Diabetes Practice Questions
An 18-year-old female client, 5′4′′ tall, weighing 113 kg, comes to the clinic for a nonhealing
wound on her lower leg, which she has had for two (2) weeks. Which disease process
should the nurse suspect the client has developed?
A. Type 1 diabetes.
B. Type 2 diabetes.
C. Gestational diabetes.
D. Acanthosis nigricans. - correct answer-B. Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a disorder usually occurring around the age of 40, but it is now being
detected in children and young adults as a result of obesity and sedentary lifestyles.
Nonhealing wounds are a hallmark sign of type 2 diabetes. This client weighs 248.6 pounds
and is short.
The client diagnosed with type 1 diabetes has a glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) of 8.1%.
Which interpretation should the nurse make based on this result?
A. This result is below normal levels.
B. This result is within acceptable levels.
C. This result is above recommended levels.
D. This result is dangerously high - correct answer-C. The result is above recommended
levels.
This result parallels a serum blood glucose level of approximately 180 to 200 mg/dL. An A1c
is a blood test reflecting average blood glucose levels over a period of three (3) months;
clients with elevated blood glucose levels are at risk for develop ing long-term complications.
The nurse administered 28 units of Humulin N, an intermediate-acting insulin, to a client
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 1600. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
A. Ensure the client eats the bedtime snack.
B. Determine how much food the client ate
at lunch.
C. Perform a glucometer reading at 0700.
D. Offer the client protein after administering
insulin. - correct answer-A. Ensure the client eats a bedtime snack.
Humulin N peaks in six (6) to eight(8) hours, making the client at risk for hypoglycemia
around midnight, which is why the client should receive a bedtime snack. This snack will
prevent nighttime hypoglycemia.
The client diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is receiving Humalog, a rapid-acting insulin, by
sliding scale. The order reads blood glucose level: <150, zero (0) units; 151 to 200, three(3)
units; 201 to 250, six (6) units; >251, contact health-care provider. The unlicensed assistive
personnel (UAP) reports to the nurse the client's glucometer reading is 189. How much
insulin should the nurse administer to the client? - correct answer-3 units
, The client's result is 189, which is between 151 and 200, so the nurse should administer
three (3) units of Humalog insulin subcutaneously.
The nurse is discussing the importance of exercising with a client diagnosed with type 2
diabetes whose diabetes is well controlled with diet and exercise. Which information should
the nurse include in the teaching about diabetes?
A. Eat a simple carbohydrate snack before
exercising.
B. Carry peanut butter crackers when exercising.
C. Encourage the client to walk 20 minutes three
(3) times a week.
D. Perform warm-up and cool-down exercises. - correct answer-D. Perform warm-up and
cool-down exercises
All clients who exercise should perform warm-up and cool-down exercises to help prevent
muscle strain and injury.
The nurse is assessing the feet of a client with long-term type 2 diabetes. Which assessment
data warrant immediate intervention by the nurse?
A. The client has crumbling toenails.
B. The client has athlete's foot.
C. The client has a necrotic big toe.
D. The client has thickened toenails. - correct answer-C. The client has a necrotic big toe
A necrotic big toe indicates "dead" tissue. The client does not feel pain, does not realize the
injury, and does not seek treat- ment. Increased blood glucose levels de- crease the oxygen
supply needed to heal the wound and increase the risk for devel- oping an infection.
The home health nurse is completing the admission assessment for a 76-year-old client
diagnosed with type 2 diabetes controlled with 70/30 insulin. Which intervention should be
included in the plan of care?
A. Assess the client's ability to read small print.
B. Monitor the client's serum prothrombin time
(PT) level.
C. Teach the client how to perform a hemoglobin
A1c test daily.
D. Instruct the client to check the feet weekly. - correct answer-A. Assess the client's ability
to read small print.
Age-related visual changes and diabetic retinopathy could cause the client to have difficulty
in reading and drawing up insulin dosage accurately.
The client with type 2 diabetes controlled with biguanide oral diabetic medication is
scheduled for a computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast of the abdomen to evaluate
pancreatic function. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
A. Provide a high-fat diet 24 hours prior to test.
B. Hold the biguanide medication for 48 hours
prior to test.
An 18-year-old female client, 5′4′′ tall, weighing 113 kg, comes to the clinic for a nonhealing
wound on her lower leg, which she has had for two (2) weeks. Which disease process
should the nurse suspect the client has developed?
A. Type 1 diabetes.
B. Type 2 diabetes.
C. Gestational diabetes.
D. Acanthosis nigricans. - correct answer-B. Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a disorder usually occurring around the age of 40, but it is now being
detected in children and young adults as a result of obesity and sedentary lifestyles.
Nonhealing wounds are a hallmark sign of type 2 diabetes. This client weighs 248.6 pounds
and is short.
The client diagnosed with type 1 diabetes has a glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) of 8.1%.
Which interpretation should the nurse make based on this result?
A. This result is below normal levels.
B. This result is within acceptable levels.
C. This result is above recommended levels.
D. This result is dangerously high - correct answer-C. The result is above recommended
levels.
This result parallels a serum blood glucose level of approximately 180 to 200 mg/dL. An A1c
is a blood test reflecting average blood glucose levels over a period of three (3) months;
clients with elevated blood glucose levels are at risk for develop ing long-term complications.
The nurse administered 28 units of Humulin N, an intermediate-acting insulin, to a client
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 1600. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
A. Ensure the client eats the bedtime snack.
B. Determine how much food the client ate
at lunch.
C. Perform a glucometer reading at 0700.
D. Offer the client protein after administering
insulin. - correct answer-A. Ensure the client eats a bedtime snack.
Humulin N peaks in six (6) to eight(8) hours, making the client at risk for hypoglycemia
around midnight, which is why the client should receive a bedtime snack. This snack will
prevent nighttime hypoglycemia.
The client diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is receiving Humalog, a rapid-acting insulin, by
sliding scale. The order reads blood glucose level: <150, zero (0) units; 151 to 200, three(3)
units; 201 to 250, six (6) units; >251, contact health-care provider. The unlicensed assistive
personnel (UAP) reports to the nurse the client's glucometer reading is 189. How much
insulin should the nurse administer to the client? - correct answer-3 units
, The client's result is 189, which is between 151 and 200, so the nurse should administer
three (3) units of Humalog insulin subcutaneously.
The nurse is discussing the importance of exercising with a client diagnosed with type 2
diabetes whose diabetes is well controlled with diet and exercise. Which information should
the nurse include in the teaching about diabetes?
A. Eat a simple carbohydrate snack before
exercising.
B. Carry peanut butter crackers when exercising.
C. Encourage the client to walk 20 minutes three
(3) times a week.
D. Perform warm-up and cool-down exercises. - correct answer-D. Perform warm-up and
cool-down exercises
All clients who exercise should perform warm-up and cool-down exercises to help prevent
muscle strain and injury.
The nurse is assessing the feet of a client with long-term type 2 diabetes. Which assessment
data warrant immediate intervention by the nurse?
A. The client has crumbling toenails.
B. The client has athlete's foot.
C. The client has a necrotic big toe.
D. The client has thickened toenails. - correct answer-C. The client has a necrotic big toe
A necrotic big toe indicates "dead" tissue. The client does not feel pain, does not realize the
injury, and does not seek treat- ment. Increased blood glucose levels de- crease the oxygen
supply needed to heal the wound and increase the risk for devel- oping an infection.
The home health nurse is completing the admission assessment for a 76-year-old client
diagnosed with type 2 diabetes controlled with 70/30 insulin. Which intervention should be
included in the plan of care?
A. Assess the client's ability to read small print.
B. Monitor the client's serum prothrombin time
(PT) level.
C. Teach the client how to perform a hemoglobin
A1c test daily.
D. Instruct the client to check the feet weekly. - correct answer-A. Assess the client's ability
to read small print.
Age-related visual changes and diabetic retinopathy could cause the client to have difficulty
in reading and drawing up insulin dosage accurately.
The client with type 2 diabetes controlled with biguanide oral diabetic medication is
scheduled for a computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast of the abdomen to evaluate
pancreatic function. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
A. Provide a high-fat diet 24 hours prior to test.
B. Hold the biguanide medication for 48 hours
prior to test.
