2020/2021 NCLEX-PN Test Prep
Questions and Answers with Explanations
V1 PRACTICE EXAM 2 (STUDY MODE)
1. The child with seizure disorder is being treated with Dilantin
(phenytoin). Which of the following statements by the patient’s
mother
indicates to the nurse that the patient is experiencing a side effect of
Dilantin therapy?
A. “She is very irritable lately.”
B. “She sleeps quite a bit of the time.”
C. “Her gums look too big for her
teeth.”
D. “She has gained about 10 pounds in the last 6 months.”
Answer C: Hyperplasia of the gums is associated with Dilantin therapy.
Answer A is not related to the therapy; answer B is a side effect, and answer
D is not related to the question.
2. A 5-year-old is admitted to the unit following a tonsillectomy. Which
of the following would indicate a complication of the surgery?
A. Decreased appetite
B. A low-grade fever
C. Chest congestion
D. Constant swallowing
Answer D: A complication of a tonsillectomy is bleeding, and constant
swallowing may indicate bleeding. Decreased appetite is expected after a
tonsillectomy, as is a low-grade temperature; thus, answers A and B are
incorrect. In answer C, chest congestion is not normal but is not associated
with the tonsillectomy.
3. A 6-year-old with cerebral palsy functions at the level of an 18-monthold. Which finding would
support that assessment?
A. She dresses herself.
B. She pulls a toy behind her.
C. She can build a tower of eight blocks.
D. She can copy a horizontal or vertical line.
,Answer B: Children at 18 months of age like push-pull toys. Children at
approximately 3 years of age begin to dress themselves and build a tower of
eight blocks. At age four, children can copy a horizontal or vertical line.
Therefore, answers A, C, and D are incorrect.
4. Which information obtained from the mother of a child with
cerebral palsy most likely correlates to the diagnosis?
A. She was born at 42 weeks gestation.
B. She had meningitis when she was 6 months old.
C. She had physiologic jaundice after delivery.
D. She has frequent sore throats.
Answer B: The diagnosis of meningitis at age 6 months correlates to a
diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder, is often
associated with birth trauma or infections of the brain or spinal column.
Answers A, C, and D are not related to the question.
5. A 10-year-old is being treated for asthma. Before
administering Theodur, the nurse should check the:
A. Urinary output
B. Blood pressure
C. Pulse
D. Temperature
Answer C: Theodur is a bronchodilator, and a side effect of bronchodilators
is tachycardia, so checking the pulse is important. Extreme tachycardia
should be reported to the doctor. Answers A, B, and D are not necessary.
106. An elderly client is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She has surgery
followed by chemotherapy with a fluorouracil (Adrucil) IV. What should the
nurse do if she notices crystals and cloudiness in the IV medication?
A. Discard the solution and order a new bag
B. Warm the solution
C. Continue the infusion and document the finding
D. Discontinue the medication
Answer A: Crystals in the solution are not normal and should not be
,administered to the client. Discard the bad solution immediately. Answer B
is incorrect because warming the solution will not help. Answer C is
incorrect, and answer D requires a doctor’s order.
7. The client is diagnosed with multiple myoloma. The doctor has
ordered cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Which instruction should be given
to the client?
A. “Walk about a mile a day to prevent calcium loss.”
B. “Increase the fiber in your diet.”
C. “Report nausea to the doctor immediately.”
D. “Drink at least eight large glasses of water a day.”
Answer D: Cytoxan can cause hemorrhagic cystitis, so the client should
drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Answers A and B are not
necessary and, so, are incorrect. Nausea often occurs with chemotherapy, so
answer C is incorrect.
8. The client is taking rifampin 600mg po daily to treat his
tuberculosis. Which action by the nurse indicates understanding of the
medication?
A. Telling the client that the medication will need to be taken with juice
B. Telling the client that the medication will change the color of the
urine
C. Telling the client to take the medication before going to bed at night
D. Telling the client to take the medication if night sweats occur
Answer B: Rifampin can change the color of the urine and body fluid.
Teaching the client about these changes is best because he might think this
is a complication. Answer A is not necessary, answer C is not true, and
answer D is not true because this medication should be taken regularly
during the course of the treatment.
9. The client is taking prednisone 7.5mg po each morning to treat his
systemic lupus errythymatosis. Which statement best explains the reason
for taking the prednisone in the morning?
A. There is less chance of forgetting the medication if taken in the morning.
B. There will be less fluid retention if taken in the morning.
C. Prednisone is absorbed best with the breakfast meal.
, D. Morning administration mimics the body’s natural secretion
of corticosteroid.
Answer D: Taking corticosteroids in the morning mimics the body’s natural
release of cortisol. Answers A is not necessarily true, and answers B and C
are not true.
10. A 20-year-old female has a prescription for tetracycline. While
teaching the client how to take her medicine, the nurse learns that the
client is also taking Ortho-Novum oral contraceptive pills. Which
instructions should be included in the teaching plan?
A. The oral contraceptives will decrease the effectiveness of the tetracycline.
B. Nausea often results from taking oral contraceptives and antibiotics.
C. Toxicity can result when taking these two medications together.
D. Antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, so
the client should use an alternate method of birth control.
Answer D: Taking antibiotics and oral contraceptives together decreases
the effectiveness of the oral contraceptives. Answers A, B, and C are not
necessarily true.
11. A 60-year-old diabetic is taking glyburide (Diabeta) 1.25mg daily to
treat Type II diabetes mellitus. Which statement indicates the need for
further teaching?
A. “I will keep candy with me just in case my blood sugar drops.”
B. “I need to stay out of the sun as much as
possible.” C. “I often skip dinner because I don’t feel
hungry.”
D. “I always wear my medical identification.”
Answer C: The client should be taught to eat his meals even if he is not
hungry, to prevent a hypoglycemic reaction. Answers A, B, and D are
incorrect because they indicate an understanding of the nurse’s teaching.
12. The physician prescribes regular insulin, 5 units subcutaneous.
Regular insulin begins to exert an effect:
A. In 5–10 minutes
B. In 10–20 minutes
Questions and Answers with Explanations
V1 PRACTICE EXAM 2 (STUDY MODE)
1. The child with seizure disorder is being treated with Dilantin
(phenytoin). Which of the following statements by the patient’s
mother
indicates to the nurse that the patient is experiencing a side effect of
Dilantin therapy?
A. “She is very irritable lately.”
B. “She sleeps quite a bit of the time.”
C. “Her gums look too big for her
teeth.”
D. “She has gained about 10 pounds in the last 6 months.”
Answer C: Hyperplasia of the gums is associated with Dilantin therapy.
Answer A is not related to the therapy; answer B is a side effect, and answer
D is not related to the question.
2. A 5-year-old is admitted to the unit following a tonsillectomy. Which
of the following would indicate a complication of the surgery?
A. Decreased appetite
B. A low-grade fever
C. Chest congestion
D. Constant swallowing
Answer D: A complication of a tonsillectomy is bleeding, and constant
swallowing may indicate bleeding. Decreased appetite is expected after a
tonsillectomy, as is a low-grade temperature; thus, answers A and B are
incorrect. In answer C, chest congestion is not normal but is not associated
with the tonsillectomy.
3. A 6-year-old with cerebral palsy functions at the level of an 18-monthold. Which finding would
support that assessment?
A. She dresses herself.
B. She pulls a toy behind her.
C. She can build a tower of eight blocks.
D. She can copy a horizontal or vertical line.
,Answer B: Children at 18 months of age like push-pull toys. Children at
approximately 3 years of age begin to dress themselves and build a tower of
eight blocks. At age four, children can copy a horizontal or vertical line.
Therefore, answers A, C, and D are incorrect.
4. Which information obtained from the mother of a child with
cerebral palsy most likely correlates to the diagnosis?
A. She was born at 42 weeks gestation.
B. She had meningitis when she was 6 months old.
C. She had physiologic jaundice after delivery.
D. She has frequent sore throats.
Answer B: The diagnosis of meningitis at age 6 months correlates to a
diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder, is often
associated with birth trauma or infections of the brain or spinal column.
Answers A, C, and D are not related to the question.
5. A 10-year-old is being treated for asthma. Before
administering Theodur, the nurse should check the:
A. Urinary output
B. Blood pressure
C. Pulse
D. Temperature
Answer C: Theodur is a bronchodilator, and a side effect of bronchodilators
is tachycardia, so checking the pulse is important. Extreme tachycardia
should be reported to the doctor. Answers A, B, and D are not necessary.
106. An elderly client is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She has surgery
followed by chemotherapy with a fluorouracil (Adrucil) IV. What should the
nurse do if she notices crystals and cloudiness in the IV medication?
A. Discard the solution and order a new bag
B. Warm the solution
C. Continue the infusion and document the finding
D. Discontinue the medication
Answer A: Crystals in the solution are not normal and should not be
,administered to the client. Discard the bad solution immediately. Answer B
is incorrect because warming the solution will not help. Answer C is
incorrect, and answer D requires a doctor’s order.
7. The client is diagnosed with multiple myoloma. The doctor has
ordered cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Which instruction should be given
to the client?
A. “Walk about a mile a day to prevent calcium loss.”
B. “Increase the fiber in your diet.”
C. “Report nausea to the doctor immediately.”
D. “Drink at least eight large glasses of water a day.”
Answer D: Cytoxan can cause hemorrhagic cystitis, so the client should
drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Answers A and B are not
necessary and, so, are incorrect. Nausea often occurs with chemotherapy, so
answer C is incorrect.
8. The client is taking rifampin 600mg po daily to treat his
tuberculosis. Which action by the nurse indicates understanding of the
medication?
A. Telling the client that the medication will need to be taken with juice
B. Telling the client that the medication will change the color of the
urine
C. Telling the client to take the medication before going to bed at night
D. Telling the client to take the medication if night sweats occur
Answer B: Rifampin can change the color of the urine and body fluid.
Teaching the client about these changes is best because he might think this
is a complication. Answer A is not necessary, answer C is not true, and
answer D is not true because this medication should be taken regularly
during the course of the treatment.
9. The client is taking prednisone 7.5mg po each morning to treat his
systemic lupus errythymatosis. Which statement best explains the reason
for taking the prednisone in the morning?
A. There is less chance of forgetting the medication if taken in the morning.
B. There will be less fluid retention if taken in the morning.
C. Prednisone is absorbed best with the breakfast meal.
, D. Morning administration mimics the body’s natural secretion
of corticosteroid.
Answer D: Taking corticosteroids in the morning mimics the body’s natural
release of cortisol. Answers A is not necessarily true, and answers B and C
are not true.
10. A 20-year-old female has a prescription for tetracycline. While
teaching the client how to take her medicine, the nurse learns that the
client is also taking Ortho-Novum oral contraceptive pills. Which
instructions should be included in the teaching plan?
A. The oral contraceptives will decrease the effectiveness of the tetracycline.
B. Nausea often results from taking oral contraceptives and antibiotics.
C. Toxicity can result when taking these two medications together.
D. Antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, so
the client should use an alternate method of birth control.
Answer D: Taking antibiotics and oral contraceptives together decreases
the effectiveness of the oral contraceptives. Answers A, B, and C are not
necessarily true.
11. A 60-year-old diabetic is taking glyburide (Diabeta) 1.25mg daily to
treat Type II diabetes mellitus. Which statement indicates the need for
further teaching?
A. “I will keep candy with me just in case my blood sugar drops.”
B. “I need to stay out of the sun as much as
possible.” C. “I often skip dinner because I don’t feel
hungry.”
D. “I always wear my medical identification.”
Answer C: The client should be taught to eat his meals even if he is not
hungry, to prevent a hypoglycemic reaction. Answers A, B, and D are
incorrect because they indicate an understanding of the nurse’s teaching.
12. The physician prescribes regular insulin, 5 units subcutaneous.
Regular insulin begins to exert an effect:
A. In 5–10 minutes
B. In 10–20 minutes
