NUR242 Exam 3 V3 | NUR 242 Med-Surg Exam
Q&A | Galen College of Nursing
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This comprehensive exam-style resource is designed to prepare students for medical-surgical
nursing assessments focused on multisystem disorders, neurological emergencies, and
rehabilitation nursing care. The material emphasizes safe nursing interventions and evidence-
based adult healthcare management strategies.
The questions are structured to closely mirror actual course exams while reinforcing analytical
reasoning, nursing prioritization, and patient care decision-making skills. Detailed expert
explanations support deeper understanding and successful exam performance.
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The Exam Covers:
• Neurovascular assessment
• Parkinson’s disease management
• Orthopedic traction and casts
• Hematologic cancers
• Chronic pain management
• Adult rehabilitation nursing
• Mobility assistance and safety
• Adult care planning strategies
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1. A nurse is caring for a patient in skeletal traction. Which action should the nurse take to
ensure the effectiveness of the traction?
A. Ensure that the weights are resting on the floor to prevent excessive tension.
B. Maintain the weights so they are hanging freely at all times.
C. Remove the weights once per shift to allow for range-of-motion exercises.
,D. Apply extra weights if the patient complains of increased muscle spasms.
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: For traction to be effective, weights must hang freely and not touch
the floor or bed. Removing weights can cause bone misalignment, and weights should only
be adjusted by the provider’s order.
2. Which clinical manifestation is considered an early sign of compartment syndrome in a
patient with a lower extremity cast?
A. Absence of a distal pulse
B. Pitting edema distal to the cast
C. Paralysis of the affected limb
D. Paresthesia or tingling sensations
Correct Answer: D
Expert Explanation: Paresthesia is one of the earliest signs of compartment syndrome due
to nerve compression. Pulselessness and paralysis are late signs indicating significant
tissue necrosis.
3. A patient with Parkinson’s disease is experiencing ‘freezing’ of gait. Which instruction
should the nurse provide to help the patient resume walking?
A. Try to push through the resistance by leaning forward.
B. Look down at the feet while trying to step.
, C. Imagine stepping over an invisible line or object on the floor.
D. Stop and wait for 10 minutes before attempting to move again.
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Using visual cues, such as imagining a line to step over, can help
overcome the ‘freezing’ phenomenon in Parkinson’s disease by engaging different neural
pathways.
4. When caring for a patient with Multiple Myeloma, which laboratory value is the nurse’s
priority to monitor?
A. Serum Potassium
B. Serum Sodium
C. Serum Calcium
D. Blood Glucose
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Multiple Myeloma causes bone destruction, which leads to the
release of calcium into the bloodstream. Hypercalcemia is a significant risk and can lead to
renal failure and cardiac issues.
5. A nurse is performing a neurovascular assessment on a patient who just had a total hip
arthroplasty. What is the priority assessment?
A. Skin turgor and temperature
Q&A | Galen College of Nursing
────────────────────────────────────
This comprehensive exam-style resource is designed to prepare students for medical-surgical
nursing assessments focused on multisystem disorders, neurological emergencies, and
rehabilitation nursing care. The material emphasizes safe nursing interventions and evidence-
based adult healthcare management strategies.
The questions are structured to closely mirror actual course exams while reinforcing analytical
reasoning, nursing prioritization, and patient care decision-making skills. Detailed expert
explanations support deeper understanding and successful exam performance.
════════════════════════════════════
The Exam Covers:
• Neurovascular assessment
• Parkinson’s disease management
• Orthopedic traction and casts
• Hematologic cancers
• Chronic pain management
• Adult rehabilitation nursing
• Mobility assistance and safety
• Adult care planning strategies
════════════════════════════════════
1. A nurse is caring for a patient in skeletal traction. Which action should the nurse take to
ensure the effectiveness of the traction?
A. Ensure that the weights are resting on the floor to prevent excessive tension.
B. Maintain the weights so they are hanging freely at all times.
C. Remove the weights once per shift to allow for range-of-motion exercises.
,D. Apply extra weights if the patient complains of increased muscle spasms.
Correct Answer: B
Expert Explanation: For traction to be effective, weights must hang freely and not touch
the floor or bed. Removing weights can cause bone misalignment, and weights should only
be adjusted by the provider’s order.
2. Which clinical manifestation is considered an early sign of compartment syndrome in a
patient with a lower extremity cast?
A. Absence of a distal pulse
B. Pitting edema distal to the cast
C. Paralysis of the affected limb
D. Paresthesia or tingling sensations
Correct Answer: D
Expert Explanation: Paresthesia is one of the earliest signs of compartment syndrome due
to nerve compression. Pulselessness and paralysis are late signs indicating significant
tissue necrosis.
3. A patient with Parkinson’s disease is experiencing ‘freezing’ of gait. Which instruction
should the nurse provide to help the patient resume walking?
A. Try to push through the resistance by leaning forward.
B. Look down at the feet while trying to step.
, C. Imagine stepping over an invisible line or object on the floor.
D. Stop and wait for 10 minutes before attempting to move again.
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Using visual cues, such as imagining a line to step over, can help
overcome the ‘freezing’ phenomenon in Parkinson’s disease by engaging different neural
pathways.
4. When caring for a patient with Multiple Myeloma, which laboratory value is the nurse’s
priority to monitor?
A. Serum Potassium
B. Serum Sodium
C. Serum Calcium
D. Blood Glucose
Correct Answer: C
Expert Explanation: Multiple Myeloma causes bone destruction, which leads to the
release of calcium into the bloodstream. Hypercalcemia is a significant risk and can lead to
renal failure and cardiac issues.
5. A nurse is performing a neurovascular assessment on a patient who just had a total hip
arthroplasty. What is the priority assessment?
A. Skin turgor and temperature
