NURS 231 FINAL EXAM 2023 (MODULE 1-10) NEW
EXAM ACCURATE 2023 KEY CONCEPTS
MODULE 1: Cellular Adaptation, Injury, & Inflammation
1. A patient with chronic bronchitis has enlargement of mucus-secreting glands. This is an
example of:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Hyperplasia is increased cell number due to chronic irritation.
2. The nurse correlates which change with reversible cell injury?
A. Karyorrhexis
B. Cellular swelling
C. Lysosomal rupture
D. Pyknosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Cellular swelling from sodium/pump failure is reversible; the others are
irreversible.
3. A patient with a stroke has brain tissue death due to lack of oxygen. This is:
A. Apoptosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Brain infarcts → liquefactive necrosis due to enzymatic breakdown.
4. Which lab finding indicates acute inflammation?
A. Elevated troponin
B. Elevated C-reactive protein
C. Low albumin
D. High BUN
,Answer: B
Rationale: CRP rises within hours due to IL-6 release.
5. A patient with rheumatoid arthritis has joint swelling from fluid accumulation. This
exudate is likely:
A. Transudate
B. Serous
C. Fibrinous
D. Purulent
Answer: B
Rationale: Serous exudate (watery, low protein) in early inflammation.
6. Which mediator causes fever by acting on the hypothalamus?
A. Histamine
B. Bradykinin
C. Prostaglandin E2
D. Leukotriene B4
Answer: C
Rationale: PGE2 resets hypothalamic set point.
7. A patient with tuberculosis has a lung granuloma. This is associated with:
A. Serous inflammation
B. Suppurative inflammation
C. Chronic inflammation
D. Acute inflammation
Answer: C
Rationale: Granulomas form in chronic inflammation to wall off pathogens.
8. Which cellular change is premalignant?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Dysplasia
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia = disordered growth; can progress to cancer.
9. A patient with heart failure has thin, watery fluid in the peritoneal cavity. This is a:
A. Transudate
,B. Exudate
C. Empyema
D. Chylous effusion
Answer: A
Rationale: Transudate from hydrostatic pressure imbalance.
10. Which cell type is first to arrive at an injury site?
A. Macrophages
B. Lymphocytes
C. Neutrophils
D. Eosinophils
Answer: C
Rationale: Neutrophils arrive within 6–12 hours.
11. A patient has pus draining from a wound. This indicates:
A. Serous exudate
B. Fibrinous exudate
C. Purulent exudate
D. Hemorrhagic exudate
Answer: C
Rationale: Pus = dead neutrophils + debris.
12. Chronic alcohol use leads to liver cell enlargement. This is:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hepatocyte enlargement from increased workload.
13. Which lab indicates tissue necrosis?
A. Elevated ALT
B. Elevated CRP
C. Low platelets
D. High sodium
Answer: A
Rationale: ALT released from damaged hepatocytes.
, 14. A burn patient has widespread inflammation. This systemic response is mediated by:
A. Histamine only
B. Cytokines (TNF, IL-1)
C. Bradykinin
D. Complement C3a
Answer: B
Rationale: TNF and IL-1 cause fever, capillary leak, hypotension.
15. Which cell adaptation is irreversible?
A. Atrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Necrosis
D. Hypertrophy
Answer: C
Rationale: Necrosis = cell death.
16. A patient’s Pap smear shows abnormal cells with nuclear enlargement. This is:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia on Pap → possible CIN.
17. Which is a characteristic of apoptosis?
A. Inflammation present
B. Cell swelling
C. Cell shrinkage
D. Random DNA breakdown
Answer: C
Rationale: Apoptosis → cell shrinks, fragments, no inflammation.
18. A patient with pneumonia has fibrin in the alveoli. This type of exudate is:
A. Serous
B. Fibrinous
C. Purulent
D. Hemorrhagic
EXAM ACCURATE 2023 KEY CONCEPTS
MODULE 1: Cellular Adaptation, Injury, & Inflammation
1. A patient with chronic bronchitis has enlargement of mucus-secreting glands. This is an
example of:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Hyperplasia is increased cell number due to chronic irritation.
2. The nurse correlates which change with reversible cell injury?
A. Karyorrhexis
B. Cellular swelling
C. Lysosomal rupture
D. Pyknosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Cellular swelling from sodium/pump failure is reversible; the others are
irreversible.
3. A patient with a stroke has brain tissue death due to lack of oxygen. This is:
A. Apoptosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Liquefactive necrosis
D. Caseous necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Brain infarcts → liquefactive necrosis due to enzymatic breakdown.
4. Which lab finding indicates acute inflammation?
A. Elevated troponin
B. Elevated C-reactive protein
C. Low albumin
D. High BUN
,Answer: B
Rationale: CRP rises within hours due to IL-6 release.
5. A patient with rheumatoid arthritis has joint swelling from fluid accumulation. This
exudate is likely:
A. Transudate
B. Serous
C. Fibrinous
D. Purulent
Answer: B
Rationale: Serous exudate (watery, low protein) in early inflammation.
6. Which mediator causes fever by acting on the hypothalamus?
A. Histamine
B. Bradykinin
C. Prostaglandin E2
D. Leukotriene B4
Answer: C
Rationale: PGE2 resets hypothalamic set point.
7. A patient with tuberculosis has a lung granuloma. This is associated with:
A. Serous inflammation
B. Suppurative inflammation
C. Chronic inflammation
D. Acute inflammation
Answer: C
Rationale: Granulomas form in chronic inflammation to wall off pathogens.
8. Which cellular change is premalignant?
A. Atrophy
B. Hypertrophy
C. Dysplasia
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia = disordered growth; can progress to cancer.
9. A patient with heart failure has thin, watery fluid in the peritoneal cavity. This is a:
A. Transudate
,B. Exudate
C. Empyema
D. Chylous effusion
Answer: A
Rationale: Transudate from hydrostatic pressure imbalance.
10. Which cell type is first to arrive at an injury site?
A. Macrophages
B. Lymphocytes
C. Neutrophils
D. Eosinophils
Answer: C
Rationale: Neutrophils arrive within 6–12 hours.
11. A patient has pus draining from a wound. This indicates:
A. Serous exudate
B. Fibrinous exudate
C. Purulent exudate
D. Hemorrhagic exudate
Answer: C
Rationale: Pus = dead neutrophils + debris.
12. Chronic alcohol use leads to liver cell enlargement. This is:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hepatocyte enlargement from increased workload.
13. Which lab indicates tissue necrosis?
A. Elevated ALT
B. Elevated CRP
C. Low platelets
D. High sodium
Answer: A
Rationale: ALT released from damaged hepatocytes.
, 14. A burn patient has widespread inflammation. This systemic response is mediated by:
A. Histamine only
B. Cytokines (TNF, IL-1)
C. Bradykinin
D. Complement C3a
Answer: B
Rationale: TNF and IL-1 cause fever, capillary leak, hypotension.
15. Which cell adaptation is irreversible?
A. Atrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Necrosis
D. Hypertrophy
Answer: C
Rationale: Necrosis = cell death.
16. A patient’s Pap smear shows abnormal cells with nuclear enlargement. This is:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia on Pap → possible CIN.
17. Which is a characteristic of apoptosis?
A. Inflammation present
B. Cell swelling
C. Cell shrinkage
D. Random DNA breakdown
Answer: C
Rationale: Apoptosis → cell shrinks, fragments, no inflammation.
18. A patient with pneumonia has fibrin in the alveoli. This type of exudate is:
A. Serous
B. Fibrinous
C. Purulent
D. Hemorrhagic
