macrophages, Tcells). Acute infection (high viral load) then
latent (lower viral load). When CD4 is less than 200 AIDS and viral
load increases again, this immunodeficiency
- HIV is chronic and prgressive:
◉ HIV - acute retroviral syndrome, symptoms. Answer: fever, chills
fatigue
diffuse erythematous rash
HIV test may be negative, based on how long since infection
HIV viral load increased, CD4 within normal range
◉ HIV - latent phase. Answer: - asymptomatic
,- may have persistent lymphadenopathy
- HIV load and CD4 load variable (ultimately HIV load high, CD4 low)
◉ Symptomatic HIV disease. Answer: Symptoms: fever, chills,
diarrhea, weight loss
- infections: candidiasis/ thrush (oral, mucocutaneous, vaginal),
shingles (herpes zoster), frequent bacterial infections
◉ AIDS, definition and diagnosis. Answer: acquired immune
deficiency syndrome
CD4 low, below 500 and infection with opportunistic organism
Or:
CD4 below 200
◉ Common oppertunistic organism in AIDS. Answer: Pneumocystis
jiroveci
Cryptosporidium
Candida albicans
◉ Advanced HIV infection: definition, symptoms, prognosis. Answer:
CD4 below 50
, Wasting, fevers, fatigue
Poor
◉ HIV serologic testing. Answer: - ELISA: test for antibodies,
requires seroconversion (neg to pos) which happens 3wks to 6mo
after infection
- Rapid test: fast but not as sensitive as ELISA
- Confirmatory HIV test: Western blot test (HIV antibody test), used
after pos with ELISA
◉ HIV prevention. Answer: - Condoms
- Male circumcision
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), for MSM sexually active men,
adult iv drug users, women with HIV pos partner who try to
conceive. Give Tenofir with Emtricitabine
- Post exopsure prophylaxis (PEP), 28 day course of 3 drugs,
emtricitabine, tenofovir, raltegravir
◉ LABS for HIV + people. Answer: CD4 count (viral load)
HIV RNA level
WBC (neutropenia, lymphopenia)
CBC (anemia)
