MEDSURG: ONCOLOGY: FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH ACCURATE
ANSWERS
1) The nurse is planning care for a patient with Hodgkin's disease who has
developed thrombocytopenia after receiving chemotherapy. The nurse will take
action to control which complication?
1. Bleeding
2. Diarrhea
3. Infection
4. Hypotension -- Answer ✔✔ 1. Bleeding
2) A patient who is undergoing external beam radiation therapy asks, "Will I be
radioactive after the treatment?" Which information will the nurse provide in
response?
1. The patient will not be radioactive at any time.
2. Only the patient's urine and stool will be radioactive.
3. The patient will be radioactive only during the treatment period.
4. Although the patient's blood is radioactive, it will not affect
others. -- Answer ✔✔ 1. The patient will not be radioactive at
any time.
3) The nurse is administering a vesicant chemotherapy agent to a patient who has
colon cancer. The IV site is red and swollen and the patient reports that it is
painful. Which action would the nurse take first?
1. Turn off the infusion.
, 2. Document the findings.
3. Check the patient's vital signs.
4. Notify the health care provider -- Answer ✔✔ 1. Turn off the
infusion.
4) The nurse performing an assessment on a patient who is taking chemotherapy
observes hair loss in small areas of the scalp. Which term will the nurse use to
document this finding?
1. Alopecia
2. Exotropia
3. Seborrhea
4. Amblyopia -- Answer ✔✔ 1. Alopecia
5) A patient with breast cancer has tender vertebrae and intense back pain that gets
worse with the Valsalva maneuver. Which complication would the nurse suspect?
1. Third space syndrome
2. Tumor lysis syndrome
3. Spinal cord compression
4. Superior vena cava syndrome -- Answer ✔✔ 3. Spinal cord
compression
6) Which explanation would the nurse provide about the skin markings to a patient
who is undergoing radiation therapy?
1. They are permanent effects of radiation therapy.
2. They indicate that previous treatments have been unsuccessful.
3. They are a warning of potentially serious side effects of radiation.
4. They should be protected because they are landmarks for the
therapy. -- Answer ✔✔ 4. They should be protected because
they are landmarks for the therapy.
7) Which characteristic describes a benign tumor? Select all that apply.
1. Metastatic
2. Encapsulated
3. Well differentiated
4. Low rate of recurrence
ANSWERS
1) The nurse is planning care for a patient with Hodgkin's disease who has
developed thrombocytopenia after receiving chemotherapy. The nurse will take
action to control which complication?
1. Bleeding
2. Diarrhea
3. Infection
4. Hypotension -- Answer ✔✔ 1. Bleeding
2) A patient who is undergoing external beam radiation therapy asks, "Will I be
radioactive after the treatment?" Which information will the nurse provide in
response?
1. The patient will not be radioactive at any time.
2. Only the patient's urine and stool will be radioactive.
3. The patient will be radioactive only during the treatment period.
4. Although the patient's blood is radioactive, it will not affect
others. -- Answer ✔✔ 1. The patient will not be radioactive at
any time.
3) The nurse is administering a vesicant chemotherapy agent to a patient who has
colon cancer. The IV site is red and swollen and the patient reports that it is
painful. Which action would the nurse take first?
1. Turn off the infusion.
, 2. Document the findings.
3. Check the patient's vital signs.
4. Notify the health care provider -- Answer ✔✔ 1. Turn off the
infusion.
4) The nurse performing an assessment on a patient who is taking chemotherapy
observes hair loss in small areas of the scalp. Which term will the nurse use to
document this finding?
1. Alopecia
2. Exotropia
3. Seborrhea
4. Amblyopia -- Answer ✔✔ 1. Alopecia
5) A patient with breast cancer has tender vertebrae and intense back pain that gets
worse with the Valsalva maneuver. Which complication would the nurse suspect?
1. Third space syndrome
2. Tumor lysis syndrome
3. Spinal cord compression
4. Superior vena cava syndrome -- Answer ✔✔ 3. Spinal cord
compression
6) Which explanation would the nurse provide about the skin markings to a patient
who is undergoing radiation therapy?
1. They are permanent effects of radiation therapy.
2. They indicate that previous treatments have been unsuccessful.
3. They are a warning of potentially serious side effects of radiation.
4. They should be protected because they are landmarks for the
therapy. -- Answer ✔✔ 4. They should be protected because
they are landmarks for the therapy.
7) Which characteristic describes a benign tumor? Select all that apply.
1. Metastatic
2. Encapsulated
3. Well differentiated
4. Low rate of recurrence
