NCLEX-PN TEST PREP QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH EXPLANATIONS 2024
• The child with seizure disorder is being treated with Dilantin (phenytoin). Which of
the following statements by the client’s mother
indicates to the nurse that the client is experiencing a side effect of Dilantin therapy?
• “She is very irritable lately.”
• “She sleeps quite a bit of the time.”
• “Her gums look too big for her teeth.”
• “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.
• A 5-year-old is admitted to the unit following a tonsillectomy. Which of the following
would indicate a complication of the surgery?
• Decreased appetite
• A low-grade fever
• Chest congestion
• 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.
• A 6-year-old with cerebral palsy functions at the level of an 18-monthold. Which
finding would support that assessment?
• She dresses herself.
• She pulls a toy behind her.
,• She can build a tower of eight blocks.
• 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.
• Which information obtained from the mother of a child with cerebral palsy most
likely correlates to the diagnosis?
• She was born at 42 weeks gestation.
• She had meningitis when she was 6 months old.
• She had physiologic jaundice after delivery.
• 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.
• A 10-year-old is being treated for asthma. Before administering Theodur, the nurse
should check the:
• Urinary output
• Blood pressure
• Pulse
• 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?
• Discard the solution and order a new bag
• Warm the solution
• Continue the infusion and document the finding
• 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.
• The client is diagnosed with multiple myoloma. The doctor has ordered
cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Which instruction should be given to the client?
• “Walk about a mile a day to prevent calcium loss.”
• “Increase the fiber in your diet.”
• “Report nausea to the doctor immediately.”
• “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.
• The client is taking rifampin 600mg po daily to treat his tuberculosis. Which action
by the nurse indicates understanding of the medication?
• Telling the client that the medication will need to be taken with juice
• Telling the client that the medication will change the color of the urine
• Telling the client to take the medication before going to bed at night
• 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.
• 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?
• There is less chance of forgetting the medication if taken in the morning.
• There will be less fluid retention if taken in the morning.
• Prednisone is absorbed best with the breakfast meal.
, • 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.
• 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?
• The oral contraceptives will decrease the effectiveness of the tetracycline.
• Nausea often results from taking oral contraceptives and antibiotics.
• Toxicity can result when taking these two medications together.
• 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.
• 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?
• “I will keep candy with me just in case my blood sugar drops.”
• “I need to stay out of the sun as much as possible.”
• “I often skip dinner because I don’t feel hungry.”
• “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.
• The physician prescribes regular insulin, 5 units subcutaneous. Regular insulin
begins to exert an effect:
• In 5–10 minutes
• In 10–20 minutes
• In 30–60 minutes
• In 60–120 minutes
ANSWERS WITH EXPLANATIONS 2024
• The child with seizure disorder is being treated with Dilantin (phenytoin). Which of
the following statements by the client’s mother
indicates to the nurse that the client is experiencing a side effect of Dilantin therapy?
• “She is very irritable lately.”
• “She sleeps quite a bit of the time.”
• “Her gums look too big for her teeth.”
• “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.
• A 5-year-old is admitted to the unit following a tonsillectomy. Which of the following
would indicate a complication of the surgery?
• Decreased appetite
• A low-grade fever
• Chest congestion
• 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.
• A 6-year-old with cerebral palsy functions at the level of an 18-monthold. Which
finding would support that assessment?
• She dresses herself.
• She pulls a toy behind her.
,• She can build a tower of eight blocks.
• 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.
• Which information obtained from the mother of a child with cerebral palsy most
likely correlates to the diagnosis?
• She was born at 42 weeks gestation.
• She had meningitis when she was 6 months old.
• She had physiologic jaundice after delivery.
• 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.
• A 10-year-old is being treated for asthma. Before administering Theodur, the nurse
should check the:
• Urinary output
• Blood pressure
• Pulse
• 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?
• Discard the solution and order a new bag
• Warm the solution
• Continue the infusion and document the finding
• 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.
• The client is diagnosed with multiple myoloma. The doctor has ordered
cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Which instruction should be given to the client?
• “Walk about a mile a day to prevent calcium loss.”
• “Increase the fiber in your diet.”
• “Report nausea to the doctor immediately.”
• “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.
• The client is taking rifampin 600mg po daily to treat his tuberculosis. Which action
by the nurse indicates understanding of the medication?
• Telling the client that the medication will need to be taken with juice
• Telling the client that the medication will change the color of the urine
• Telling the client to take the medication before going to bed at night
• 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.
• 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?
• There is less chance of forgetting the medication if taken in the morning.
• There will be less fluid retention if taken in the morning.
• Prednisone is absorbed best with the breakfast meal.
, • 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.
• 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?
• The oral contraceptives will decrease the effectiveness of the tetracycline.
• Nausea often results from taking oral contraceptives and antibiotics.
• Toxicity can result when taking these two medications together.
• 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.
• 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?
• “I will keep candy with me just in case my blood sugar drops.”
• “I need to stay out of the sun as much as possible.”
• “I often skip dinner because I don’t feel hungry.”
• “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.
• The physician prescribes regular insulin, 5 units subcutaneous. Regular insulin
begins to exert an effect:
• In 5–10 minutes
• In 10–20 minutes
• In 30–60 minutes
• In 60–120 minutes
