Page 1 of 49
NSG 3800 EXAM COMPREHENSIVE 2026 QUESTIONS
EXAM LATEST VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
VERIFIED 100 %
You are the surgical nurse caring for a 65y/o female pt who is post day 1
following a thyroidectomy. During your shift assessment, th eat c/o tingling in
her lips and fingers. She tells you that she has intermittent spasm in her wrist
and hand and she exhibits increased muscle tone. What electrolyte imbalance
should you suspect?
a. hypophospatehmia
b. hypocalcemia
d. hypermagnesmia
d. hyperkalemia
B
A nurse is planning care for a nephrology pt with a new nursing graduate. The
nurse states, a pt in renal failure partially loses the ability to regulate changes
in pH. What is this cause of this partial inability?
a. the kidneys regulate and reabsorb carbonic acid to change and maintain pH
b. the kidneys buffer acids through electrolyte changes
c. the kidneys regenerate and reabsorb bicarbonate to maintain a stable pH
d. the kidneys combine carbonic acid and bicarbonate to maintain a stable pH
C
You are caring for a 65 y/o male pt admitted to your medical unit 72 hours ago
w/ pyloric stenosis. A NG tube placed upon admission has been on low
intermittent suction ever since. Upon review of the mornings blood work, you
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notice that the pt's potassium is below referent range. You should recognize
that the pt may be at risk for what imbalance?
a. hypercalcemia
b. metabolic acidosis
c. metabolic alkalosis
d. respiratory acidosis
C
The nurse is preparing to insert a peripheral IV catheter into a pt. who will
require fluids and IV antibiotics. How should the nurse always start the
process of insertion?
a. leave one hand ungloved to assess the site
b. cleanse the skin w/ normal saline
c. ask the pt. about allergies to latex or iodine
d. remove excessive hair from the selected site
C
A pt. who is being treated for PNA starts c/o sudden shortness of breath. An
ABG is drawn. The ABG has the following results: pH 7.21, PaCO2 64mmHg,
HCO3 24mmHg. What does this ABG reflect?
a. respiratory acidosis
b. metabolic alkalosis
c. respiratory alkalosis
d. metabolic acidosis
A
One day after a pt is admitted to the medical unit, you note that the pt. is
oliguric. You notify the acute-care nurse practitioner who orders a fluid
challenge of 200mL of NS solution over 15 minutes. This intervention will
achieve which of the following?
a. help distinguish hyponatremia from hypernatremia
b. help evaluate pituitary gland function
c. help distinguish reduced renal blood flow from decreased renal function
d. help provide an effective tx for hypertension-induced oliguria
C
You are the nurse evaluating a newly admitted pt.'s lab results, which include
several values that are outside of reference ranges. Which of the following
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would cause the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?
a. increased serum sodium
b. decreased serum potassium
c. decreased hemoglobin
d. increased platelets
A
When planning the care of a pt w/ a fluid imbalance, the nurse understands
that in the human body, water and electrolytes move from the arterial capillary
bed to the interstitial fluid. What causes this to occur?
a. active transport of hydrogen ions across the capillary walls
b. pressure of the blood in the renal capillaries
c. action of the dissolved particles contained in a unit of blood
d. hydrostatic pressure resulting from the pumping action of the heart
D
You are the nurse caring for a 77 y/o male pt who has been involved in a motor
vehicle accident. You and your colleague note that the pt.;s labs indicate
minimally elevated serum creatinine levels, which your colleague dismisses.
What can this increase in creatinine indicate in older adults?
a. substantially reduced renal function
b. acute kidney injury
c. decreased cardiac output
d. alterations in ration of body fluids to muscle mass
A
You are caring for a pt. who is being treated on the oncology unit with a
diagnosis of lung cancer with bone metastases. During your assessment, you
note the patient complains of a new onset of weakness with abdominal pain.
Further assessment suggests that the patient likely has a fluid volume deficit.
You should recognize that this patient may be experiencing what electrolyte
imbalance?
a. hypernatremia
b. hypomagnesemia
c. hypophosphatemia
d. hypercalcemia
D
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The medical nurse educator is reviewing a pt's recent episode of metabolic
acidosis w/ members of the nursing staff. What should the educator describe
about the role of the kidneys in metabolic acidosis?
a. the kidneys retain hydrogen ions and excrete bicarbonate ions to help
restore balance
b. the kidneys excrete hydrogen ions and conserve bicarbonate ions to help
restore balance
c. the kidneys react rapidly to compensate for imbalances in the body
d. the kidneys regulate the bicarbonate level in the intracellular fluid
B
The ICU nurse is caring for a pt who experienced trauma in a workplace
accident. The pt is complaining of having trouble breathing w/ abdominal pain.
An ABG reveals the following result: pH 7.28, PaCO2 50 mmHg, HCO3 23
mEq/L. The nurse should recognize the likelihood of what acid base disorder?
a. respiratory acidosis
b. metabolic alkalosis
c. respiratory alkalosis
d. mixed acid-base disorder
D
A pt. has questioned the nurses administration of IV normal saline, asking
whether sterile water would be a amore appropriate choice than saltwater.
Under what circumstances would the nurse administer electrolyte-free water
intravenously?
a. never, bc it rapidly enters RBCs, causing them to rupture
b. when the pt is severely dehydrated resulting in neurologic s/s
c. when the pt is one excess of calcium and/or magnesium ions
d. when a pt's fluid volume deficit is due to acute or chronic renal failure
A
A gerontologic nurse is teaching students about the high incidence and
prevalence of dehydration in older adults. What factors contribute to this
phenomenon? Select all that apply:
a. decreased kidney mass
b. increased conservation of sodium
c. increased total body water
NSG 3800 EXAM COMPREHENSIVE 2026 QUESTIONS
EXAM LATEST VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
VERIFIED 100 %
You are the surgical nurse caring for a 65y/o female pt who is post day 1
following a thyroidectomy. During your shift assessment, th eat c/o tingling in
her lips and fingers. She tells you that she has intermittent spasm in her wrist
and hand and she exhibits increased muscle tone. What electrolyte imbalance
should you suspect?
a. hypophospatehmia
b. hypocalcemia
d. hypermagnesmia
d. hyperkalemia
B
A nurse is planning care for a nephrology pt with a new nursing graduate. The
nurse states, a pt in renal failure partially loses the ability to regulate changes
in pH. What is this cause of this partial inability?
a. the kidneys regulate and reabsorb carbonic acid to change and maintain pH
b. the kidneys buffer acids through electrolyte changes
c. the kidneys regenerate and reabsorb bicarbonate to maintain a stable pH
d. the kidneys combine carbonic acid and bicarbonate to maintain a stable pH
C
You are caring for a 65 y/o male pt admitted to your medical unit 72 hours ago
w/ pyloric stenosis. A NG tube placed upon admission has been on low
intermittent suction ever since. Upon review of the mornings blood work, you
, Page 2 of 49
notice that the pt's potassium is below referent range. You should recognize
that the pt may be at risk for what imbalance?
a. hypercalcemia
b. metabolic acidosis
c. metabolic alkalosis
d. respiratory acidosis
C
The nurse is preparing to insert a peripheral IV catheter into a pt. who will
require fluids and IV antibiotics. How should the nurse always start the
process of insertion?
a. leave one hand ungloved to assess the site
b. cleanse the skin w/ normal saline
c. ask the pt. about allergies to latex or iodine
d. remove excessive hair from the selected site
C
A pt. who is being treated for PNA starts c/o sudden shortness of breath. An
ABG is drawn. The ABG has the following results: pH 7.21, PaCO2 64mmHg,
HCO3 24mmHg. What does this ABG reflect?
a. respiratory acidosis
b. metabolic alkalosis
c. respiratory alkalosis
d. metabolic acidosis
A
One day after a pt is admitted to the medical unit, you note that the pt. is
oliguric. You notify the acute-care nurse practitioner who orders a fluid
challenge of 200mL of NS solution over 15 minutes. This intervention will
achieve which of the following?
a. help distinguish hyponatremia from hypernatremia
b. help evaluate pituitary gland function
c. help distinguish reduced renal blood flow from decreased renal function
d. help provide an effective tx for hypertension-induced oliguria
C
You are the nurse evaluating a newly admitted pt.'s lab results, which include
several values that are outside of reference ranges. Which of the following
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would cause the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH)?
a. increased serum sodium
b. decreased serum potassium
c. decreased hemoglobin
d. increased platelets
A
When planning the care of a pt w/ a fluid imbalance, the nurse understands
that in the human body, water and electrolytes move from the arterial capillary
bed to the interstitial fluid. What causes this to occur?
a. active transport of hydrogen ions across the capillary walls
b. pressure of the blood in the renal capillaries
c. action of the dissolved particles contained in a unit of blood
d. hydrostatic pressure resulting from the pumping action of the heart
D
You are the nurse caring for a 77 y/o male pt who has been involved in a motor
vehicle accident. You and your colleague note that the pt.;s labs indicate
minimally elevated serum creatinine levels, which your colleague dismisses.
What can this increase in creatinine indicate in older adults?
a. substantially reduced renal function
b. acute kidney injury
c. decreased cardiac output
d. alterations in ration of body fluids to muscle mass
A
You are caring for a pt. who is being treated on the oncology unit with a
diagnosis of lung cancer with bone metastases. During your assessment, you
note the patient complains of a new onset of weakness with abdominal pain.
Further assessment suggests that the patient likely has a fluid volume deficit.
You should recognize that this patient may be experiencing what electrolyte
imbalance?
a. hypernatremia
b. hypomagnesemia
c. hypophosphatemia
d. hypercalcemia
D
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The medical nurse educator is reviewing a pt's recent episode of metabolic
acidosis w/ members of the nursing staff. What should the educator describe
about the role of the kidneys in metabolic acidosis?
a. the kidneys retain hydrogen ions and excrete bicarbonate ions to help
restore balance
b. the kidneys excrete hydrogen ions and conserve bicarbonate ions to help
restore balance
c. the kidneys react rapidly to compensate for imbalances in the body
d. the kidneys regulate the bicarbonate level in the intracellular fluid
B
The ICU nurse is caring for a pt who experienced trauma in a workplace
accident. The pt is complaining of having trouble breathing w/ abdominal pain.
An ABG reveals the following result: pH 7.28, PaCO2 50 mmHg, HCO3 23
mEq/L. The nurse should recognize the likelihood of what acid base disorder?
a. respiratory acidosis
b. metabolic alkalosis
c. respiratory alkalosis
d. mixed acid-base disorder
D
A pt. has questioned the nurses administration of IV normal saline, asking
whether sterile water would be a amore appropriate choice than saltwater.
Under what circumstances would the nurse administer electrolyte-free water
intravenously?
a. never, bc it rapidly enters RBCs, causing them to rupture
b. when the pt is severely dehydrated resulting in neurologic s/s
c. when the pt is one excess of calcium and/or magnesium ions
d. when a pt's fluid volume deficit is due to acute or chronic renal failure
A
A gerontologic nurse is teaching students about the high incidence and
prevalence of dehydration in older adults. What factors contribute to this
phenomenon? Select all that apply:
a. decreased kidney mass
b. increased conservation of sodium
c. increased total body water
