Answers ASSIGNMENT 1-3
ANSWERS & RATIONALES to ASSIGNMENT #1
(Basic Concepts of Pathophysiology & Implications for Nursing, Genetic Influence, Intracellular
Functions)
Academic honesty reminder: It is ok to discuss the assignments with other students as a learning
tool, but it is considered a breach of academic honesty to copy answers directly from each other.
Also, when taking a test, do not have this or any other informational document visible.
Basic Concepts of Pathophysiology & Implications for
Nursing
Questions 1 & 2 below refer to the following situation:
A 55-year-old man with emphysema (a type of chronic lung disease) who has smoked
2 packs of cigarettes per day for 40 years is hospitalized for acute onset of cough
productive of bloody sputum (sputum=secretions from deep in the lungs). After a few
days of testing and treatment, the patient’s nurse reads a physician’s note on the
chart: “I have told the patient that the etiologies of his hemoptysis are: 1)
exacerbation of his chronic emphysema and 2) the new diagnosis of lung cancer. The
onsets of both were contributed to by his longstanding smoking.”
1. The patient asks the nurse for more information. Which of the following
explanations to the patient best indicates a full understanding of the
patient’s situation?
a. “You have a disease process that was iatrogenically caused by cigarette
smoking.” Incorrect: “iatrogenically” means caused by a medical
person.
b. “You have a sudden onset of a chronic lung disease that was brought on
by lung cancer.” Incorrect: the chronic lung disease was part of the
medical history of the patient; the term “chronic” means a long-standing
disease, not a “sudden onset.”
c. “The coughing up of blood is caused by a worsening of a disease
you’ve had for a long time plus a new problem-- lung cancer.”
d. “These diseases have been creeping up on you for probably 20 years; it
just goes to show that you should never have taken up smoking.”
Incorrect: no evidence in the scenario to support this sentence. (Besides,
it sounds very judgmental.)
2. Based on all the information you have on the patient, which statement is
most likely correct?
a. The patient has a poor prognosis because of the comorbidities of lung
cancer and cigarette smoking. Incorrect: Smoking is a risk factor not a
disease that would fit the term “comorbidity.”
b. Lung cancer was a sequela of the bloody sputum. Incorrect: the bloody
sputum was part of the S&S of cancer; this answer implies the bloody
sputum caused the cancer.
c. A precipitating factor for the acute hospitalization was overexertion when
the patient started an exercise class. Incorrect: no evidence in the
scenario to support this sentence.
d. Heavy cigarette smoking was a risk factor in the patient’s developing
emphysema and lung cancer.
, Answers ASSIGNMENT 1-3
Questions 3 & 4 refer to the following situation: An 80-year-old patient is in shock
from loss of blood following an accident. His vital signs are: BP 80/50 (normal ~
120/80), HR 120 (norm = 60-100), RR 20 (norm = 12 to 20), T 98.6 (norm ~ 98.6).
3. In assessing this patient, the nurse understands that the abnormal HR is
a. probably the etiology for the patient’s low BP. Incorrect: the shock is due
to the “loss of blood.” A state of shock has a “big picture” of low BP, high
HR, cool hands, weakness, feeling faint, and/or passing out. In this
context the high HR doesn’t CAUSE the low BP.
b. due to the patient’s heart compensating for low blood volume by pumping
faster.
c. the normal compensatory response of shunting blood volume to the
periphery. Incorrect: shunting blood to the periphery IS a compensatory
response, but it is a “co-response” with high HR; one doesn’t cause the
other.
d. due to multiple risk factors. Incorrect: no evidence in the scenario to
support this sentence. (TIP: when you are deciding on answers, plug
them each into the stem of the question & ask yourself if it makes
sense. Ex—does this sentence make sense? “In assessing this patient,
the nurse understands that the abnormal HR is due to multiple risk
factors.” Hopefully you see that no, it doesn’t make sense.)
4. The patient would also most likely have all of the following EXCEPT
a. S&S of cool feet and hands from the body’s compensatory response to
shock.
b. S&S of feeling faint and weak from blood loss.
c. a risk factor of shock. In an except question, remind yourself that 3
things go together. The 4th one is the one you choose—it doesn’t fit.
d. a more guarded (ie, “poorer”) prognosis because of his age.
5. A young, otherwise healthy patient is admitted to the hospital with a
diagnosis of heart failure of unknown cause. The etiology of the heart
failure would be termed
a. iatrogeni
c. b.
idiopathic.
c. nosocomial.
d. acute.
6. To do well in this course, a student should
a. memorize the notes thoroughly. Incorrect: memorize only a few
things that are unavoidable. Otherwise, study concepts and contexts!
b. be able to apply concepts to different situations.
c. begin each assignment Wednesdays at 7am. Incorrect: you should begin
and try to finish assignments way before an hour before they are due!
d. hurriedly take tests one hour before their stop-time. Incorrect: you
should begin and finish tests way before an hour before they are due!
Questions 7-10 refer to the following situation A 55 year old male is in the ER having a myocardial
ANSWERS & RATIONALES to ASSIGNMENT #1
(Basic Concepts of Pathophysiology & Implications for Nursing, Genetic Influence, Intracellular
Functions)
Academic honesty reminder: It is ok to discuss the assignments with other students as a learning
tool, but it is considered a breach of academic honesty to copy answers directly from each other.
Also, when taking a test, do not have this or any other informational document visible.
Basic Concepts of Pathophysiology & Implications for
Nursing
Questions 1 & 2 below refer to the following situation:
A 55-year-old man with emphysema (a type of chronic lung disease) who has smoked
2 packs of cigarettes per day for 40 years is hospitalized for acute onset of cough
productive of bloody sputum (sputum=secretions from deep in the lungs). After a few
days of testing and treatment, the patient’s nurse reads a physician’s note on the
chart: “I have told the patient that the etiologies of his hemoptysis are: 1)
exacerbation of his chronic emphysema and 2) the new diagnosis of lung cancer. The
onsets of both were contributed to by his longstanding smoking.”
1. The patient asks the nurse for more information. Which of the following
explanations to the patient best indicates a full understanding of the
patient’s situation?
a. “You have a disease process that was iatrogenically caused by cigarette
smoking.” Incorrect: “iatrogenically” means caused by a medical
person.
b. “You have a sudden onset of a chronic lung disease that was brought on
by lung cancer.” Incorrect: the chronic lung disease was part of the
medical history of the patient; the term “chronic” means a long-standing
disease, not a “sudden onset.”
c. “The coughing up of blood is caused by a worsening of a disease
you’ve had for a long time plus a new problem-- lung cancer.”
d. “These diseases have been creeping up on you for probably 20 years; it
just goes to show that you should never have taken up smoking.”
Incorrect: no evidence in the scenario to support this sentence. (Besides,
it sounds very judgmental.)
2. Based on all the information you have on the patient, which statement is
most likely correct?
a. The patient has a poor prognosis because of the comorbidities of lung
cancer and cigarette smoking. Incorrect: Smoking is a risk factor not a
disease that would fit the term “comorbidity.”
b. Lung cancer was a sequela of the bloody sputum. Incorrect: the bloody
sputum was part of the S&S of cancer; this answer implies the bloody
sputum caused the cancer.
c. A precipitating factor for the acute hospitalization was overexertion when
the patient started an exercise class. Incorrect: no evidence in the
scenario to support this sentence.
d. Heavy cigarette smoking was a risk factor in the patient’s developing
emphysema and lung cancer.
, Answers ASSIGNMENT 1-3
Questions 3 & 4 refer to the following situation: An 80-year-old patient is in shock
from loss of blood following an accident. His vital signs are: BP 80/50 (normal ~
120/80), HR 120 (norm = 60-100), RR 20 (norm = 12 to 20), T 98.6 (norm ~ 98.6).
3. In assessing this patient, the nurse understands that the abnormal HR is
a. probably the etiology for the patient’s low BP. Incorrect: the shock is due
to the “loss of blood.” A state of shock has a “big picture” of low BP, high
HR, cool hands, weakness, feeling faint, and/or passing out. In this
context the high HR doesn’t CAUSE the low BP.
b. due to the patient’s heart compensating for low blood volume by pumping
faster.
c. the normal compensatory response of shunting blood volume to the
periphery. Incorrect: shunting blood to the periphery IS a compensatory
response, but it is a “co-response” with high HR; one doesn’t cause the
other.
d. due to multiple risk factors. Incorrect: no evidence in the scenario to
support this sentence. (TIP: when you are deciding on answers, plug
them each into the stem of the question & ask yourself if it makes
sense. Ex—does this sentence make sense? “In assessing this patient,
the nurse understands that the abnormal HR is due to multiple risk
factors.” Hopefully you see that no, it doesn’t make sense.)
4. The patient would also most likely have all of the following EXCEPT
a. S&S of cool feet and hands from the body’s compensatory response to
shock.
b. S&S of feeling faint and weak from blood loss.
c. a risk factor of shock. In an except question, remind yourself that 3
things go together. The 4th one is the one you choose—it doesn’t fit.
d. a more guarded (ie, “poorer”) prognosis because of his age.
5. A young, otherwise healthy patient is admitted to the hospital with a
diagnosis of heart failure of unknown cause. The etiology of the heart
failure would be termed
a. iatrogeni
c. b.
idiopathic.
c. nosocomial.
d. acute.
6. To do well in this course, a student should
a. memorize the notes thoroughly. Incorrect: memorize only a few
things that are unavoidable. Otherwise, study concepts and contexts!
b. be able to apply concepts to different situations.
c. begin each assignment Wednesdays at 7am. Incorrect: you should begin
and try to finish assignments way before an hour before they are due!
d. hurriedly take tests one hour before their stop-time. Incorrect: you
should begin and finish tests way before an hour before they are due!
Questions 7-10 refer to the following situation A 55 year old male is in the ER having a myocardial
